I bought this perfect spec B7 Passat…
Back in 2018, I found an absolute unicorn of a Passat. It was a 2015 model with the dealer optioned Votex body kit. The best part? – A 3.6L VR6 engine. This, in my opinion, is the best engine offered in modern Passats. A few months passed and I got the itch to get it laying frame. All it took was a couple trips to some buddies shops and the car was done. Sure, it was mostly a “bags and wheels” build, but I enjoyed it. It was frame notched, on the ground and fitted with 19″ Bentley Mulliner wheels. I had the wheels paint matched to the car, which was a factory black.
I unveiled the car at Riverside Chattanooga in 2019
Being a local to Chattanooga, this was an amazing experience. Most of my friends did not know that I was even working on the car. The car has a subtle presence sitting on the ground, but stylish at the same time. It’s not something you would notice unless you’re looking at it. It was at this show that I saw a black, bagged Volkswagen CC very similar in design. It, too, had a presence similar to the Passat. Very subtle, but made a statement. The owner: Tyler Watts, a local Audi technician. Turns out, we live less than 10 minutes from each other. We became friends and started going to shows together.
We looked like the mob rolling up to shows
It felt like when the two cars were parked next to one another, they stood out more. Like the 2 cars had the same energy, just multiplied. It’s a vibe. One of my favorite events we participated in was at a local airstrip. We had the runway temporarily closed so we could run our cars down it for a few passes. An overall incredible experience. There I am, hanging out back of our friends Jeep, getting rollers of the two cars side by side. Definitely not something everyone can say they have done in their life.
We got mistaken for one another all the time
Since we live so close to one another, we would both get similar texts from friends. They’d say “Bro, I just saw you!” and meanwhile, I’m sitting on my couch at home. After about the third time, it became clear we were doppelgängers. My own boss at the time even texted me saying he “…saw my car on different wheels.” I found that to be the funniest one. Still, it’s funny to see people’s reactions at shows when we park together.
Where are they now?
Watt’s still has his CC. As for myself, I had an opportunity to sell our house and needed money to fix it up. I sold the car to a local friend of mine earlier this year. Bentley wheels and all, the car remained the same. A few weeks ago, I saw the car on the side of the road, but didn’t get a good look at it. Last week, I was informed that the car was totaled from an unfortunate accident. I’m sad that I’ll never see the car again, but happy to know he’s ok – that is the important part. Matter of fact, he plans on pulling the AirRide kit and wheels off to put on a newer Passat. I’m excited to see what’s next!
Words & Photos By Ben Battles
