# B7 Passat?? When's it coming?



## NoDubJustYet (Mar 25, 2002)

I'm in the market for a mid-size wagon (think V70, E-Klasse, and 5er)... The B6 Passat Variant fits the bill when it comes to size (caro and passenger room) and fit & finish. The problem I have currently is that VW has neutuered the 2010s and there's no more sport package. The current wagon is extremely boring... it seems the model is getting long in the tooth, how much longer will it be around?
I'm leaning towards a V70 R-Design unless VW can get their **** together.
When is the B7 coming? I saw a blip on Auto, Motor und Sport last week but didn't have a chance to look too close - plus it was probably a BS Photochop.


----------



## papa_vw (Oct 17, 2005)

*Re: B7 Passat?? When's it coming? (NoDubJustYet)*

The next version of the Passat probably won't make it to the US. Volkswagen is constructing a new factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee where it will build a new mid-size sedan (NMS) for the North American market. It will be a little bigger than the Passat; comparable to the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. Production is slated to start early next year in 2011 and they will likely be marketed as 2012 models.


----------



## NoDubJustYet (Mar 25, 2002)

Yeah, I saw all that... and that's too bad. I'd bet there won't be a wagon either.
Oh well, Volvo here I come.


----------



## papa_vw (Oct 17, 2005)

*Re: B7 Passat?? When's it coming? (papa_vw)*

Here's an article from August 2009 from Motor Trend on it.
http://www.motortrend.com/feat....html
I haven't heard of any plans for a wagon at this point.


----------



## feels_road (Jan 27, 2005)

*Re: B7 Passat?? When's it coming? (NoDubJustYet)*

The problem is that people in the US just don't buy wagons. VW is probably very happy to have sold 1,324 Jetta wagens last month - but most of them were Diesels, and people buy them because they have more cargo room than the Prius, are better highway cruisers, and handle better.
For larger cars, people buy cross-overs (like the new Venza and Crosstour) or SUVs, because wagons have such a stale reputation in the US. VW only managed to sell 172 Passat wagons last month. It's absolutely not worth it for them to increase the engine or suspension range at that small number.
If they do a wagon for the NMS, I bet it would also have a bit of a crossover look, and would be distinguished from other offerings by fuel-sipping Diesel and/or turbo gas engines.


----------



## ObsessedVWOwner (Jan 8, 2010)

*Re: B7 Passat?? When's it coming? (NoDubJustYet)*

Ever wonder why they stopped production of this model? Think of it as a businessman, it either there is something wrong with that model, or it just isn't good sales-wise. Something you can do is lookfor another model, or another wagon - if there's any that will suit your desires.


----------



## Sixtysomething (Aug 7, 2003)

*Re: B7 Passat?? When's it coming? (feels_road)*


_Quote, originally posted by *feels_road* »_The problem is that people in the US just don't buy wagons. VW is probably very happy to have sold 1,324 Jetta wagens last month - but most of them were Diesels, and people buy them because they have more cargo room than the Prius, are better highway cruisers, and handle better.

That's really a shame, because wagons are more fuel-efficient and less costly to operate than SUVs. I would love to have a Jetta Sportwagen to use as a self-contained camper, but they are about a foot too short (and I'm only 5'8")! I could modify things by removing the back seat bottoms, but I wouldn't want to do that to a new car. I just might look into trying something some day with a well used MK IV Jetta Wagon, though.......


----------



## l5gcw0b (Mar 3, 2000)

Good news is the euro B7 is audi B8 based.


----------



## feels_road (Jan 27, 2005)

*Re: (l5gcw0b)*


_Quote, originally posted by *l5gcw0b* »_Good news is the euro B7 is audi B8 based.

Not quite - but the MkVII does have an extended wheel base (at about the same total length dimensions) - so it will indeed "help."


----------



## Scott1702 (Dec 14, 2004)

*Re: B7 Passat?? When's it coming? (feels_road)*

I think the problem is not that people don't buy wagons, the problem is that Passats are made in the EU and they have to sell for US dollars here. Every years for the last 5 years the US dollar had dropped againt the Euro. 
Who would want to build business plan on that? IMO Passat sales have been hurt by availability, they don't bring many over. 
Don't tell me a TDI Passat wagon wouldn't sell like crazy right now. My sister is trying to get a TDI Jetta Sportwagen and there's a 3-month wait in California.
I've been waiting 3 years for the Passat TDI, they're already on the second version of the BlueMotion & TDI Passats in Europe. Now we hear they'll never come here. Welcome to the new US economy. Just like the old Soviet empire, soon we'll only be buying cars that are made here.


----------



## l5gcw0b (Mar 3, 2000)

*Re: (feels_road)*


_Quote, originally posted by *feels_road* »_
Not quite - but the MkVII does have an extended wheel base (at about the same total length dimensions) - so it will indeed "help."
















Source?


