Touareg's new job spec

The new Volkswagen Touareg is better in every way than the car it replaces, although offroad enthusiasts may not hold the improved model in the same regard as the superseded one.

Unlike its predecessor, the new Touareg offers dual-range transfer in just one of the four variants comprising the range — and that variant is the V6 TDI 4XMOTION (pronounced "Four-by-motion"), the flagship of the Touareg fleet.

It's Volkswagen's contention that buyers who take their Touaregs off the road account for a small fraction of the whole, so there is that bush-ready model remaining in the range, but the Touareg is now aimed more at those who tow boats, caravans or trailers and occasionally head for the hills or beaches — without any hard-core commitment. The new Touareg is consequently rated to tow loads up to 3500kg, with a downball weight of 280kg.

According to Volkswagen Australia's Technical Manager, Kieren Gradidge the new Touareg is also larger, lighter, leaner and more capable across the whole spectrum of design parameters.

"The body of the Touareg is a completely new development," Gradidge explained to journalists at the launch of the new model last week. "The body itself is five per cent lighter and five per cent stronger..."

Not just lighter on its feet, the new Touareg is also priced lower for the entry-level variant. The new range starts with the 150TDI model, which is priced at $62,990 — $2500 less than the earlier R5 variant, which hasn't been sold here since production ended in March of last year.

The basic Touareg rides on 17-inch alloy wheels — designated Atacama —fitted with 255/60 tyres. Other features fitted as standard at the entry level include: dual-zone climate control, cruise control, reversing camera, front/rear park distance sensors with acoustic guidance, auto-on/off headlights, MP3/WMA-compatible six-disc CD audio system with remote (steering wheel controls) plus 6.5-inch touchscreen display, SD card slot/USB media device interface and Bluetooth connectivity.

In addition, the Touareg 150TDI comes with an electrically-released tailgate, Cricket leather upholstery, aluminium highlights, remote central locking, electrochromatic mirrors (interior/driver's side), foldable external mirrors, manual height adjustment for front seats, front-seat heating, leather-bound steering wheel/gear knob, chilled glovebox, trip computer, two-speed intermittent wipers and power windows (auto-up/down for driver's side).

As the name suggests, the 150TDI develops 150kW of power from its turbodiesel V6. At 400Nm, peak torque is not to be sneezed at, although it falls well short of the 550Nm the higher-priced V6 TDI model develops. Both the diesel V6 powerplants displace 3.0 litres, but the 150kW engine uses slightly less fuel (7.2 versus 7.4L/100km in combined-cycle testing). Offsetting the slight difference in fuel consumption the 150TDI sacrifices 1.2 seconds getting to 100km/h from a standing start (9.0 versus 7.8 seconds).

Due to a hitch in the launch of the new Touareg in Australia, the 2011 model of the V6 TDI variant develops 176kW of power, but the 2012 upgrade, which is here with us already, develops four extra kilowatts — 180kW. Some of the 2011 models have already been sold here and the V6 TDI cars Volkswagen corralled for the local launch were all from last year's production. Torque is the same, irrespective, and buyers are unlikely to feel the difference in performance between the two states of tune.

Priced and equipped at the same level as the V6 TDI ($77,990), the V6 FSI is the one petrol variant in the range, powered by a 3.6-litre V6 that produces 206kW and 360Nm. All three engines are Euro 5-compliant; the petrol V6 being rated at 10.1L/100km and CO2 emissions of 240g/km in combined-cycle testing.

"You may know this engine already from essentially our passenger-car range and other models within the range," said Gradidge, "vis-à-vis the Passat, Passat CC and R36 for example — the same essential engine concept, spun 90 degrees in a longitudinal installation."

All four variants embrace fuel-saving technology, in the form of auto-stop/start, brake energy recovery and thermal engine management.

The V6 TDI and V6 FSI ride on 18-inch alloy wheels in a Karakum design, wrapped in 255/55 R18 tyres. Added to the specification of the Touareg 150TDI, the mid-range variants gain the following additional items as standard: Alarm, premium audio with additional source inputs for media device interface, satellite navigation, woodgrain highlights (in lieu of aluminium), remote release for rear-seat backrest, 14-way power adjustment for front seats (including electro-pneumatic side bolsters and lumbar adjustment), map-pocket nets behind front seats, automatic operation of powered tailgate and Nappa leather upholstery.

