GRR Garage: VW Passat Alltrack ‑ taking Volkswagen back to Le Mans

The top class at the Le Mans 24 hours will, for the first time since 1998, become a completely Volkswagen Group-free place (Porsche weren't in the stable until this century and Audi didn't have a go at endurance racing will 1999).

But fear not. In 2017 we made sure there was more than just an already on its way out of the door Porsche LMP1 effort catching the eye at La Sarthe from VAG, when we turned up in the trusty Volkswagen Passat Alltrack there was no denying it – at least one person looked at it.

It was perhaps the first 'proper' test of the Passat Alltrack – loading its vast luggage bay with all our camping (one big tent), photography (2x camera equipment), food (many many merguez) and drink (Kronenbourg, obviously) in and heading off over the channel and down past Paris to the Loire. The Passat comes with an astonishing 650 litres of boot space without the seats folded flat (that's over 100 litres more than the biggest Mondeo) and with the 60-40 seats folded flat, that becomes a barely conceivable 1,950! 

So it's safe to say we had absolutely no trouble getting our stuff in. Even with Carrefour's modern preference to completely do away with plastic bags unless you pay for a bag for life ( sac pour la vie?). There's more than enough cubby holes, floor space etc to sit every bit of food and barbecue equipment in. 

So what of the drive after loading all that in? Well, it was a doddle. This is where the 190hp diesel's 295lb ft of torque comes in handy, hauling that luggage onto motorways with no issue. Stick the assisted cruise control on and point the Passat at the Peage and you're flying. Amongst the hoards of Brits heading their way down to Le Mans sweating away in a variety of fancy machinery (we followed a loaded up DB4 and a very very loud group of Maser fans) we were a portrait of serene comfort, cruise control keeping us in check and Bluetooth connectivity spewing out as many podcast previews of the big race as we could find. 

We were even delighted on arriving to have the Alltrack's four-wheel-drive system and slightly raised ride-height. It's always safe to say that when you arrive at Houx (or whichever campsite you choose) that the MotoGP fans a few weeks before will have left quite the assortment of trashed barbecues and former fires around. The Passat was able to cruise over these and around the huge lumps the tree roots make, with ease. 

It may have been the easiest trip we've ever done, and for us, this was Le Mans number seven...

Photography by Ben Miles