Legacy of the VW Passat in the U.S. will be celebrated with a special run of 1,973 cars
The 2022 Passat Limited Edition will be available in four colors, with the number of each paying homage to an aspect of the vehicle’s past. (Photos courtesy of VW)
Volkswagen of America, Inc. announced today, July 19, that it will stop building the Passat sedan in Chattanooga with model-year 2022. The move is part of the plant’s transformation to build electric vehicles, VW said in a statement. The German carmaker now offers five SUV crossovers, including the just-released subcompact Taos and electric ID.4.
VW has sold some version of the Passat for nearly 50 years, Scott Keogh, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc,., said in a statement.
“With the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport in high demand, and the North American production launch of the all-electric ID.4 SUV next year, our future in Chattanooga looks brighter than ever,” Keogh said.
The legacy of the VW Passat in the U.S. will be celebrated with a limited-edition run of 1,973 cars with Chattanooga-inspired details.
VW Passat History
The 1974 VW Dasher, also known as Passat B1 for the first generation.
The Passat went on sale in 1973, a year before the Golf in Europe and was based on the Audi 80. The Passat was initially sold in body styles of two- and four-door fastback sedan and three- and five-door hatchback. A wagon would be added one year later.
The Passat was marketed as the Dasher in the U.S. and sold in all three body styles from 1974. More than 222,000 were sold. The next-generation model was marketed as the Quantum. The Passat name was first used for the U.S. in 1990 and has remained ever since.
It was 2011 when Volkswagen started building the Passat for the North American market at its plant in Chattanooga, Tenn. The U.S.-market car was larger inside and out than the eighth-generation European car that debuted in 2014. The current U.S. Passat has been given two updates since first going on sale.
It has been exported to Canada, Mexico, South Korea, and Middle Eastern markets. A version of the car has also been assembled in China, alongside the Passat Lingyu and Magotan.
2022 VW Passat Limited Edition
The 2022 Passat Limited Edition is a tribute to the model’s history and recognizes the contributions of the employees who built Passat.
A run of 1,973 Limited Edition models recognizes the year the first Passat was launched in Germany.
Special cup holder mats will feature aerial maps of the city and an aerial line drawing of the Chattanooga factory.
The 2022 Passat Limited Edition will be available in four color combinations, with the number of each paying homage to an aspect of the vehicle’s past.
Aurora Red Metallic models with Titan Black interior will number 411 units that represent the original vehicle production code.
Racing Green Metallic models with Mauro Brown interior will be number 423 for the telephone area code of Chattanooga, Tenn.
Pure White models with Mauro Brown interior will number 524 units in tribute to the opening of the Chattanooga Plant on May 24, 2011.
And there will be 615 Platinum Grey Metallic models with Titan Black interior that represent six generations of imported Passats, one generation assembled in Chattanooga, and five decades of U.S. sales.
Limited Edition models will have leather-trimmed sport seats with perforated surfaces.
Special Exterior Features
Fifteen-spoke 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.
Fifteen-spoke 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels are standard, along with black mirror caps for the power-folding mirrors with memory.
Limited Edition models also feature LED headlights with the Advanced Front-lighting System and an easy-open trunk.
Special Interior Features
Limited Edition models will have unique seat tags featuring “1 of 1973” on one side and “Chattanooga 2011” on the other. In addition, special cup holder mats are imprinted with aerial maps of the city and a line drawing of the Chattanooga factory.
Limited Edition models will have unique seat tags featuring “1 of 1973” on one side and “Chattanooga 2011” on the other.
Also standard will be leather-trimmed sport seats with perforated Vienna surfaces and driver seat memory. Other extras include a power passenger seat and heated front and rear seats. Infotainment features include Discover Media with navigation and a Fender premium audio system. Driver-assist features include Park Assist with front and rear Park Distance Control, and high-beam assist.
The 2022 Passat Limited Edition has a starting price of $31,290, including the freight charge of $995. Add $395 for Aurora Red Metallic paint.
Special VW Pricing Offers
There are a couple of competitive incentives for a 2021 Passat 2.0T S. A zero percent APR financing offer is available for 60 months or $299 a month for 39 months.
Highly qualified customers can opt for VW financing of zero percent APR for 36 months.
Find pricing incentives here.
The U.S.-assembled Passat has been exported to Canada, South Korea, and the Middle East.
Read more about the history of the Passat here.
The Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction sold this 2021 Ford Bronco Badlands Raiders Edition for $275,000. Proceeds will benefit the Grant a Gift Autism Foundation and Raiders Foundation. (Barrett-Jackson Auctions)
