2022 Volkswagen Passat Limited Edition marks the end of the road for VW's midsize sedan
The limited-run Passat has a bunch of cool details that pay homage to its Chattanooga, Tennessee birthplace.
It's time to say goodbye to the Volkswagen Passat -- in the US, anyway. VW of America announced the end of Passat production on Monday, and the company is sending its big sedan off into the sunset with a Limited Edition model that pays tribute to the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Why Chattanooga? Back in 2011, that's where Volkswagen opened its new US plant to accommodate production of the then-new Passat, a car specifically designed for North America. In the subsequent years, Volkswagen expanded the Chattanooga plant to add production lines for the Atlas SUV, and following the Passat's demise, the company will repurpose its Tennessee facility to build electric vehicles.
Volkswagen put a lot of thought into the specific touches that make the Limited Edition Passat unique, and they're all pretty cool. There are cloth seat tags that say "Chattanooga 2011," and a mat inside the cup holders has an aerial map of the city and a line drawing of the factory. Outside, the Limited Edition Passat gets 15-spoke, 18-inch wheels, as well as black mirror caps and LED lighting.
A total of 1,973 Limited Editions will be built; 1973 was the year the Passat launched in Germany. And pay attention here, because the numbers are cool. VW will produce 411 Aurora Red Passats with black interiors, because 411 was the original Passat's production code. There will be 423 Racing Green cars with a brown interior; 423 is the area code for Chattanooga, Tennessee. Then there'll be 524 white-over-brown Passats signifying the plant's opening date of May 24. And finally, 615 Platinum Gray Passats with black interiors represent six generations of imported Passats, one generation of Chattanooga-built sedans and five decades of Passat sales in the US. Neat.
All the 2022 Passat Limited Editions cost $31,290, including $995 for destination, though if you want Aurora Red, that'll be an extra $395. The sedans all come equipped with nice options like a Fender premium audio system, automatic parking assist, heated seats, embedded navigation and more. Get 'em while you still can.
