Volkswagen PASSAT C VAN 55KW
Built: 1985 · Series: PASSAT
More machines from model year 1985
Not the right version? The data comes from vehicle registers holding many near-identical versions side by side. Photograph the data plate — we read make and type from it. Open the scanner e-mail address required
Volkswagen Passat – second-generation Passat Variant estates (1981–1988) registered as vans: 1.6- to 1.9-litre engines, petrol and diesel, 980 to 1,700 kg unladen weight
This page lists second-generation Passat Variant models (B2, 1981 to 1988) carried in the register as vans – a registration common for estates when the rear bench was removed and the vehicle registered as a light commercial vehicle (N1), often for tax advantages for tradespeople and small businesses. The letter C in several model names (Passat C Van) refers to the basic C trim level, the second-lowest in the B2 range below CL and GL. The Passat Variant was the estate to the saloon of the same name and shared its platform with the Audi 80; in the van version the exterior shape stayed unchanged while the interior was fitted out as load space.
Read on 3 more paragraphs
The register lists here 11 versions with four-cylinder engines from 1,588 to 1,896 cm³, unladen weights from 980 to 1,700 kg, gross weights from 1,480 to 2,160 kg and widths from 1,700 to 1,750 mm.
As a commercial estate the Passat Variant C Van competed with similarly re-registered estate versions of the Ford Taunus, Opel Ascona and the group's own Audi 80 Avant; demand came mainly from trades that valued the lower taxation and the generous load space of an estate with a lift-up tailgate.
On used examples, rust on wheel arches, sills and strut towers – a known weakness of the B2 generation – the condition of the carburettor or injection system, on diesel engines the glow-plug system, and the documentability of the commercial-vehicle conversion in the papers count; parts are available through the open parts trade for VW classics.
Sources: SpecCodex register, model data: Volkswagen Passat (Transporter), Volkswagen (manufacturer)
Technical data
Engine
| Cylinders | 4correct |
|---|
Dimensions and weights
| Width | 1,700 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 2,550 mmcorrect |
| Unladen weight | 985 kgcorrect |
| Gross vehicle weight | 1,485 kgcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Wheels | 4correct |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Volkswagen PASSAT C VAN 55KW weigh?
The unladen weight is 985 kg.
What is the gross vehicle weight of the Volkswagen PASSAT C VAN 55KW?
1,485 kg.
What engine does the Volkswagen PASSAT C VAN 55KW have?
4 cylinders.
When was the Volkswagen PASSAT C VAN 55KW built?
Production years: 1985.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Check the weights in the papers against the figures here — attachments change them.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
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This page carries 8 individual figures for this model. They come from 1 recorded source; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
The technical data on this page comes from official vehicle registration records (RDW/Traficom), not from the manufacturer.
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Other models in this series
PASSAT C VAN 55 KW
PASSAT C VAN DIESEL 40 KW
PASSAT C VAN DIESEL 40KW
PASSAT VAN 66 KW
PASSAT VAN 66 KW AUT
PASSAT VAN D 50 KW
PASSAT VAN D TURBO 51KW
PASSAT VAN KAT D. 55 KW
PASSAT VAN TD 59 KW
VW PASSAT VAR TDI 4M
Sources: RDW — Dutch national vehicle register (retrieved August 2026) · How we check the data
Van in 3D section
Turn the model, look inside and click an assembly — each one is explained.
