Volkswagen Touareg
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| Volkswagen Touareg | |
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| Volkswagen AG | |
| aka | |
| Production | 2004-Present |
| Class | Mid-Size SUV |
| Body Style | 5-Door Wagon |
| Length | 187.2 in. (4754mm) |
| Width | 75.9 in. (1928mm) |
| Height | 68.0 in. (1726mm) |
| Wheelbase | 112.4 in. (2855mm) |
| Weight | 5,168-5,924 lbs. (2,344-2,687kg) |
| Transmission | 6-speed Automatic |
| Engine | 3.6 liter DOHC V6 4.2 liter DOHC V8 5.0 liter Turbocharged V10 Diesel |
| Power | 276 hp @ 6200 RPM 266 lb-ft @ 3200 RPM 350 hp @ 6800 RPM 324 lb-ft @ 3500 RPM 310 @ 3750 RPM 553 lb-ft @ 2000 RPM |
| Similar | Mercury Mountaineer Acura MDX Lexus GX Jeep Grand Cherokee BMW X5 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class Lincoln Aviator Volvo XC90 |
| Designer | |
The Volkswagen Touareg is a luxury 4x4 (US: SUV) automobile manufactured by Volkswagen. It is the first of this class ever produced by this manufacturer.
The Touareg was co-developed with Porsche, who was also looking to add an SUV to their lineup, as a cost-sharing initiative. Porsche shares this chassis to underpin their Cayenne SUV, although there are numerous styling, equipment and technical differences between the two vehicles. Also, the Touareg replaced the Volkswagen Eurovan for North America as the company's truck.
See Wikicars' comprehensive Volkswagen Touareg Review.
Recent Changes
- The 2007 Touareg cosmetically remains unchanged from 2006.
- For 2008, Volkswagen unveils the high-performance Touareg R50 at the 2007 Australian International Motor Show.
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Styles and Major Options
The following engines are available:
- 174 PS (128 kW, 172 hp) 2.5 L diesel I5
- 225 PS (165 kW, 225 hp) 3.0 L diesel V6, 500 N·m (369 ft·lbf)
- 240 PS (177 kW, 236 hp) 3.2 L gasoline V6
- 310 PS (228 kW, 305 hp) 4.2 L gasoline V8
- 313 PS (230 kW, 308 hp) 5.0 L diesel V10, 750 N·m (550 ft·lbf)
- 450 hp (331 kW) 6.0 L gasoline W12, 599 N·m (442 ft·lbf) (somewhat limited-edition. Not available in the US)
The twin-turbocharged diesel V10 engine pushes the Touareg from 0–62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.9 seconds, and on to 130 mph (209 km/h) maximum. The Diesel V10 was offered in the United States for a limited time in 2004 and 2005, but — emissions regulations forced it off the market for a temporary period. Volkswagen is working on fixing these issues, and will return the V10 to the US lineup in 2006.
The W12 version should reach 100 km/h (60 mph) in 5.9 seconds. Production of the W12 Touareg is limited to 500 units. Of these, 330 are slated for Saudi Arabia, with none going to the United States.
Pricing
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Touareg Trims |
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MSRP |
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$37,410 |
$44,750 |
$67,750 |
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Invoice |
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$33,977 |
$40,608 |
$61,385 |
Gas Mileage
As seen on the FuelEconomy.gov website, the City/Highway MPG averages are as follows:
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Trim |
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MPG |
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16/20 |
14/19 |
17/22 |
Reliability
- RECALL ALERT: On February 18, 2008, Volkswagen announced a small recall involving 96 MY 2008 Touaregs. The problem stems from a fuel supply line that was changed during production which could lead to insufficient sealing of the fuel supply line connector. This condition could lead to a fuel leak which in turn could result into a fire in the presence of an ignition source. Volkswagen dealers will inspect and replace the fuel supply line, if necessary. [1]
Safety
NHTSA
The 2007 Touareg received very high ratings in safety tests carried out by the NHTSA. In front- and side-impact crash tests, the Touareg received 5-Star ratings across the board, and in tests for rollover, it received a 4-Star rating.
Some of the safety features found standard on all trims include:
- Four wheel ABS and driveline traction control
- Front and rear anti-roll bars
- Driver/passenger front impact airbags
- Seat mounted driver/passenger side impact airbags
- Overhead side curtain airbags
- Occupancy sensors
- Side impact bars
- Front and rear seatbelt pretensioners
EuroNCAP
Photos
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 2008 Touareg BlueTDI |
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Colors
Colors will vary by trim, and a complete list is viewable at CarsDirect.com.
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Available Colors |
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Exterior Color |
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Blue Silver |
Anthracite / Kristal Gray |
Anthracite / Kristal Gray |
Anthracite / Kristal Gray |
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Reflex Silver |
Anthracite / Kristal Gray |
Anthracite / Kristal Gray / Teak |
Anthracite / Kristal Gray / Teak |
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Black |
Anthracite / Pure Beige |
Anthracite / Pure Beige / Teak |
Anthracite / Pure Beige / Teak |
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Wheat Beige |
Anthracite / Pure Beige |
Anthracite / Pure Beige / Teak |
Anthracite / Pure Beige / Teak |
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Offroad Gray |
Anthracite / Kristal Gray |
Anthracite / Kristal Gray / Teak |
Anthracite / Kristal Gray / Teak |
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Reed Green |
Anthracite / Pure Beige |
Anthracite / Pure Beige |
Anthracite / Pure Beige |
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Calla White |
Anthracite / Pure Beige |
Anthracite / Pure Beige / Teak |
Anthracite / Pure Beige / Teak |
Main Competitors
- Acura MDX
- Lexus RX 330
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- BMW X5
- Mercedes-Benz ML-Class
- Land Rover Range Rover Sport
Hybrid Models
There are currently no hybrid models of the Touareg available.
