The SUV was named after Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer. It had six seats and a powerful W8 engine.
Name: Volkswagen Magellan
First appearance:2002 North American International Auto Show, Detroit
Specifics:Passat W8 4.0-liter 32-valve engine with 273 horsepower (370 Newton-meters of torque) and 270 pound-feet (270 hp), all-wheel drive, electronic differential locksWhy It Matters Now:
The one-off SUV/tall wagon was a bit odd. It even featured a matching trailer pod-like inspired by the International Space Shuttle.
The original Touareg was released around the same time as the Magellan, which was designed to be a rugged SUV. The vehicle could do everything, both on and off-road. It was a strange mix of a wagon, an SUV, and truck. The interior was spacious and almost MPV-like, with enough space for six people in a 2+2+2 arrangement. The company’s design centre, located in Spain near Barcelona, was responsible for the design.
VW conceived the concept to be useful for outdoor enthusiasts and integrated a removable navigation system into the steering wheel. This feature is designed to give owners a convenient tool called “GPS to go” when they are able to use the vehicle’s GPS system to navigate to remote areas.
The Magellan concept is taller than a regular wagon, but lower than an SUV. It has a large roof box with a cargo area and a trailer-like design that was inspired by the International Space Shuttle.
The Passat’s W8 engine was at the heart of this rugged concept car. It was connected to a Tiptronic transmission and a 4Motion all wheel-drive arrangement. One VW official stated that the Magellan would be produced in two years. However, it never came to fruition. The Passat Alltrack is the closest VW product to date. It’s a midsize wagon that has standard AWD and can be found in certain parts of the world.