“Unstoppable!
that’s
Volkswagen’s
highly
accomplished, high-
performance luxury
4x4 flagship — the V10
twin-turboed Touareg”
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR a premium SUV today then you'll find
yourself spoilt for choice, especially if you're buying at the top
end of the market.
Five models will almost auto-matically appear on your shopping list. In alphabetical
order these will be the BMW X5, Mercedes M-Class, Porsche Cayenne, Range Rover
and the Volkswagen Touareg.
Each offers a formidable flagship model, none of which will cost you
a penny less than £50,000 — the most expensive will set you back almost
half as much again. Each will do all that you could reasonably ask of it,
both on- and off road. All have real presence. And, in addition to them all
being 'big' on price, all are also big on size, specification
and power.
And when it comes to diesel power, Volkswagen's V10 Touareg makes a very persuasive
argument in its favour coming, as it does, with enough power for four ordinary
cars. Its technologically-advanced and award-winning powerplant — which
produces an exceptional 553lb ft of torque at 2,000rpm — makes it the
world's most powerful production passenger diesel engine.
It's also designed to deliver class-leading performance both on and off the
road. Along with multilink double wishbone suspension front and rear, state-of-the-art
running gear includes air suspension with auto-matic self-levelling and height
adjustment as well as continuous speed-related damping, while permanent four-wheel
drive, high and low gear ratios, electronic traction control linked to an
auto-locking centre differential and a hill start and a hill descent assist
give it formidable all-terrain capability.
From the foregoing you could be forgiven, if you hadn't already seen
a Touareg, of picturing something ultra-utilitarian. Something like a Hummer,
perhaps. You couldn't be more wrong. Because there's end-less luxury to be
found inside the Touareg's very accommodating and good-looking outer shell.
Up close, you'll agree that Volkswagen has done an excellent job of disguising
the Touareg's strapping size. Photographs just don't convey its imposing dimensions
— from nose to tail it measures 15ft 4in long and it stands 5ft 7in tall.
Fortunately a lot of its 6ft 3in width is utilised in passenger comfort. It's
not an easy task to make something this big look stylish, but Volkswagen have
clearly given it their all.
The result is an athletic kerbside presence that's refreshingly un-fussy.
And while the Touareg is one of the largest SUVs in its market segment it
is also one of the lowest, which endows it with an especially strong visual
sense of purpose. The muscular flares that swell all four wheel arches over
lovely 5-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels accentuate its very short front and rear
overhangs — crucial for demanding off-road work — to give the Touareg
a polished no-nonsense, go-anywhere look.
The V10 comes with keyless access (once you've experienced it you won't want
to go back to a 'normal' key) and keyless start. Approach your Touareg with
the key in your pocket and the door unlocks auto-matically the second you
touch the door handle. To lock on exit you just close the door and touch the
handle. Climb into the spacious cabin — pleasingly, the Touareg is very
easy to step in and out of — and you'll be more than pleasantly surprised
by the quality evident in every nook and cranny.
Settle into the comfortably firm, contoured driving seat and enjoy
the unsurpassed view of the road from behind the wheel. Naturally there's
a powered easy-entry/exit feature and the wheel adjusts for height and reach
at the touch of a switch. The memory function on the driver's seat not only
recalls personal settings for the steering column, door mirrors and both front
seats, but also for the electrically-adjustable seat belt height. The seats
provide good side and under-thigh support and their 'firmness', incidentally,
is of the sort that provides real comfort even on the longest journeys.
Everywhere you look inside is well-finished and classy, with attractive dark
Myrtle wood and aluminium trim complemented by plenty of tasteful chrome accents.
Storage space is generous, with lots of well-made and well-sited cubbies including
a large air-conditioned glovebox. Ergonomically, the cabin's first-rate, with
a refreshingly uncluttered look despite the amount of equipment. There's a
full complement of chrome-ringed dials with clear white-on-black graphics
and anti-reflection glass. Positioned between the larger speedometer and rev-counter
sits a multifunction 5-inch colour screen which along with useful trip data
and outside temperature also displays navigation symbols, which gear you're
in, the ride-height setting, etc. First-time Touareg drivers will search in
vain for a conventional handbrake — like a number of other prestige marques,
VW have fitted an easy-to-use, space-saving, foot-operated parking brake instead.
The centre console houses the 7-inch colour screen for the entertain-ment
(audio/TV), on-board computer, critical off-road hardware information and
the SatNav. Operating it is simplicity itself. The multi-function steering
wheel switches also control the stereo, on-board computer and cruise control.
A separate control panel for the running gear is conveniently sited behind
the sturdy T-shaped selector lever, with two rotary knobs to operate the gear
ratios (high/low range) and differential locks and the suspension ride height
settings. In between are four single-function switches for the ESP, damping
control (Comfort, Auto, Sport) and other off-road equipment.
There are acres of room — for the driver and four grown-up friends —
and all will be equally comfortable and cosseted. 2Zone electronic climate
control is standard, but go for the optional 4Zone and each quarter of the
cabin can be adjusted within 4 degrees of the others. The Climatronic system
also automatically switches to re-circulation when necessary — for example,
when you drive through a tunnel. All the windows are tinted and have a one-shot
auto up/down feature.
