January 2022 marks a sad time for the American lover of European cars. As Car and Driver has reported, the VW Passat—a car that has been a staple of the import car market since the 70’s—has ended their American production, with the last car rolling off of the production line in Chattanooga, TN. The last of these cars produced in the U.S. is a 2022 model, a Limited Edition Passat, in the color Platinum Gray. Though we can mourn what is gone, let’s take a look at the Passat’s history and how it helped to shift VW to the company that it is today.
The VW Dasher: Passat’s Roots and a Way Forward for Volkswagen
In the 1970’s many people—Americans in particular—had one image in their head when they thought of a Volkswagen. And it was the Beetle. And though the Beetle was a car that served the company well over the years, it certainly wasn’t a car people associated with luxury or speed—and for good reason. VW wanted to break out of the box that they found themselves stagnating in, and become associated with a more upscale image in the U.S. market. So they introduced a new car—the Dasher.
Though achingly retro to look at these days, the original 1974 Dasher was super modern at the time, with 3- and 5-door hatchback as well as wagon body styles available. The car stayed on the market with minor adjustments (though a diesel model was offered for a few years starting in 79) until the car was upgraded and re-released in the US as the Quantum. The Quantum still had the 3-door and wagon models, but moved over to a 4 door sedan. Though the 4-cylinder model was still the standard, zippier 5-cylinder models were now also available.
Introducing the Passat: And America’s Version of the Passat
In 1989 the staple of the VW lineup went through yet another change, from the Quantum to the Passat. This version of the car only had the station wagon and 4 door sedan options to choose from, and finally got some more rounded edges in comparison to the original Dasher style. The style of the car changed again in 1993 and 1998, but the car continued to be offered with a variety of engines, with a number of both diesel and gas options, from 1.6 L the whole way up to a 2.8 L V8.
But in 2011, the Passat began to really change. Apparently VW’s early 70’s goal to be seen as more of a luxury brand was perhaps a little bit too successful in the U.S. They now wanted to spur more sales in the American market, so they tweaked the Passat’s lineup, discontinuing the wagon version in the U.S. entirely and making the North American version both larger and slightly less luxurious in order to massage the price point to a place that would fuel North American sales. The engines were still available in both gas and diesel versions, with a gas 1.8 L model the whole way up to their 3.6 L VR6 FSI. It became apparent in more recent years—even with the adjustments that were made to court the North American market—that the Passat wasn’t getting the sales that VW wanted. Though slated to stop US production in 2023, the last car rolled off of the line already at the beginning of 2022.
Though the Passat’s tenure is finished at the Chattanooga plant, two Atlas models will continue to be produced there—the smaller Cross Sport, as well as the larger 3-row version. In addition, the factory is being outfitted to begin producing one of VW’s electric offerings that embodies the newest future of Volkswagen’s lineup—the ID.4.
