Volkswagen joins the off-road crew

We reported on German automaker Porsche's big new 4x4, the Cayenne, not long ago. Porsche and Volkswagen teamed up to jointly develop new 4x4s, or SUVs, in a bid to lower costs and, in turn, benefit from each other's respective areas of expertise.

The only fundamental difference with the two models were engines and front-ends, though suspension setup, interior design and other minor elements are dissimilar also.

Both cars are to be officially launched together, but Porsche, being Porsche, jumped the gun and released photos, specs and other pertinent info long before VW.

Despite this, Volkswagen has now released media packs of its much-hyped Touareg (named after a nomadic Saharan desert tribe) after Porsche. Unlike the Cayenne, however, this mudslinger will be substantially cheaper and a more viable option for most Australians.

Keen to tout the Touareg's off-road ability, VW is quick to make mention of the many 'hard-core' aspects of the 4x4. The short overhangs tell a tale of good ground clearance, but if you purchase the model with pneumatic (air) suspension, the Touareg offers ground clearance of up to 300mm and has a rollover of 45 degrees. Interestingly, the pneumatic suspension height can be controlled by the driver - a nice touch.

There is also a low-ratio transfer box with three locking differentials (dashboard operated, no less) and off-road gear ratio reduction, all fitted as standard. The suspension package comprises double wishbones front and back, which add to the vehicles off-road abilities, as well as offering luxury-car-esque ride and handling on the bitumen, to boot.

Other interesting drive-line features include a multi-plate clutch and, depending on traction, power can be diverted completely to either the front or rear axles.

Aimed to compete against Mercedes ML range and BMW's X5, the Touareg is in a great position. For one, it's big. Measuring 4.75 metres in length, and 1.72 metres in height, this is one VeeDub that won't be intimidated. Throw a host of powerful engines into the fray and you've got a luxury 4WD that could very easily upset its Germanic brethren.

All models are equipped with permanent four-wheel drive, and the entry level Touareg is packed with a 3.2-litre V6 mill. This medium capacity engine is worth a very respectable 162kW of power and a more impressive 305Nm of torque. The big momma engine, however, is more Euro-oriented - a turbo-diesel.

That said, it is a 5.0-litre V8 turbo-diesel, capable of towing a house. Churning out 750Nm @ 1800rpm, it's debatable whether this engine will make it to Australia, since diesel isn't anywhere near as popular.

Power wise, the V8 diesel kicks out 230kW. A smaller 2.5-litre inline 5-cylinder turbo-diesel unit is likely to appear further down the track for the Europeans, while we can expect a 4.2-litre petrol V8 to arrive about six months after the V6 engine.

All models come with six-speed transmissions, with manual and auto variants on offer. The automatic gearboxes use a dynamic shift programme, or DSP, and can also be fitted with F1-style steering wheel paddle shifters.

There's also a slew of luxury-car extras, perfect for the acronymically inclined. Let's see, you get ABS, HBA (hydraulic brake assist), EBC (engine braking control), TCS (tractional control system) and ESP (electronic stability programme). To call this beast comprehensively equipped would be an understatement.

Other note-worthy features include a rear window that can be opened separately and when the Touareg hits 125km/h, the car is lowered by 25mm. Of course, nobody at Web Wombat would ever condone driving that fast...

As far as looks go, the Touareg, unsurprisingly, looks very similar to the Porsche Cayenne. Sure, the front end is very much Passat/Phaeton, but the side panels and wheel-arches are very similar. Perhaps this will work in Volkswagen's favour?

The Touareg will be released towards the end of 2002, but will more likely arrive in early 2003. The local price point has not been divulged, though expect prices to start at about $55,000 - $60,000 and, for the top of the line uber-luxury model loaded with a V8, perhaps $90,000.

At the end of the day, it appears as though Volkswagen has really benefitted from the joint-venture with Porsche, and the new Touareg is absolutely overflowing with innovative features and practical systems. It's big, and VW claims it's a 'real' off-roader. Together with the upcoming powerful Passat W8, the Phaeton and VW's new Polo, the marque will offer a very comprehensive range.

The company hopes to sell 80,000 units worldwide in its first year, but we reckon the company will far exceed this moderate forecast. This one's worth waiting for.