Special Offer detail

DONE TO A T

Models Covered: (5dr luxury 4x4, 3.2, 3.6, 4.2 petrol, 2.5, 3.0, 5.0 diesel / standard, SE, Sport, Altitude, R50)

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

The Touareg is a car that Volkswagen couldn’t afford not to build. Missing out on a huge slug of the burgeoning American ‘Sports Utility’ market didn’t sit happily with the top brass at Volkswagen and sharing a good deal of the chassis development budget with Porsche also helped to defray spiralling costs. The result is a car that many feel is better looking than its Porsche cousin, the Cayenne, and which also features a wide range of powerplants. A used Touareg may not be the obvious choice but it’s certainly one of the best big bruisers.

The Touareg is full of surprises. First off is the name, a version of the African Toureg tribe (literally ‘Free Folk’) that somehow gained an extraneous ‘a’. Manufactured in Bratislava in Slovakia, the Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne share the same chassis, transmission, AWD system, suspension, windshield, doors, and some sheet metal. Although the two vehicles were largely co-developed, Porsche and Volkswagen parted company two years before the introduction of the pair to work in secret on the remaining aspects of the cars. As a result, the Volkswagen is the more accomplished off road whereas the Porsche, somewhat unsurprisingly, holds an edge on the blacktop. First shown at the Paris Motor Show in September 2002, the Touareg arrived in dealer’s showrooms very quickly thereafter, being available in Germany in December 2002 and landing here in the UK in early May 2003. No fewer than four engines were offered; 3.2 and 4.2-litre petrol versions and 2.5 and 5.0-litre TDI diesels. A 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine was added in the autumn of 2004. The imminent arrival of Audi’s Q7 in the Summer of 2006 presented Volkswagen with a big problem. The Touareg was going to impinge directly on the Audi’s territory and action had to be taken to avoid the two stablemates scuppering each-other’s chances. So it was that the Touareg range was revised in Spring 2006 with prices cut by over £2,000. The trim range became standard, SE and Altitude with the latter model offering real road presence via some massive alloys and bodystyling features. The big V8 petrol engine was replaced by a 3.6-litre V6 FSI unit at the same time. The 2007 model year facelift brought the H-shaped chrome grille to the Touareg’s nose pulling it in line with the growing band of other Volkswagen products to sport this styling treatment. Revised wing mirrors and light clusters also featured as did a collection of technological innovations, most of them optional. One that was standard is the ABSPlus braking system which can cut braking distances by 20 per cent on muddy surfaces. The range-topping R50 version was launched in early 2008 with a 345bhp version of the V10 TDI engine.

The philosophy behind the Touareg was to offer three vehicles in one with an eye on the lucrative US market. In a category dominated by the Mercedes M-class, the BMW X5 and the Range Rover, the Touareg needed to be something special. So what’s the car like? In a word, big. At 170cm high it’s not lacking in road presence. The range-topping V10 TDI sits a couple of centimetres higher still on its air suspension, the other models relying on more conventional steel springs. Unless, that is, you want to hit the options list. The interior styling is pleasantly restrained, the materials quality is class leading and the look and feel is much like the opulent Phaeton. Standard equipment includes electronic climate control, a multifunction computer, ten-speaker CD system, walnut trim, heated and folding door mirrors and a huge airbag count. The 2.5TDI and the V6 models wear a slightly overwhelmed set of 17-inch alloy wheels. Move up to the V8 and there are features such as leather trim, dusk-sensing lights, heated seats, engine compartment lights and chrome finishing on the doors and grille. The V10 TDI is where things again go off the chart. This adds Continuous Damping Control Air Suspension, bi-Xenon lights, remote engine start, memory for your seat belt height, steering column, mirrors and seats and a stereo system with no fewer than eleven speakers. It can be recognised from the outside by its 18-inch wheels, a chrome air intake and front fog lights. And a little badge on the back. The Altitude trim level provided massive 20-inch alloys to go with its bodykit.

The Touareg has sold in respectable numbers given that it went up against tough rivals in the shape of the Volvo XC90, the revised BMW X5 and the Range Rover. Prices kick off at £24,000 for an 03 plated 3.2-litre V6 model with the more desirable 2.5-litre TDI diesel starting at £25,000. You’ll be hard pressed to find the awesome V10 TDI diesel which open at £50,000 for less than £38,000. Insurance for the Touareg ranges between Group 15 for the 2.5TDI up to Group 19 for the V10 diesel.

