Volkswagen Confirms "R Touareg"

[cawimmer430]

Volkswagen is working on a new hard-edged ?R? version of its Touareg SUV to join the Passat R36 and Golf R32 in its performance car lineup. Unlike the gasoline engines found in the R36 and R32, AutoTelegraaf reports that the R-Touareg will get a more powerful version of the 4.9L V10 TDI diesel engine. Apparently, the information was leaked by an overzealous VW employee during a media presentation.
German tuners have already squeezed around 365hp from this engine, but this engine is all about the massive torque figures, which should border on the ridiculous with the uprated engine. The standard model gets 750Nm, but at least one tuner has broken the 850Nm mark already. It?s also likely the Touareg will be called the R50 if it follows the naming convention of its stablemates.

The final version will most likely resemble the R-line Touareg (pictured) that?s currently available as a package through VW Individual, VW?s own customizing company. Expect the R-Touareg to feature a similar bumper design, the same subtle spoilers and a sporty wheel and tire combo.

It?s possible this Touareg will be joined by a more powerful 450hp version equipped with a W12 engine, but it seems unlikely as it would be competition for the Audi Q7 V12 TDI.

[TheIntrepid]

Holy shit *drool*


Thanks for the PM Wimmer. :P

[cawimmer430]

Looks really good eh? 

[TheIntrepid]

Got any more pics?

[TheIntrepid]

Never mind




I'm in love. I WANT ONE!!!

[the Teuton]

As if we all thought the $70,000 VW died when the Phaeton went away, here comes the return of the ueber-expensive VW.

[Raza]

Interesting.  Should make for good competition for the ML/GL.

I'm just worried that VW's overstepping their bounds...

[cawimmer430]

I'm just worried that VW's overstepping their bounds...

Same here.

[Secret Chimp]

I wish they'd spend their money figuring out how to build a GTI that doesn't weigh more or less the same as a large family sedan.

[Raghavan]

Wow, they made the Touareg look even better!

[nickdrinkwater]

That's a bad colour, but it looks nice.

They should call it R49 or something, not R-Touareg.

[Raza]

I wish they'd spend their money figuring out how to build a GTI that doesn't weigh more or less the same as a large family sedan.

They have.  If you still think large family sedans weigh 3100 pounds, you're living a decade ago. 

[the Teuton]

They have.? If you still think large family sedans weigh 3100 pounds, you're living a decade ago.?

But is 3,100 lbs considered a small car?  Mind you, I probably have as much interior space in my car and AWD and it cracks the scales at 2,650 lbs.  3,100 lbs is huge by all accounts for a car that's about 180 inches in length.  When is that kind of weight considered too much?

Family sedans are 400-500 lbs. heavier than they used to be and economy cars are hovering at about 300-500 lbs. more than they were in the 1990s.  Isn't that a little excessive?

[Eye of the Tiger]

my huge redneck truck is only rated at 3400lbs empty 

[the Teuton]

NACar, I didn't know your truck was that light.  Can it still tow 5,000 trailers and whatnot?

Also, I love your rail cat.  I think it beats the pickle monster.

[Eye of the Tiger]

The bumper is rated at 4,000 lbs, so I can only assume the rest of the truck can tow that much. And the truck origianlly had a 100hp 250ci I-6 engine.
Now that it's pushing 280hp+, I'm sure it will be able to tow at 3500lb loaded down U-haul trailer with ease.

[thewizard16]

That's an attractive vehicle. It's too bad it'll cost as much as a Mercedes and not have the name to go with it. (I'd still look at it in that market, but I imagine many won't.)

[Raghavan]

But is 3,100 lbs considered a small car? Mind you, I probably have as much interior space in my car and AWD and it cracks the scales at 2,650 lbs. 3,100 lbs is huge by all accounts for a car that's about 180 inches in length. When is that kind of weight considered too much?

Family sedans are 400-500 lbs. heavier than they used to be and economy cars are hovering at about 300-500 lbs. more than they were in the 1990s. Isn't that a little excessive?

Now people are expecting more and more luxury out of these things, plus safety equipment.

[Raza]

But is 3,100 lbs considered a small car?  Mind you, I probably have as much interior space in my car and AWD and it cracks the scales at 2,650 lbs.  3,100 lbs is huge by all accounts for a car that's about 180 inches in length.  When is that kind of weight considered too much?

Family sedans are 400-500 lbs. heavier than they used to be and economy cars are hovering at about 300-500 lbs. more than they were in the 1990s.  Isn't that a little excessive?

Damn it, my post just disappeared.  Let me sum up.

I'm not advocating more weight for cars; lest you forget, I'm the one that says everything weighs too much. 

But 3100 pounds is not what a large family sedan weighs.  An Accord beats 3400, an Avalon touches 3600, and the Chrysler 300 can easily break 4000.  Hell, a WRX weighs 3200, and the STI weighs 3300.

Your car is about a decade and half old.  Its weight is not relevant anymore.

[The Pirate]

My car weighs a bit less than 2400 pounds. 

[the Teuton]

Damn it, my post just disappeared.? Let me sum up.

I'm not advocating more weight for cars; lest you forget, I'm the one that says everything weighs too much.?

But 3100 pounds is not what a large family sedan weighs.? An Accord beats 3400, an Avalon touches 3600, and the Chrysler 300 can easily break 4000.? Hell, a WRX weighs 3200, and the STI weighs 3300.

Your car is about a decade and half old.? Its weight is not relevant anymore.

