Volkswagen Touareg SUV stocks the right gear to go anywhere
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
|
MOAB, Utah -- Situation One: We're bumping against the speed limit on an interstate slab cut through Echo Canyon, high in the Big Piney Mountains of Utah's Wasatch Range, while heading toward Ogden and the Great Salt Lake.
Misty rain from low-slung clouds coats the pavement, setting up potentially dangerous driving conditions with unseen slippery spots that can snare a tire and send a vehicle flying toward disaster in an unplanned rendezvous with sheer rock canyon walls.
But we don't sweat the slippery stuff as four enormous speed-rated tires on Volkswagen's luxurious new sport-utility wagon swab the concrete and maintain uncanny stick-it-down traction for all wheels through a sophisticated electronically-controlled four-wheel-drive (4WD) traction device labeled 4XMotion.
This wagon tackles the twisted trace at a swift pace yet exhibits surprising agility in the process.
With its independent air suspension system under constant control for electronically variable shock valve damping -- called continuous damping control (CDC) -- the big wheels prance in step with every contour of the road surface yet an ultra-stiff monocoque structure floats smoothly over pavement irregularities.
Situation Two: We're in stop-and-go traffic on South Temple downtown in Salt Lake City but riding high in the cockpit of the same SUV with a driver's bucket clad in plush leather and an arsenal of high-tech electronic gear at hand on the dashboard and console and steering wheel.
There are devices to control the cabin climate, regulate suspension height and ride quality, navigate through city streets via the in-dash video monitor, or soothe our spirits with symphonic sounds swirling from ten speakers of a premium audio system.
And there's room in the spacious compartment for five riders on two rows of seats plus a bay in back for cargo.
Situation Three: Those big tires on Volkswagen's SUV straddle the Lion's Back ridge, a lump of sandstone pitched a hundred feet high in the red-rock canyons of Moab, as we adjust the 4XMotion 4WD system, which includes a low-gear range and standard electronically-activated locking center differential plus optional rear locking differential and 4-Corner air suspension package.
Then we nudge the throttle and steer this wagon over the rim in a plunge down the ridge so steep it seems likely we'll shoot to the canyon floor in a crumpled mess of mangled car parts.
However, VW's SUV plays it differently, as the 4XMotion 4WD system plus another sophisticated device called hill descent control (HDC) keep all wheels anchored to the sheer grade.
Driver's feet deliberately stay away from brake and accelerator pedals because the machine does all of the work on its own and we merely guide it down the treacherous hill.
These varied situations illustrate the multifaceted driving characteristics of Volkswagen's unique new sport-utility vehicle.
Its name, if you can pronounce it, is the Touareg.
The moniker (say, "TOUR-egg") comes from a tribe of nomads in sub-Saharan Africa known for their strength and bravery.
Apply it to VW's new product and the tribal traits seem appropriate for a strong sport-utility vehicle.
Mark Touareg the automobile as the first SUV for a brand recognized heretofore for producing affordable and universal small cars like the Beetle, Golf and Jetta.
It's actually sleek and sophisticated in style, large in scale for the mid-size class of wagons and it provides a generous cabin fitted with appointments skewed toward the luxury mode and fixtures in wood and chrome and fine leather.
Also, Touareg comes with an alphabetical melange of computerized electronic equipment for safety to manage tire traction and braking and skidding.
Gear includes a four-wheel anti-lock brake system (ABS), emergency brake assist (EBA), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), anti-slip regulation (ASR) and electronic stabilization program (ESP), plus the hill descent control (HDC) and another device working the opposite of HDC with hill rollback control (HRC).
Engines for Touareg contain six, eight or even -- with a late arrival -- ten cylinders.
First to market is Touareg outfitted with a dual-cam 3.2-liter V6 with four valves per cylinder and Motronic engine management system.
It produces 220 hp between 5400 and 6400 rpm and torque numbers of 225 lb-ft at 3200 rpm.
Despite a curb weight of more than 5000 pound, Touareg V6 feels snappy when accelerating out of a traffic signal.
An automatic six-speed transmission performs quiet shift sequences in a sporty manner, thanks to the addition of Porsche's Tiptronic clutch-less manual shifting feature plus a dynamic shift program (DSP) that maintains the optimum gear through a curve or uphill run.
The second Touareg to market stocks a big V8 coupled to the six-speed Tiptronic automatic.
This plant, displacing 4.2 liters, delivers more juice -- 310 hp at 6200 rpm plus 302 lb-ft of torque developed between 3000 and 4000 rpm.
It makes the wagon even quicker and adds confidence at speed with power in reserve.
Volkswagen also will add the option of a massive turbo-diesel engine sometime later in the model-year.
The 5.0-liter V10 is expected to make 313 hp.
Touareg V6 as a base model contains a surprisingly long list of standard features.
Everything's on-board -- from power controls for all gear to an automatic climate system, leather-clad seats and heaters in the front buckets, plus the cabin decor in leather and wood with the chrome accents.
Still, there are options concerning telematics and navigation equipment, the CDC adjustable suspension damping and 4-Corner adjustable air suspension, electronic parking assist (EPA), bi-xenon high intensity discharge (HID) headlamps and upgrades for the audio system.
Also, some of this gear clusters in special packages.
Pricing in MSRP begins at $34,900 for Touareg V6, with Touareg V8 set at $40,700.
|
| 2004 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS |
| Description: |
Mid-size 4-door SUV wagon
|
| Model Options: |
Mid-size 4-door SUV wagon
|
| Wheelbase: |
112.4 inches
|
| Overall Length: |
187.2 inches
|
| Engine Size: |
DOHC 3.2-L V6
DOHC 4.2-L V8
|
| Transmission: |
V6: Auto/6 Tiptronic
V8: Auto/6 Tiptronic
|
| Drive: |
AWD 4XMotion
|
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc
ABS/EBD/EBA/ASR/ESP/EDL/HDC/HRC
|
| Airbags: |
2 (front) + 2 (side) + 4 (side curtain)
|
| Towing Capacity: |
7716 pounds
|
| Gas Mileage: |
V6: 15/20 mpg
V8: 14/18 mpg |
| MSRP Price: |
V6: $ 34,900, V8: $ 40,700 |
|
|
|
The Big Lot! is dedicated to privacy, security, and service. Read our Privacy Policy.