Rear headroom is notably generous and the back seats are individually contoured,
with three headrests and a trio of three-point seat belts and a large centre
armrest. In the Touareg there's no problem for
six-footers sitting behind a six-footer. Also guaranteed to keep your passengers
entertained is the quality of the music from the eight-channel, 400 watt,
11-speaker audio system. The only downside to
the boot space is that it's so nicely trimmed that it's almost criminal
to load it up!There's a lot of space if you do: a minimum of 500 litres. Drop
down the 60/40 split rear seats and that trebles, to 1,525 litres. Access
is enhanced by the large, high-opening and self-locking tailgate's separately-opening
window.
There's isn't enough room to list everything that comes as standard
on this range-topping Touareg. Suffice to say, if you can name it then it's
most likely already fitted. Leather upholstery is standard, as you'd expect,
as too are multi-adjustable, 12-way powered and heated front seats with 4-way
electrically-adjustable lumbar support.
It's not just the cabin to which the term 'well-specced' applies.
Active safety is very well addressed by a comprehensive package that includes
ABS with Electronic Brake-pressure Distribution, Hydraulic Brake Assist that
reduces braking distances by 25 per cent even for unskilled drivers, an Electronic
Stability Programme, ASR traction control and an Electronic Differential Lock.
And, of course, the permanent four-wheel drive. Passive protection comes from
twin front and side airbags as well as full-length curtain airbags.
Built-in crash sensors can judge the severity of an impact and react accordingly
— triggering either a low-level activation of the driver
and front passenger airbags or a full-intensity response. Other safety aids
include the excellent Xenon headlights, auto lights, auto wipers, accurate
front and rear parking sensors with automatic audio and visual warnings of
objects and their distances from the car, and the 'coming/leaving home' lighting
function that at night illuminates the surrounding area with the front and
rear lights as well as the bright door mirror lights for a driver-specified
time.
Two
other points well worth mentioning are first, the Touareg has a full five-star
Euro NCAP safety rating and second, the Touareg possesses a number of features
designed to maximise protection for pedestrians and cyclists — which
is why Volkswagen does not offer a 'bull bar'. Among these is the construction
of the bonnet in aluminium to provide optimum deformation characteristics,
and the use of plastic materials for the wings.
Push the chromed engine start button that always feels so good. You'll discover
that beneath the Touareg's aluminium bonnet beats the
heart of a giant. Displacing 4,921cc, its ten cylinders are arranged in two
banks of five-cylinders, each with its own individual high-pressure pump-injection
unit. Twin turbochargers stoke up the power to an impressive 308bhp, but it's
not the power but the V10's staggering torque that blows just about every
other diesel — and a lot of large capacity petrol models — into
the weeds.
Nowadays, switched on drivers are well aware of the driveability benefits
of oil-burning powerplants that deliver high torque at low revs. And the Touareg's
V10 delivers precisely that. At just 2,000rpm there's a gargantuan 553lb ft
of torque on tap. When not used for effortless, surging acceleration, all
that torque makes the Touareg a superb
tow car. Thanks to a towing capacity of 3 tonnes, it makes light work of pulling
a large speedboat or a large caravan. And, more useful still,
it can just as easily extract them if they get stuck. The Touareg's capability
as a towcar has been rewarded by winning the Caravan Club Towcar of the Year
Awards for 2004 and 2005 in the full-size 4x4 category.
Not only is it brutally powerful but it's refined, too. Even at a cold idle
there's not much to give away the kind of fuel that is feeding the engine.
Asked to guess, most people were convinced that the even, throaty beat from
its ten cylinders was generated by a large-capacity, multi-cylinder petrol
engine.
The V10 Touareg weighs in at 2,524kg — and, even by large luxury 4x4
standards, that's no Cinderella. However, floor the accelerator and
two things happed almost simultaneously. First, power is sent equally to all
four wheels via Volkswagen's 4XMOTION all-wheel drive system and second, the
scenery blurs and you're gone in a flash. Very quick.
If you haven't seen the Willy Wonka film, ask your kids about the
glass lift. Or better still, rent the DVD. Even fully-loaded, the 308bhp Touareg
comes off the block like a sportscar, passing 60mph in 7.8 seconds and it
doesn't stop until the speedometer needle is steady on 140mph. Fortunately,
Volkswagen have fitted brakes powerful enough to cope easily with the V10's
prodigious power. In fact, they're so efficient that you don't even think
about them in day-to-day driving.
If you're thinking that this all adds up to a horrifying, single-figure fuel
consumption, you're mistaken. Our test average worked out to a
very creditable 23mpg overall — matching VW's official figure. Urban
consumption is 16.5, and extra-urban 28.8mpg. And with a 22 gallon tank, the
Touareg is good for a sensible touring range.
The Touareg is an awesome cruiser — thanks to exceptionally long gearing
of just under 40mph per 1,000rpm in sixth gear (70mph at 1,750rpm). Even at
serious speeds, there's barely any road noise from the 275/45 profile 19-inch
tyres. Just a whisper of wind rush from the large door mirrors to suggest
your real speed. Just enough, that is,
so you don't lose touch with the real world.
