Volkswagen chose to unveil the Passat R GT Concept and the race-prepped Jetta R GT at the 2005 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, home to countless vendors and manufacturers focused on increasing their share of the aftermarket. Until this year, Volkswagen had never officially taken part in the festivities, though individual tuners and customizers had their own VWs on display. The Passat R GT Concept car marks Volkswagen’s desire to challenge the likes of Honda and Subaru, two competitors that have long enjoyed a strong and lucrative following in the aftermarket community. And just to make sure its message was heard, Volkswagen presented the Passat R GT, a 575-horsepower sleeper that easily dismisses Audi A4s and Infiniti G35s and moves right into BMW M5 territory.