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First Drive: 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
Grand Touareg Machine
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By D. John Booth
Date posted: 06-20-2002
So secret that there's still not a press release on its technical specifics, the
sport-utility that looks like a Volkswagen but goes like a Porsche won't go on
sale here until next June and won't even be officially released to the North American
motoring public until the North American International Auto Show in January 2003.
But the Touareg (named after a band of nomadic African merchants who make their
living distributing salt) looks to have an immediate impact when it goes on sale
here in the United States next year.
For starters, it'll be the first SUV to offer one, and possibly two, engines with
more than eight cylinders. Though it won't be available initially, the Touareg
will eventually offer the 6.0-liter W12 that we'll see first in the top-of-the-line
Phaeton sedan. It promises 420 horsepower, more than either BMW's X5 4.6iS or
Mercedes-Benz's AMG-tuned ML55, with Volkswagen claiming a 0-to-60 time of fewer
than 7 seconds.
The other multi-cylinder engine is the V10 turbo diesel Volkswagen has recently
developed. As if its 313 peak horsepower isn't enough, the engine boasts 553 pound-feet
of torque. That's good enough to propel the approximately 4,900-pound SUV (final
specs haven't been set for much of the Touareg including final weights for the
specific models) to 60 mph in fewer than 8 seconds. And while the W12 guzzles
gas to the tune of 15.4 mpg, the turbo diesel gets an econocar-like 23.8 mpg.
Whether we get it will depend on whether VW can clean up its exhaust particulates
to California's liking and more crucially, according to new CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder,
the acceptance of the American public for any diesel engine, no matter how sophisticated.
The two engines that will be available right away are a 220 hp 3.2-liter V6 that
gets the Touareg to 60 in fewer than 10 seconds and the 4.2-liter V8 that now
sees duty in Audi's top-of-the-line A8. It pumps out 310 horsepower and accelerates
the SUV to 60 in fewer than 8 seconds, but neither engine can match the diesel
for fuel economy.
Of the two engines that will first be available, we prefer the V6. Likely to be
substantially less expensive than the V8, it doesn't feel dramatically less powerful.
More importantly, it's got adequate torque and will have no trouble keeping pace
with Mercedes' ML320 and BMW's X5 3.0.
The V8 would also find commendation if it weren't for the exemplary performance
of the 5.0-liter turbo diesel. Wonderfully smooth and tremendously powerful at
low rpm, the V10 is one diesel that feels more sophisticated than its gasoline
equivalent. In fact, because it's turning far fewer rpm at peak power than the
gasoline-fed V8, the TDI actually makes less noise. Only at idle does the typical
diesel clatter intrude and even then, it's mostly heard by those outside the cabin
rather than the Touareg's passengers. Besides, maybe a butch engine like the V10
TDI is just what Volkswagen needs to convince the American motoring public that
its new SUV is the real deal. And though we didn't try the W12-powered Touareg,
we did sample that engine in the Phaeton sedan, and the V10, at least for SUV
purposes, was still our motor of choice.
All of the engines will be mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that features
a paddle-shifting Tiptronic function. The paddles, located behind the steering
wheel, are large and more easily manipulated than the typical steering wheel-mounted
buttons. A six-speed manual is offered in V6 models in Europe, but there's no
official word whether it will be sold in North America.
Despite the obvious sophistication of its powertrains, Volkswagen is convinced
that the Touareg will see more offroad duty than comparable SUVs. That's why all
models will offer minimum approach and departures angles of 28 degrees. That's
better than most SUVs but still behind the Range Rover and Hummer H2. The Touareg's
transfer case normally splits torque 50/50 between the front and rear axles. But
an electronically controlled multi-disc clutch can send 100 percent of the power
to either axle.
Of course, there's a low range set of gears in the transfer case, accessed by
a rotary dial on the center console. The only choice is all-wheel-drive high or
all-wheel-drive low, though there are additional settings to lock the center and
(optional) rear differentials. Though a locking front diff is available in Europe,
North America won't be seeing it until the second model year.
There's even going to be what Volkswagen calls an Extreme Offroad package that
will feature an air suspension for more ground clearance, superior departure angles
(to 34 degrees, says VW) and increased suspension articulation as well as additional
skid plates and more aggressive tires.
We got to test the standard models on Volkswagen's offroad test facility near
Wolfsburg, Germany. Considering that VW has no history of offroading, the Touareg
handled the bumps, hills and uneven tracks with aplomb. But none of the course
was as challenging as the one Land Rover tests on, so the educated guess is that
the Touareg won't quite match the segment's perennial offroad leader.
Suspension is independent at all four wheels with double wishbones all round.
Air suspension is offered that includes an on-board air compressor that can inflate
the 195/75R18 spare in the event of a flat (optional is a rear swing gate that
incorporates a fullsize spare). In the current stage of development, the standard
tire fitment for the V6 is 235/65R17s and 255/55R18s for the V8; 275/45R19s are
optional. The big surprise are the front six-piston Brembo brakes, surely a case
of overkill in an offroad-oriented vehicle.
Indeed, braking performance is incredibly sharp and unlikely to fade. At low speeds,
however, the Touareg feels all of its 2½ tons with rather sluggish steering.
Once above 15 mph, however, the Touareg seems to shed about a ton of that weight
and feels far sportier. The extra cylinders of the V8 make it a little less fleet
than the V6, but surprisingly the V10 feels no worse than the 4.2-liter eight-cylinder.
In any of its guises, the Touareg is still not at the BMW X5's level, but the
handling definitely shows a certain Germanic "touring" heritage.
Externally, Volkswagen calls the Touareg "individualistic." If that doesn't make
a vision of offroading pop into your subconscious, think of the new Volvo XC90
and add a couple of inches of length behind the rear wheel.
Inside, the decor is very reminiscent of the BMW X5, but there's much more trunk
space. Also, the center console, which houses the air conditioning and audio switchgear,
has been cleaned up significantly. All Touaregs will come with six airbags as
well as antilock brakes.
Since the Touareg is so far from production, pricing hasn't been set. But the
U.S. arm of VW says we can expect suggested retail prices that "range from the
low to mid $30,000 to about $60,000."
Whether that top figure is for the V8 (making it seem a tad overpriced) or the
projected W12 (making it a relative bargain) is unsure. Considering that the sure-to-be-more-expensive
Porsche Cayenne shares the same platform, transmission, suspension design and
all-wheel-drive system and differs mainly in the engine, suspension tuning and
the transfer case's torque split (the Porsche directs more power to the rear axle
for sportier oversteer), it makes the Touareg seems even more cost effective.
Volkswagen expects to sell 25,000 Touaregs annually. It may be late to the party,
but initial inspection says that all those loyal VW aficionados will snap them
up promptly.
See all the Ratings: 2004 Volkswagen Touareg V6 AWD 4dr SUV (3.2L 6cyl 6A) Road Test Scoreboard
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(Enlarge photo)
Looking like a Volvo XC90 with Volkswagen character lines, the Touareg should appeal to premium SUV buyers.
(Photo courtesy of Volkswagen of America, Inc.)
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