Air suspension with adjustable ride height and damping is standard on the
V10 TDi. In addition to ride benefits, the air suspension allows the ground
clearance to be raised for serious off-road work (up to 11.8 inches) or lowered
for easy loading, when it can sink to 6.5 inches. There's a default intermediate
ride height for normal driving which automatically adjusts downwards at higher
on-road speeds — first at 78mph; then lower still at 112mph — for
improved aerodynamic stability. Wherever you're driving, you can be sure that
you'll enjoy the best comfort possible for the prevailing conditions.
On poor urban roads the Touareg should ride best when set to its Comfort setting.
However, we found that we were driving everywhere on the hardest Sport setting
— and very pleasant it was, too. On the motorway or fast A-roads the
Touareg is reassuringly stable, its air-sprung ride proving compliant and
refined and leaving you free to luxuriate in the hushed, leather-trimmed cabin
that makes it so easy
to forget you're driving in a 4x4. Amazingly, from behind the wheel the Touareg
doesn't feel so big at all — the only clue to its imposing girth is the
alacrity with which other drivers move over for you.
Get behind the wheel of some large SUVs and the elevated view over the bonnet
takes on an intimidating edge the faster you travel. Not so in the Touareg.
Thanks to the three-mode air suspension that main-tains a level and unruffled
stance on-road, the Touareg can really hustle through challenging bends with
far more panache than — judged by the Laws of Physics — should be
possible. On the road, the accurate and nicely-weighted rack-and-pinion steering
provides decent feed-back, which combined with the supple chassis lets you
press on with-out frightening your passengers. Or the driver!
In fact, show V10 TDi some fast country roads and in return you'll
get a good time. Of course, an obvious benefit of the Touareg's 4XMotion system
is that you never have to worry about shifting into four-wheel drive because
it's on all the time. Talking of grip, the Touareg's is likewise considerable
and — allied to crisp steering — it makes snaking though twisty
lanes a real eye-opener. You'll find yourself driving harder and faster than
you'd credit for such a big, heavy machine. Oh, and I can promise you something
else, too: you'll be at peace with the world.
Making the Touareg that much more pleasant to drive, and flattering its sporting
side, is the smooth-shifting six-speed Tiptronic auto 'box complete with Ferrari
F1-style shift-paddles on the steering column.
In automatic mode there's a 'Dynamic Shift Programme' which modifies the shift
points to match your individual driving style, assessing criteria such as
throttle and brake movement, whether a trailer is attached (and its weight
if one is), whether you're on an uphill or downhill gradient and the gear
shift frequency. Armed with this information, the DSP calculates the most
appropriate gear shift pattern from Sport to Auto.
Alternatively, you can choose to shift manually by moving the selector sideways
to the '+/-' gate and using either the Tiptronic selector lever or your fingertips
via the paddle-shifts behind the steering wheel.
You can also 'cut-in' on the full auto or Sport mode with a manual downchange
if you think there's a need to, and the system will revert to DSP after approximately
15 seconds. Naturally, safety software prevents you downchanging dangerously
or over-revving the engine.
The Touareg's competence both on-and off-road makes its ability easy to summarise
in one short sentence: It will go almost anywhere you choose to take it. Under
normal road conditions the 4XMotion trans-mission delivers torque to all four
wheels in an even-handed 50:50 split to the front and rear axles. However,
when 'the going gets tough' the Touareg is perfectly-equipped to do the 'the
tough get going' bit.
In extreme off-road conditions it can automatically direct all of the torque
to a single wheel that still has traction and, for absolute predictabilty
you can manually lock either the centre or rear diffs. There's also hill-descent
assist (HDA) to keep everything safely in hand when moving downhill and hill-start
assist (HSA) to get you started when all around you are losing their grip.
Before you even put a
wheel in the mud, you can raise the suspension for maximum ground clearance
and simply turn the dial on the centre console to engage 'low range' transmission
for maximum control. And courtesy of watertight doors and sealed lights, the
Touareg will happily wade through 23 inches of water — ensuring shallow
rivers are just something else that won't stop the Touareg in its tracks.
Volkswagen has really pulled the rabbit out of the VW hat with the Touareg
— their first-ever SUV. It comes very close to that elusive 'please all
of the people all of the time' Holy Grail, thanks to the seam-less manner
in which it blends palpable luxury and car-like steering, ride and handling
characteristics with all-wheel drive and full-blown off-
road prowess. In fact, the best compliment you can pay the Touareg
is to appreciate just how easy Volkswagen has made it for the driver to control
the very complex array of high-tech hardware that underpins the V10's laudable
on- and off-road competence. Many of those fortunate enough to have a £50k
budget will, having tried the competition, opt to spend their money at their
local VW dealer. What
a choice!
 Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI Tiptronic | £53,640 Maximum speed: 140mph | 0-62mph: 7.8 seconds Overall test MPG: 23mpg | Power: 308bhp | Torque: 553lb ft Visit Volkswagen's website  |