Unique Attributes
Volkswagen employees had set out an experiment to see if the Touareg V10 can tow a 155 ton Boeing 747. Set in an airfield outside London, the necessary modification to the car is an extra 4300 kgs added to ensure the power from the engine to be translated into propelling force. The Touareg managed to tow the Boeing 150 metres without any stress to all of the car's components.
Resale Values
Criticisms
- "The brakes feel strong and responsive overall, but they have a tendency to be grabby, especially when trying to come to a stop smoothly." - Car and Driver
- "If you're a regular Volkswagen buyer, the window sticker may shock you, and the Touareg does not offer a third-row seat." - Kelley Blue Book
Current Generation: (2004–present)
Despite the misconception that the Touareg and Cayenne are "soft-roaders" with little or no off-road ability, Porsche/Volkswagen jointly did extensive off-road testing with test mules and both vehicles are in actuality extremely capable off-road, all that is really necessary are more aggressive tires. Volkswagen, for instance, entered a modified Touareg in the Paris Dakar.
Stanley the modified Touareg also won the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge.
Both Touareg and Cayenne come standard with four wheel drive, a manually lockable center differential and a "low range" setting that can be activated with in-cabin controls. Options to make the vehicles more capable off-road include an available air suspension system which can raise the car's ride height on command and an interior switch allowing the rear differential to be manually locked along with the center unit. At maximum ride height, the air suspension system gives 10.7 in of ground clearance.
The Touareg name is derived from the French moniker for the nomadic Tuareg tribe. The name of the vehicle is frequently mispronounced; the proper pronunciation is TWAH-reg. Ironically it is a word that Germans find difficult to pronounce, finding it eas ier to say "Tour-egg".
Worldwide
The Touareg has become controversial in Australia. Former Australian Rugby Union captain, Phil Kearns was provided with a V8-powered Touareg as an ambassador for the vehicle. On October 22, 2005 an incident occurred in the driveway of the Kearns' family home whereby the 19-month old daughter of Kearns was struck by the vehicle in forward motion not reverse, leaving her with very serious injuries. Road safety advocates in Australia have pointed to the poor visibility from the drivers' seat of the Touareg, and of SUVs generally, as the cause of the accident. An Australian National Roads and Motorists Association (NRMA) study has revealed that a child needs to be 7.8 metres from the rear bumper of the vehicle in order to be observed by the driver. This fact has led to calls for reversing cameras to be made compulsory on all SUVs sold in Australia.
Design quirks and oddities
Environmental and health concerns
The V10 diesel version of the Touareg was named "meanest" or least-energy-efficient 2004 car by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) for its fuel economy of 17 miles per US gallon city (7.3 km/L) and 23 mpg highway (9.8 km/L). This, along with the Touareg's emissions and their estimated impact on global warming and health, earned it the low "Green Score" of 9, as compared to the Honda Civic GX, which was the "greenest", at a score of 57. Within the context of the US SUV's that are significantly less efficient (e.g. Hummer) this accolade is not so damning.
Interestingly enough, diesel is the ecological option used around the world. In Europe, where ecology has a strong effect on politics, over 50% of the cars are diesel. The coalition government of the German Green Party and the SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany introduced highly restrictive environmental policies, that increased the use of diesel and biodiesel vehicles. Diesel engines are, on average, 40% more efficient than gasoline engines (spark-ignition engines). The increased fuel economy of the diesel over the petrol engine means that the diesel produces less carbon dioxide (CO2) per unit distance. Recently, advances in production and changes in the political climate have increased the availability and awareness of biodiesel, an alternative to petroleum-derived diesel fuel with a much lower net-sum emission of CO2, due to the absorption of CO2 by plants used to produce the fuel.
Awards
The Touareg was Car and Driver magazine's Best Luxury SUV for 2003, Motor Trend magazine's Sport/Utility of the Year for 2004, "Four Wheeler" magazine's Four Wheeler of the Year for 2005 & Overlander's 2003 4WDOTY.
The Touareg's V10 engine won 2003's International Engine of the Year.
See also
Development, Success and Distribution
The Touareg was a joint project developed by Porsche and Volkswagen, initially called E1. The goal was to create an off-road vehicle that could handle as a sports car. The team, with over 300 people, was lead by Klaus-Gerhard Wolpert and was based in Weissach im Tal, Germany. The Volkswagen Touareg is built in Bratislava, Slovakia. The manufacturing plant shares production with Touareg-cousins Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7. Due to the demand, and the exchange rates of Euro vs. Dollar, as well as different pricing and environmental policies in the USA, only V6 and V8 are available for the North American market. A very limited number of the 2004 V10 diesel engine units were sent and are currently highly priced, even on the used market.
See Also
External Links
- VW Touareg Official Site
- VW UK: Touareg
- Touareg Frequently Asked Questions
- American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy
- Ranking shows greenest, meanest cars. MSNBC article.
- Kelley Blue Book Frequent Automotive Mispronunciations Article w/audio clips
- Volkswagen’s V10 diesel Touareg R50
- VW Touareg North Sails special edition now available to order (DE)
- VW Touareg Lux Limited edition launched at NAIAS
This page uses content from Wikipedia; see Volkswagen Touareg, which includes these contributors.