The Touareg uses largely tried and tested mechanicals and there have yet to be any major faults. There was a recall to fix a fault with the tyre pressure monitoring system but this had no effect on safety. Touareg owners have reported that getting locked out of your vehicle is a distinct possibility. Here’s how to do it. First, exit the vehicle and lock it. Next, approach the rear of the vehicle and open the glass hatch. The glass hatch will only open if your key is within a few feet of the back of the vehicle. Once the rear glass hatch is open, place your jacket with the Touareg key in its pocket inside the Touareg. Close the rear hatch. After a few seconds, the Touareg will re-lock the rear hatch, thus locking your key in the car. One to remember if you don’t want to make an embarrassing call to the fourth emergency service. Many used Touaregs have cracks near the bottom of the driver’s seat. This is caused by an attempt to get to the vehicle's battery, which is found beneath the driver's seat and for which access requires removal of the driver's seat and surrounding facia.

(approx based on a 2003 3.2 V6) Volkswagen parts used to have a reputation for costliness, but by and large that’s now unfounded. The Touareg, however, is a big, powerful vehicle and as such parts are often heavy duty items with corresponding prices. A clutch assembly retails at around £335, front brake pads are £75 a pair whilst rears are £45 a set. Brake discs retail at £76 for front units with rear units costing £63. An alternator with belt is just over £290 and a headlamp is £192. A starter motor is just over £100.

On the road, the Touareg can’t quite back up Volkswagen’s optimistic claim to be better than a BMW X5. It comes close and is a little tauter than a Range Rover and a whole lot keener than a Mercedes M-class. The Volkswagen has slightly more lateral roll in corners and there’s that bit more side to side ‘wobbly head syndrome’ that BMW has worked so hard to exorcise. The V10 TDI is monstrously muscular, despatching the sprint to 60mph in 7.6 seconds yet will return an average of 23mpg – a decent return for a car that tips the scales at around 2,500kg. The V6 and V8 petrol models are respectably quick, although neither can match the diesels’ parsimony. The 3.0-litre V6 TDI diesel which was added to the range later is a more modern proposition than either the V10 or the 2.5-litre 5-cylinder unit, this is manifested in greater refinement and improved emissions. It’s off road that the Touareg plays its trump card, especially when equipped with air suspension. Permanent four wheel drive and a low ratio gearbox are taken for granted, but factor in selectable front and rear differential locks, hill start and descent assist and very short front and rear overhangs and the Touareg becomes an awesomely capable tool. With low range engaged, the Touareg can drag itself up a 45-degree slope with 35 degrees of sideways lean. The V10’s torque is always a bonus, but the light weight of the smaller diesels, the V6 and the V8 engines make them particular nimble on downhill stretches.

Although at this price point there are a number of competing attractions for your money, the Touareg is perhaps the best compromise of the lot. It’s not as sporty as a BMW X5 or a Porsche Cayenne, not quite so family friendly as a Volvo XC90 and doesn’t have the badge equity of a Range Rover. What it does do is cover all of these bases acceptably well while at the same time offering one of the best off-road performances of any of the super-luxury 4x4s. If you can step back and see the big picture, the Touareg makes a lot of sense. With used examples now starting to appear in meaningful numbers, we’d recommend any of the diesel models.

TRIBAL BASHER
Volkswagen’s Touareg Diesel range offers you a mouthwatering choice between adequate power and ridiculous power. Andy Enright prepares to be corrupted.

Torque is a concept many motoring enthusiasts discuss but few understand. Ask the next bar room expert to define the difference between torque and power and you’ll usually be greeted by a stumbling mix of hearsay and GCSE physics. If you need to understand what torque is all about, forget the formulae and get behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Touareg TDI.

