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Volkswagen's Long-Wheelbase Plug-In Hybrid Magotan Spied, Only for China

Volkswagen engineers have been spotted testing a plug-in hybrid sedan based on the current Passat. However, the prototype has an extended wheelbase and won’t be sold in Europe, as it is a Magotan, the Chinese version of the model.
2017 Volkswagen Magotan 7 photos
Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
Volkswagen Magotan GTE plug-in hybrid LWB prototypeVolkswagen Magotan GTE plug-in hybrid LWB prototypeVolkswagen Magotan GTE plug-in hybrid LWB prototypeVolkswagen Magotan GTE plug-in hybrid LWB prototypeVolkswagen Magotan GTE plug-in hybrid LWB prototypeVolkswagen Magotan GTE plug-in hybrid LWB prototype
The new Magotan plug-in hybrid is expected to receive the GTE nameplate, along with most of the features of the current Passat. As the Chinese market has an appeal for this type of sedans, the Magotan will feature a longer wheelbase than the current Passat. The model is almost as long as a Phaeton, and it will come to market before Volkswagen replaces its flagship sedan.

We expect the new Magotan GTE Plug-in Hybrid to cater to customers who are interested in a hybrid sedan with more space for its backseat passengers. Since Chinese customers often employ personal drivers, extended wheelbase sedans tend to be popular in the world’s largest car market. While the Magotan is not a premium car, it is meant for a more wealthy demographic.

It is worth mentioning that the car you see in the photo gallery supplied to us by our friends at SB-Medien is not a Phaeton and won’t be the brand’s flagship. Furthermore, Volkswagen is expected to launch a new Phaeton someday, which will be longer than the car you see in the pictures and more luxurious.

Volkswagen builds and sells cars in China with the help of its local partner, the FAW Group. The two companies inaugurated a joint venture in 1990, which currently has two vehicle assembly plants. Five years ago, the joint-venture sold a little over one million vehicles in China, so the business is booming.

Currently, the Volkswagen Passat B7 with an extended wheelbase is the ongoing Magotan on the Chinese market. The new Magotan B8L is expected to launch by 2017 and will feature numerous design cues from the current Passat B8. The look of the Chinese Magotan is close to that of the Passat, but several design changes have been applied.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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