The Cult of the Passat R36 – how many were sold in Australia?

[prn31]

In Australia, we love a high performance variant of a regular model, be it a GTI (Golf or Polo) or vRS model mix (Skoda Octavia) and they often make up a considerable proportion of the model mix. This is quite different to other markets where performance models are often not marketed or are too expensive or use too much fuel.

The B6 Passat R36 is a case in point. This car had a cult following in Australia and sold really well – I saw a figure of 1,740 sold in Australia somewhere – but can’t find the source. Can anyone confirm?

The R36 was not marketed in North America (US and Canada) and I believe only 150-200 were sold in the UK (all 2008 models, I believe), which I find remarkable but probably due to Passat not having much cache in the market and generally poor reviews. I suspect that the R36 sold in reasonable numbers in Germany and Switzerland but elsewhere the numbers would have been very small, which is probably why it was never replaced.

Does anyone have total production numbers for the R36? I think Australia probably look more R36s than many other markets and the product mix here for the high performance variant (I think 20% of all B6 Passats were R36) would be higher than any other markets.

[Umai Naa!!]

No idea how many were sold, but our small rural dealer I worked at, 1 in 3 B6 sales were R36s. Mostly wagons.

I think I've got 15 on the books now, that I service. Again, mostly wagons.

[kleung]

In Australia, we love a high performance variant of a regular model, be it a GTI (Golf or Polo) or vRS model mix (Skoda Octavia) and they often make up a considerable proportion of the model mix. This is quite different to other markets where performance models are often not marketed or are too expensive or use too much fuel.

At one point the Golf GTI made up something like 1 in every 5 Golf sales in Australia.

The R36 was not marketed in North America (US and Canada)

The AWD variant wasn't sold, but the 3.6l VR6 was available there in FWD only.

I suspect that the R36 sold in reasonable numbers in Germany and Switzerland but elsewhere the numbers would have been very small, which is probably why it was never replaced.

I wonder if the GFC had much to do with it? The R36 was introduced here in 2008 which is at exactly the same time the GFC hit. The R36 powertrain lived on in the B7 V6 Highline but it just wasn't the same - it didn't have the special-ness of the R36.

VW also seemed to go big on the R-series cars in the mid noughties, but then dropped all but the Golf R by the beginning of 2011. They all sold well here, but I guess our market just wasn't big enough to sustain the trim level, and it's not impossible that VAG thought they were cannibalising sales from Audi's S models.

Personally I really hope VW reintroduces a 6-cylinder Passat-sized wagon in Australia. The Golf R engine is very competent, but it's just not the same as a 6 cylinder. I guess I sound a bit like the die hard V8 fans as manufacturers are dropping 8 cylinder cars in favour of force-fed 6 cylinders...

[FSI 220]

The R36 powertrain lived on in the B7 V6 Highline but it just wasn't the same - it didn't have the special-ness of the R36.

Maybe true, however the B7 V6 is more of a Q car because of it though, just as fast and a hint more livable. You do have to spec it with absolutely everything to get within cooee though, and even then it wont ever be an R36, but I like being incognito.

[prn31]

Maybe true, however the B7 V6 is more of a Q car because of it though, just as fast and a hint more livable. You do have to spec it with absolutely everything to get within cooee though, and even then it wont ever be an R36, but I like being incognito.

Yes, the B7 V6 Highline has the same engine as the R36, but with longer 5th and 6th gear and a quieter exhaust it probably doesn’t “feel” as quick as the R36. It is the same with the B8 Highline with 206kW. It might have the same power as a Golf R but it doesn’t “feel” as quick, at least that is what I’ve read.

I actually drove a B7 V6 Highline before I bought my R36 and I was tempted. It certainly rode better than the R36 - my only real grip about the R36. I think the B7 V6 Highlines are very underrated, but they just don’t have the “cult” of the R36....

[FSI 220]

Luckily I am happy with the first four gears worth of acceleration... But this thread is about the cult of the R36 ... you don’t need the be a VAG fan to tell R36 from a diesel... in a B7 however.... I certainly get it.

[kleung]

Maybe true, however the B7 V6 is more of a Q car because of it though, just as fast and a hint more livable. You do have to spec it with absolutely everything to get within cooee though, and even then it wont ever be an R36, but I like being incognito.

Sort of - the MY12 and later Passats got some toys standard that were optional on the R36, like satnav, bluetooth, RVC and power tailgate - my sister's 2012 118TSI had these things - I had to pay extra to get the camera on my car.

Yes, the B7 V6 Highline has the same engine as the R36, but with longer 5th and 6th gear and a quieter exhaust it probably doesn’t “feel” as quick as the R36. It is the same with the B8 Highline with 206kW. It might have the same power as a Golf R but it doesn’t “feel” as quick, at least that is what I’ve read.

I always suspected as much (about the gearing), given the improved fuel economy numbers on the B7 V6 despite the same engine output and 0-100 times - different gearing in the higher ratios was the only way I could think of that would explain the improvement without sacrificing acceleration times in legal speeds.

[FSI 220]

MY12 didn’t (I would know no nav or tailgate on my first v6) I think the MY13 got tailgate and nav. But the stuff you want (to make the drive a little more special) like HID’s, bolstered seats (although not pneumatic)and flappy paddles etc had to be specced in with the sports pack...blue needles and flat bottomed steering wheels had to be done using bits from other cars... then you get a little closer.