But is it really so hard to make a car that passes all of the emissions and safety standards without being a pig?  The Lotus Elise is exempt from the crash test mandates because of its limited availability. 

i realize that my car has one airbag, but it's still a safe car for all intents and purposes.  In the last crash tests it had on the market for the 2001 model year, it got 3/4 stars (with dual airbags and not much if any added structural reinforcement), it has better stability than 70% of everything on the road (my radical estimations), and even the last models weighed under 3,000 lbs.  It's not that hard to make a lightweight, small, efficient car IMO, and I think that it's ridiculous that not even a Jetta weighs less than an older Jeep Wrangler with 4WD and other heavy bits in there.

[Raza]

But is it really so hard to make a car that passes all of the emissions and safety standards without being a pig?  The Lotus Elise is exempt from the crash test mandates because of its limited availability. 

i realize that my car has one airbag, but it's still a safe car for all intents and purposes.  In the last crash tests it had on the market for the 2001 model year, it got 3/4 stars (with dual airbags and not much if any added structural reinforcement), it has better stability than 70% of everything on the road (my radical estimations), and even the last models weighed under 3,000 lbs.  It's not that hard to make a lightweight, small, efficient car IMO, and I think that it's ridiculous that not even a Jetta weighs less than an older Jeep Wrangler with 4WD and other heavy bits in there.

I don't build cars.  Don't ask me. 

But it seems that if they could build lightweight cars and have the kind of safety equipment and luxury demanded for a reasonable price they would. 

Hell, two hundred thousand dollar Ferraris don't weigh less than a large family sedan.  Now that's something to complain about.

But trust me.  I wish.  Cars weigh more, and then they need more power, bigger brakes, more rubber, and loads of just more.  And that adds up to more consumption.  Low weight cars with modern engines would be incredibly efficient. 

[The Pirate]

It wouldn't be too difficult to make cars lighter.  Use lighter metals, such as Al, Ti, Mg.  An engineer can correct me, but these metals, if formed/worked properly, will be as strong as conventional steel.  The reason this will never happen is cost.  Most people aren't particularly interested in less weight (hell, most people need to drop a few pounds more than their cars do), and aren't going to pay extra for it. From a purely functional view, the heavier weights aren't even an issue with respect to performance and fuel efficiency.

[Raza]

From a purely functional view, the heavier weights aren't even an issue with respect to performance and fuel efficiency.

What?

[The Pirate]

What?

As I typed that, I thought that it deserved a bit more clarification.  I just wasn't sure who would catch it.


What I mean is, from the point of view of view of a non-enthusiast.  If somebody is buying a car (even a more sporting mainstream car), and just driving to and from work, etc. they don't care about weight.  If the car has good acceleration and good fuel efficiency, Joe Smith doesn't care that it's 500 lbs too heavy.  Also, the mindset is that a heavier car is better in a crash.  Wrong or right, this is what 90% of the car buying population thinks, and they don't care about weight. 

[Raza]

As I typed that, I thought that it deserved a bit more clarification.  I just wasn't sure who would catch it.


What I mean is, from the point of view of view of a non-enthusiast.  If somebody is buying a car (even a more sporting mainstream car), and just driving to and from work, etc. they don't care about weight.  If the car has good acceleration and good fuel efficiency, Joe Smith doesn't care that it's 500 lbs too heavy.  Also, the mindset is that a heavier car is better in a crash.  Wrong or right, this is what 90% of the car buying population thinks, and they don't care about weight. 

That makes more sense.  Of course, with performance and fuel efficiency demands driving higher and higher, the amount of R&D that goes into an engine increases.  The car companies have to spend more money to make the car palatable, and that means a higher cost.  All this is due to increased weight.  Now, it wouldn't increase the cost the same as much as making the whole car out of carbon fiber and unicorn horns, but still, it's an increase.  When it gets to be enough, people will start caring.

[the Teuton]

In my car, I have power windows, A/C (which still works), power mirrors, a remote for the starter and locks, auto transmission? , and power locks.? What more do you really "need" as an American driver?? Here's the list of things I thought of as "necessary" in the American market car:

-power seats
-cruise control
-moon roof/sun roof
-curtain airbags
-stability control (I don't need it and if you're a good driver you don't need it either)
-traction control
-heated seats
-auto dimming mirrors
-sat nav

But all of that, added with NHTSA standards and emissions crap probably adds a good couple hundred pounds.? If I had to choose to spend $2,000 for all of that or $2,000 for lighter materials that would boost my fuel economy by 5-10 mpg and less wear on engine and drivetrain parts, I would probably have to pick the latter.

[omicron]

Oh, not in that colour. Dear Lord, I'd have the drug squad on me in about ten seconds.

[Raza]

In my car, I have power windows, A/C (which still works), power mirrors, a remote for the starter and locks, auto transmission  , and power locks.  What more do you really "need" as an American driver?  Here's the list of things I thought of as "necessary" in the American market car:

-power seats
-cruise control
-moon roof/sun roof
-curtain airbags
-stability control (I don't need it and if you're a good driver you don't need it either)
-traction control
-heated seats
-auto dimming mirrors
-sat nav

But all of that, added with NHTSA standards and emissions crap probably adds a good couple hundred pounds.  If I had to choose to spend $2,000 for all of that or $2,000 for lighter materials that would boost my fuel economy by 5-10 mpg and less wear on engine and drivetrain parts, I would probably have to pick the latter.

How far do you think $2000 will get you?

[The Pirate]

I would gladly accept the added weight that comes with a sunroof and cruise control.