First official pics: VW Tiguan

We showed you pictures of a lightly taped-over Volkswagen Tiguan last month (more here), and now here are the first images of the compact SUV sans disguise.

As previously reported, Volkswagen's Toyota RAV4 fighter will make its world debut at September's Frankfurt motor show, but it won't go on sale here until 2008.

The newcomer will be a crucial addition to VW's line-up, slotting in below the full-size Touareg, which is currently the brand's sole SUV offering.

The Golf-based Tiguan debuted in concept form at last year's Los Angeles Motor Show, but the showroom variant isn't quite as radical as the design study, which featured offbeat black-and-orange tyres designed to match the vehicle's body colour.

Measuring 4.4m long, 1.8m wide and 1.6m tall, the Tiguan is marginally shorter than a Honda CR-V, but virtually the same in terms of width and height.

As we previously reported, the Tiguan will be offered in three versions: the 'Trend & Fun' and 'Sport & Style' models (they may be named differently for our market) are road-biased packages with an approach angle of just 18 degrees, but there will also be a 'Track and Field' variant with a more respectable entry angle of 28 degrees.

Volkswagen claims the latter model (which comes with a radiator protection grille, underbody protection, hill descent control and a compass) will eclipse most existing compact SUVs in terms of off-road ability, but we won't be able to verify this until we drive the vehicle at its press launch later this year.

The Tiguan will initially be available with two engines -- a 2.0-litre 103kW TDI diesel and a 1.4-litre 110kW TSI petrol unit.

Later in 2008 a 125kW TDI and two further petrol engines will become available internationally.  Both diesel engines meet the stringent Euro V emissions standard that comes into effect in 2009.

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