The Volkswagen Passat you can buy in the US is not the same one sold in Europe, the latter is definitely more of a premium car. But the American sedan buyer's taste is different than their European counterparts', meaning the US-spec Passat is kind of, in a word, boring. Fortunately, VW will soon offer a remedy. Digital Trends has learned that a performance-oriented Passat variant, based on last year's Passat GT Concept, will go on sale for the 2018 model year.

A VW spokesperson has confirmed the production version will look about the same as the concept, and will be built alongside the rest of the Passat lineup at the Chattanooga, Tennessee, production facility. Stylistically, the Passat GT will probably feature exterior add-ons such as black mirror caps, rear spoiler, and front grille red accents similar to those found on the Golf GTI. Digital Trends also believes VW will slap on GT-only alloy wheels and special front seats. Power will come courtesy of the 3.6-liter V6 which will have around 280 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. Because, as the GT name suggests, better performance is the focus, a sport-tuned suspension for better handling will also be standard.

However, VW won't offer the Golf R's excellent 4Motion all-wheel drive system; the Passat GT will remain front-wheel-drive only, which is kind of a bummer. VW hasn't said when and where it'll debut the 2018 Passat GT or how much it'll cost, but a pretty good guess is the LA Auto Show in November. As for pricing, the currently most expensive US market Passat is the V6 SEL Premium, which bases at $33,995. Figure for the Passat GT to have a similar starting price.