The Passat might be dead in the US but Volkswagen is developing a new generation for the European market codenamed B9. Our spy photographers caught the first mule of the upcoming model wearing a Passat Alltrack body.
The test car is fitting with the body of the current Passat, trying to hide its bigger footprint. An extension between the side doors reveals that the new generation will have a longer wheelbase while our sources also suggest that it will be slightly wider as well, for more passenger room and luggage space.
See Also: VW Has Killed The Passat In America, Here Are The Best And Worst Bits From Its 47-Year History
The next generation of the Passat, which will share its underpinnings with the next Skoda Superb, is rumored to be offered as a wagon only – in regular and Alltrack trims – with a potential addition of a liftback later on. This means that the traditional four-door sedan bodystyle will likely end with the current generation.
VW Group’s upcoming wagon models will sit on an updated version of the current MQB platform, as the last ICE-powered models of their kind before migrating to electric-only powertrains. Reports suggest that the engine range will include both TSI (petrol) and TDI (diesel) units with mild-hybrid tech for lower emissions, while high-end variants will get a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
The current Passat was introduced in 2014 and received a facelift in 2019 which makes 2023 a nice time for the new generation. Both the ninth-generation VW Passat and the fourth-generation Skoda Superb will be produced in Bratislava, Slovakia.
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