As the range-topping variant, the Touareg V6 TDI 4XMOTION is priced $5000 higher still — at $82,990. Power comes from the higher-output 3.0-litre turbodiesel engine and drives through the new, designed-in-house eight-speed automatic transmission as for the other variants.

With the exception of the dual-range Touareg V6 TDI 4XMOTION, the Touareg employs a type c transfer box, which features a chain drive and helical gears that provide the torque-sensing facility to distribute torque according to need: front or rear.

"The angle of the teeth is extremely important, because as the load is reduced, the gears climb up the teeth," explains Gradidge, using a loss of traction at the front of the vehicle to illustrate how the system adjusts the torque split from the 40% front/60% rear default. Through this system the torque split can adjust to 80/20 or 20/80, depending on the prevailing conditions. Gradidge refers to this setup as a "limited-slip interaxle".

The dual-range system of the Touareg V6 TDI 4XMOTION splits torque 38% front/62% rear in normal operation. By locking the integrated centre differential, the transfer system can direct torque in fixed, equal measure to the front and rear axles. Should the vehicle lift a wheel clear of the ground, the electronically-controlled, brake-actuated traction control system will halt the wheel spinning in the air to ensure torque isn't lost to the other three wheels.

All four Touareg models come as standard with a new, eight-speed transmission that features a Lepppelletier gear-set arrangement, defined by Gradidge as a single planetary gear set driving to a dual planetary gear set (or Ravigneaux set). Capable of working in conjunction with the vehicle's auto-stop/start system, the transmission has an auxiliary electric oil pump to keep oil circulating even when the internal-combustion engine is not running.

The new Touareg retains hydraulic assistance for its rack & pinion steering, VW engineers taking the view that the conventional system was more robust in offroad situations than an electric system that would have allowed the installation of Park Assist, as in other Volkswagen models. Braking is handled by ventilated discs for all four wheels, which are independently sprung by double wishbones, front and rear.

On the safety front, all Touareg variants come equipped with nine airbags (including side curtains and a kneebag for the driver), plus a rollover sensor system. Dynamic features to prevent a crash in the first instance run to traction control, an electronic diff lock, stability control, offroad-configured ABS (ABS Plus), EBD, Hill Descent Assist and Brake Assist.

While the core engineering benefits of the new Touareg are commendable, it's the optional driving aids that are bound to impress many buyers. Among the usual panoramic sunroofs ($3000) and bi-xenon headlights ($3500), there's the Driver Assistance Package ($5400), Area View ($2500 for the 150TDI or $1100 for the other variants) and air suspension ($5900).

Area View makes reversing easier — particularly backing up to a trailer — and provides a bird's eye view to the side at the rear to check for pedestrians and cross-traffic. There are further cameras in the side mirrors to look along the flanks of the vehicle and there are forward-and-side-looking cameras at the front to enhance safety while pulling out of a narrow driveway with a high fence or wall on either side. There's even a camera located below the nose of the vehicle for cresting hills in offroad scenarios.

The Driver Assistance Package incorporates Adaptive Cruise Control (with two radar transmitters, each one inboard of each fog light), Front Assist and Emergency Brake Function, Lane Assist/Lane Departure Warning and Side Assist/Lane Changing Assistant. These features are mostly reliant on a combination of radar, cameras and the ultrasonic parking sensors in one form or another.

A closed system, the air suspension option provides three comfort modes and two levels of ride height at the rear, both the latter available by pressing buttons inside the tailgate. Higher ground clearance keeps the rear of the vehicle from dragging over the rough stuff, but the lower setting will ease loading or hitching an A-frame to the vehicle's towball.

Pricing

Touareg 150TDI $62,990
Touareg V6 TDI $77,990
Touareg V6 FSI $77,990
Touareg V6 TDI 4XMOTION $82,990

The new Touareg is already on sale in Australia. Watch out for our drive impressions in coming days.

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