Volkswagen has released the first official pictures of its BMW X5 and Mercedes M-class-chasing Touareg SUV.
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Developed in co-operation with Porsche, which showed pictures of its Cayenne version at last month’s Geneva show, the Touareg will make its public debut at September’s Paris motor show, as will the Porsche.
While Porsche is shooting for an exclusive 20,000 sales a year worldwide, VW is targeting 80,000, with half in the US alone.
There it is reportedly already facing revolt from dealers unhappy at the unpronounceable (and unspellable) name (try ‘Tour-wreck’, the company says). Having convinced Wolfsburg to keep the name Jetta for a car sold elsewhere as the Bora, dealers are lobbying for a new name for the [pause to check spelling] Touareg more suited to America. Suggestions include ‘SUVW’.
The name, incidentally, refers to a tribe in the Sahara, also known as the knights of the desert, who VW says, are famed for their traditions, pride, intelligence and dignity, and ability to adapt to difficult conditions.
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By GlobalDataExecutives in Wolfsburg have made clear that the Jetta was the last name change to suit American dealers and that, henceforth, all new VWs will have the same name in all world markets.
Fractionally larger than the BMW X5 at 4750 millimetres long, 1930mm wide, 1720mm tall on a 2860mm wheel base, VW’s SUV has electronically controlled four-wheel drive, double wishbone suspension, and, depending on the engine fitted, full air suspension with electronically controlled shock absorbers.
Like its BMW, Mercedes and, we’d suggest, Range Rover rivals, the VW combines off-road ability with a luxury estate car/station wagon.
At the German market launch, the Touareg will be available with a 3.2-litre V6 petrol engine or a 5.0 litre V10 TDI engine.
The V6 has a power output of 162 kW/220 bhp and develops up to 305 Newton-metres of torque. The V10 TDI is, so far, world’s most powerful passenger car diesel engine and has unit injectors and bi-turbo charging for a power output of 230 kW/313 bhp and an enormous 750 Newton-metres of torque at 1800 rpm.
Two more engines will be offered later: a new 2.5-litre five-cylinder TDI and a 4.2-litre V8 petrol engine.
American buyers will get the new model soon after its debut at the 2003 Detroit show where it will come with the petrol V6 or V8 engines and automatic transmission.
In Europe, six-speed manual gearboxes are standard – buyers still like to change their own gears even in traffic-clogged cities.
With the automatic gearboxes, the driver can use DSP (dynamic shift programme), the Tiptronic gear lever, or, if fitted, steering wheel paddles, to control gear shifting.
Power is transferred to the driven wheels via a transfer box, which has off-road gear ratio reduction fitted as standard, and three locking differentials. The multi-plate clutch, fitted as standard, is automatically controlled by the running gear electronics – depending on conditions, up to 100 percent of the traction force can be transferred to either of the two axles. A rotary control switch manually activate the differential lock manually.
Four-wheel EDL, fitted as standard, determines exactly in which ratios the power is distributed to the wheels. An electronically controlled rear axle differential lock with multi-plate clutch, and as part of the off-road package, a front axle lock and variable anti-roll bars, will be offered for heavy off-road driving.
Short overhangs, ground clearance of up to 300 millimetres, and a wading depth of 585 millimetres should result in excellent off-road performance while 100 percent gradability and the ability to roll to 45 degrees sound ideal for matching the M-class and Range Rover in the sticky stuff.
Suspension is double wishbones front and back with a noise-insulated sub-frame to provide noise and comfort levels similar to a luxury saloon.
Pneumatic suspension and continuous damping control are claimed to give the Touareg an unprecedented level of suspension comfort – both on- and off-road. A switch allows the driver to select firmer or softer suspension settings.
The unitised body is fully galvanised and the interior is modelled along the lines of VW’s new Phaeton (on sale in Europe from next month) with loads of leather and wood (to order) and luxury equipment.
Elaborate seats, a fully adjustable steering wheel, and a separate (optional) air conditioning system for the rear seat passengers (four-zone Climatronic) should ensure luxury car owners trading up will be fully cosseted.
On the safety side, non-metal wings and a soft aluminium bonnet are said to be more pedestrian-friendly than steel. Passive safety gear includes front, side and curtain airbags, active head restrains in the front and three-point seat belts on all seats as standard.
ABS, TCS (traction control system), ESP (electronic stabilisation programme), EBC (engine braking control) and HBA (hydraulic brake assist system) are fitted as standard and the brake system uses fixed-callipers and ventilated discs all round.
If the car is fitted with pneumatic suspension, it is automatically lowered by 25 millimetres when its speed reaches 125 km/h, a feature already seen on the Range Rover.
Like the BMW, the Touareg luggage compartment has a separately opening window in the tailgate and offers a load capacity of 555 to 1,570 litres.
The 3.5-tonne towing capacity should be ideal for hauling horseboxes or boats – the sort of work UK buyers often assign to M-classes and Range Rovers bought especially for the purpose.
