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VW Touareg SUV

2219 messages,  Last post on Jan 01, 2012 at 9:42 AM

You are in the Volkswagen Touareg Forum.

What is this discussion about? Volkswagen Touareg, SUV

Messages Page 1 of 222

#1 of 2219 Finally it is coming by sjwsmw

Feb 22, 2002 (8:49 am)

Been seeing the spy shots and the artist renditions of this joint venture with Porsche. Theirs will be the Cayenne and is due out later this year but the VW version is more sketchy as far as specs and production schedules. Anyone heard anything??

#2 of 2219 Anything yet?? by scirocco22

Mar 09, 2002 (3:56 pm)

Yes, we've seen shots of the Cayenne but I haven't seen any of the Touareg yet. Can somebody post some spy shots or renditions? ...also, anything descriptive or statistical that's been published so far? Tentative price range?
 
The only thing I've read is this article at VWVortex about the Cayenne which briefly compares both vehicles. No pics of the Touareg though.
 
VWVortex article on the Cayenne
 
TIA
 
--'rocco

#3 of 2219 Expect a name change by diploid

Mar 09, 2002 (7:36 pm)

US dealers are asking VW to change the name, which for some reason is named after a Saharan slave trading tribe.

#4 of 2219 Thanx diploid by scirocco22

Mar 09, 2002 (7:48 pm)

I just ran into the forum that they have over at VWVortex Vortex Touareg Forum that's devoted to the MAC. So I just got through reading a thread on that subject name change thread. Interesting. Still no "for sure" photos, though. There are two renditions which I noticed were posted:
 
http://www.vwvortex.com/vwbb/bbtitle_mac.gif ...an "Allroad" Golf
 
http://www.dobletraccion.com/marzo01/colorado1.jpg and http://www.dobletraccion.com/marzo01/colorado2.jpg ...an "Allroad" Passat station wagon.
 
Or this "Thing:" *laughs out loud* http://www.pebblebeachconcours.net/concept2001/helmut.htm
 
--'rocco

#5 of 2219 Delivery rumor by sjwsmw

Mar 12, 2002 (12:08 pm)

I heard that the agreement between VW and Porsche was that the SUV would be delivered at the same time.
True?
If so, some actual pictures should be surfacing soon as the Cayenne did.

#6 of 2219 I saw it! by sjwsmw

Mar 15, 2002 (9:44 am)

I was invited to a marketing survey for SUVs. I have done this before, no big deal. This time, the usual cast of up scale SUVs were there, but also, the VW Test Vehicle.' Yes, a Tourareg or whatever right in front of me!
Briefly:
The front looks just like some of the net pics floating around, that is a Passat on steroids. The back end was a Golf on steroids as well. The front worked very well, rugged, yet with some sophistication. The back didn't work so well. The roofline slopes downward toward the liftgate similar to the new Pontiac Vibe/Matrix. This makes it less like an SUV and more like some crossover thing in my opinion. But more importantly, it cuts rear vision and cargo capacity dramatically. Size-wise, it is larger than the Lexus RX300, but smaller than an Ford Explorer. More along the lines of the BMW X5.
 
Inside, it screams BMW, very upscale. Lot's of brushed chrome and wood accents everywhere. This prototype had ever conceviable option/gadet you could think(except navigation). Leather, sunroof, multi CD player, etc.
One of the questions was, "if this wasn't a VW, then what other brand would you think made it?"
I think VW is really going for the upscale market on this.
The doors height seemed tall and the dash very pronounced as well as the seating seemed low. This combination made it feel cramped inside, not like a high riding SUV with a commanding view of the road. Reminded me of sitting in a low-slung sports car(like an Audi TT).
The stat sheet showed a 6-cylinder engine, AWD. Pretty basic. Buy strangely, the automatic shifter only appeared to be a 3-speed, which I doubt will be production.
 
All in all, I was excited and dissapointed at the same time. I guess we shall see what comes out of production. I heard from VW's marketing department, that they heard 1st quarter 2003 for delivery.

#7 of 2219 Sounds like a BMW/Lexus fighter by diploid

Mar 15, 2002 (1:15 pm)

I just can't help but wonder why they didn't just make it an Audi. Porsche's version will be more expensive than the class that the X5 and RX300 is in.

#8 of 2219 I agree by scirocco22

Mar 15, 2002 (4:35 pm)

diploid-- yeah, it would seem to me that it would make much more sense from a marketing standpoint to make the Cayenne an Audi. But I suppose they want to portray the image of an ultra-high-perforance SUV ...something that would far outclass the X5 and RX300. As Steve implies, it sounds like it will be the VW model which will compete with those two vehicles. It sustains VW's strategy of continuing to offer more upscale vehicles which personally disappoints me. IMHO, VW should concentrate on making affordable cars exremely reliable to compete with Honda, Toyota and the like and leave the upscale vehicles to their Audi division.
 
Steve-- Wow! ...so you were actually able to see a pre-production model, eh? I suppose you weren't able to take pics at this marketing survey function you attended. I'd still like to see a snapshot. Where was this marketing survey located? Is it moving around the country? I wonder if I could get invited to one of these things!? *lol*
 
--'rocco

#9 of 2219 Marketing survey by sjwsmw

Mar 19, 2002 (1:49 pm)

rocco-
No, no cameras, phones, kids. I didn't even know the VW was going to be there. It was a suprise and they just said be careful with the switches and accessories as it was a prototype and not up to typical quality standards.
The survey just came in the mail, nothing preplanned. The moderator made a comment that this was the 'last go-round' of market tests. I agree with the upscale comment. But that seems to be their company direction with the Pheaton etc.

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