I decided to shop around for a 2005 Passat GLX V6 with 4Motion and was told by a dealer that VW will not make many of these cars because of upcoming new model design changes.
Does this make sense or just some salesman BS?
According to vw.com, there is an '05 GLX 4-motion.
There's a new model coming for 2006 to replace the current Passat.
This is a rare case, to me at least, where I would not be sure whether to buy now, or wait on the new one (assuming I didn't "need" a new car now). Normally each major redesign of a car is better than the one it replaces and I'd be inclined to wait for the new one, but with the upcoming Passat, I've read that they are going to "deAudify" it and go to a transverse engine power train more like Golf, et. al. That may not even be a disadvantage, but it seems like a "cheapening" of the Passat to make it less like an Audi. In reality, the longitudinal engine might be slightly better for the AWD cars, and slightly worse for the FWD's.
It's true, they're going to a stretched Golf V platform... Which means in the end they can save money on the car, which means they can use other components less prone to breaking on the Passat, Golf, and Jetta since the Passat is now helping to pay for Golf/Jetta development costs... either that or we will be getting more stuff with the car for the same prices.... Most FWDs use transverse engines, and the Passat seems to be mainly FWD with a few 4Motions, makes sense to use transverse mounting. Other European manufacturers has FWD/AWD with transverse engines without problems - they are safer too... You have a same sized hood, with the engine turned sideways - means more crush space - why do you think Volvo abandoned longitudinal mounting (they even cram an line 6 sideways!!! World first apparently.... all in the name of safety... so in this regard I see it as a good thing for VWs too).
De-Audi-ing the Passat won't be hard to do... I don't see much Audi in it right now aside from the platform... It doesn't feel like one inside, nor does it drive like one... The current base model is a little too soft for me... And I couldn't afford anything more upmarket then $31-32k CND... so the base model is IT for me, which is why I'm excited about the newer bigger Jetta - I need more space, not more luxury features over my GLS Golf. I bet the new Passat is going to start where the current base V6 is, and the Jetta will cover the old 1.8T Passat with cloth and no options position in the lineup (still a damn nice car, aside from the suspension tuning).
If VW goes slightly upmarket with the base Passat, doesn't reach as far as the W8 version did (but a high output V6 which can smoke an Altima 3.5SE and a Honda Accord V6 is DEFINATELY needed and at a competitive price!) then covers lost ground from the previous base Passat with the larger Jetta GLS, and goes far enough downmarket to make people cross shop the 2.3L Mazda 3 against the Jetta GL... Then leave the Golf/Jetta CL (they need to bring it back... many people want a cheapened Jetta because they don't want to drive a hatchback) to take on the 2.0L Mazda 3, Corolla, Civic, Focus etc, then introduce the Polo sedan to kick some Hyundai/Kia ass (small cars are BIG in Canada... the Polo would sell, inculding the hatch version, hell I bet the Lupo could take on the Echo Hatchback)
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