----------



## NoDubJustYet (Mar 25, 2002)

Well, rumor has it that Volvo is dropping the V70 in the US and will "replace" it with the V60 which won't be much bigger than a Jetta or A4.
Oh well.


----------



## feels_road (Jan 27, 2005)

*Re: (l5gcw0b)*


_Quote, originally posted by *l5gcw0b* »_
Source?

Well, the NMS will be on the all-new MQB platform - which is VW's flexible platform for all new cars with _transverse_ engine layout. Audis (except the A1 and A3) have longitudinal engines and nowadays completely different platforms (while my Passat was still an extended A4 platform, has a longitudinal engine, and a Torsen center diff).
And if you look at the published dimensions of the Jetta Coupe Concept, you can see that they were able to extend the wheelbase without increasing the length of the car. I am simply assuming they got their act together and are employing the same technologies to the NMS.
This is all great news for the US, since the short wheel base of the current Passat is one of the things that made it uncompetitive in the US (goofy looking, less leg room, and less stable/ comfortable/ quiet highway ride than the Accord and Camry).


----------



## l5gcw0b (Mar 3, 2000)

*Re: (feels_road)*


_Quote, originally posted by *feels_road* »_
Well, the NMS will be on the all-new MQB platform - which is VW's flexible platform for all new cars with _transverse_ engine layout. Audis (except the A1 and A3) have longitudinal engines and nowadays completely different platforms (while my Passat was still an extended A4 platform, has a longitudinal engine, and a Torsen center diff).
And if you look at the published dimensions of the Jetta Coupe Concept, you can see that they were able to extend the wheelbase without increasing the length of the car. I am simply assuming they got their act together and are employing the same technologies to the NMS.
This is all great news for the US, since the short wheel base of the current Passat is one of the things that made it uncompetitive in the US (goofy looking, less leg room, and less stable/ comfortable/ quiet highway ride than the Accord and Camry).

Sorry, guess I got confused, but I thought the OP is in europe.
Last I heard the next euro Passat will be Audi based again.



_Modified by l5gcw0b at 2:03 AM 2-12-2010_


----------



## NoDubJustYet (Mar 25, 2002)

I am in Europe, but I won't be buying a Euro-spec vehicle because I couldn't bring it back to the US at some point.


----------



## 06TornadoGTIPete (Aug 15, 2006)

*Re: B7 Passat?? When's it coming? (papa_vw)*


_Quote, originally posted by *papa_vw* »_The next version of the Passat probably won't make it to the US. Volkswagen is constructing a new factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee where it will build a new mid-size sedan (NMS) for the North American market. It will be a little bigger than the Passat; comparable to the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. Production is slated to start early next year in 2011 and they will likely be marketed as 2012 models.

I think the NMS is a bit bigger then the JETTA, not the Passat. It will be designed to replace both the Jetta AND the Passat with just one model sliding in between the two current models. That would leave the CC as a stand alone model to separate it from the NMS. They are trying to get away from platform sharing. VW current has only 3 platforms. Eos/Tiguan/Golf/Jetta/GTI/GLI = 1, Passat/CC = 2, and Touareg = 3.
Is that right or am I mistaken?







I don't believe I am.


----------



## l5gcw0b (Mar 3, 2000)

*Re: B7 Passat?? When's it coming? (06TornadoGTIPete)*

Current Passat/CC is Golf based also.


----------



## feels_road (Jan 27, 2005)

*Re: B7 Passat?? When's it coming? (06TornadoGTIPete)*


_Quote, originally posted by *06TornadoGTIPete* »_
I think the NMS is a bit bigger then the JETTA, not the Passat. It will be designed to replace both the Jetta AND the Passat with just one model sliding in between the two current models. That would leave the CC as a stand alone model to separate it from the NMS. They are trying to get away from platform sharing. VW current has only 3 platforms. Eos/Tiguan/Golf/Jetta/GTI/GLI = 1, Passat/CC = 2, and Touareg = 3.
Is that right or am I mistaken?







I don't believe I am.

You are mistaken. The NCS out of Puebla is the new Jetta, available in fall at your dealer. Slightly larger interior because of longer wheelbase, about the same exterior size as the current Jetta. The NMS is the Passat replacement for the US, out of Chattanooga, and direct competition for the Accord and Camry, which both have grown to full size/ almost full size in recent years.


----------



## bmr_6 (Feb 4, 2010)

*Re: B7 Passat?? When's it coming? (NoDubJustYet)*

Very nice indeed!..., but I still don't understand why the coexistence of the Passat (NMS) and the CC?... With all this new gadgets the Passat B7 (NMS) will be a much better car than the expensier CC!.
Thanks!
PS. What about the Concept Blue?!!! That also is somthing I would like to buy! (not bad for a second car, eh...)



_Modified by bmr_6 at 11:48 AM 2-22-2010_


----------