Three mainstream diesel versions of the Touareg exist. The first, the 2.5 TDI, uses a five-cylinder 174bhp 2.5-litre turbodiesel engine and costs from £29,880. The second, the V6 TDI, uses a 3.2-litre turbo diesel powerplant developing some 241PS and costs from £32,640. The third bolts two 2.5 TDI engines together to form a V10 cylinder 5.0-litre powerplant of quite stupendous pulling power. Mind you, you’ll be expected to pay almost twice the price for the privilege. The 313PS V10 TDI costs £55,200 although a determined bit of haggling may see some movement on the latter figure. If you find yourself wanting even more power, there is an R50 range-topping unit that employs a 345bhp version of the V10 diesel. All the TDI powerplants feature Volkswagen’s Pump-Duse unit injector system. Given that the 2.5-litre engine is effectively half the 5.0-litre unit, most of the basic technology is the same. Neither engine offers the common-rail architecture many manufacturers crow about, but given the results Volkswagen have achieved, you won’t feel hard done by. Sales figures show the 2.5-litre TDI to be the most popular model in the entire Touareg line up and it returns some excellent figures. Although it’s not quite got the mumbo of a 3.0-litre BMW X5 diesel, it’s a good deal cheaper and feels a more modern package. It will accelerate to 60mph in 12.2 seconds and run on to a top speed of 114mph on the standard steel spring suspension. Plump for the optional air suspension and top speed falls to 111mph. A combined fuel economy figure of 28.8mpg is fair return for such a huge vehicle. Both standard and SE versions of this model can be ordered, then there’s the option of the menacing Altitude with its bigger wheels and body styling accessories or the R50 with even bigger wheels and more extrovert styling accessories. The 241PS V6 TDI has more than enough engine for the task of dealing with Mercedes, Land Rover and BMW rivals. Suddenly the asking price of around £32,000 doesn’t seem quite such an obstacle. The SE variant is pitched at £36,040. It’s also an agreeably muscular engine, generating some 369lb/ft of torque. It’s broadly similar to the unit found beneath the bonnet of the Phaeton V6 TDI limousine, except for the fact that the Touareg’s installation has been tuned to offer more in the way of low down grunt. This means that the Volkswagen is adept at towing or hauling up steep inclines.

"The Touareg V10 TDI is a true leviathan amongst cars"

The overall fuel consumption figure of 25.9mpg is a reasonable showing given the Touareg’s enormous all-up weight, and the acceleration to 60mph of 9.7 seconds is also firmly on the right side of acceptable. Top speed is quoted as 125mph, so motorway cruising shouldn’t see the engine being flogged too hard. The emissions of 294g/km are hardly stellar but if you’re buying this sort of vehicle, that’s not likely to be a prime criterion. The engine is a good deal more advanced than either of its other diesel siblings, using an advanced piezo electric injector capable of making up to four fuel injections per cycle. As for the V10 TDI, well perhaps this diesel should be called The Diesel Engine. It’s a monster. This 313PS 5.0-litre V10 TDI turbodiesel generates 542lb/ft of torque. What does that mean in the real world A V8 turbodiesel Range Rover develops 472lb/ft, whilst a diesel BMW X5 manages 369. Pitiful! Lamborghini Murcielago – a limp wristed 479lb/ft. A Ferrari Enzo hawks up 484lb/ft. The Touareg V10 TDI is a true leviathan amongst cars and what that makes the 345bhp R50 is anyone’s guess. So what’s the car like in the metal? In a word, big. At 170cm high it’s not lacking in road presence. The range-topping V10 TDI sits a couple of centimetres higher still on its air suspension, the other models relying on more conventional steel springs. Unless, that is, you want to hit the options list. The current car is a good deal better looking, adopting the latest Volkswagen family face with the bold grille and also adding some rather sleek headlamp units that are fluted along the bottom edge. This means new front wings and bumper assemblies to make everything fit, so this hasn’t been a low budget exercise. Revised door mirrors also feature as do new lower profile rear light clusters, with a beefier spoiler and exhaust pipes also evident if you know what you’re looking for. The interior styling is pleasantly restrained, the materials quality is class leading and the look and feel is much like the opulent Phaeton. On the road, the Touareg can’t quite match the class-leading BMW X5. It comes close, though, and is a little tauter than a Range Rover and a touch keener than a Mercedes M-class. The Volkswagen has slightly more lateral roll in corners and there’s that bit more side to side ‘wobbly head syndrome’ that BMW has worked so hard to exorcise. The V10 TDI is monstrously muscular, despatching the sprint to 60mph in 7.6 seconds yet will return an average of 23mpg – a decent return for a car that tips the scales at around 2,500kg. It’s off road that the Touareg plays its trump card, especially when equipped with air suspension. Permanent four wheel drive and a low ratio gearbox are taken for granted, but factor in selectable front and rear differential locks, hill start and descent assist and very short front and rear overhangs and the Touareg becomes an awesomely capable tool. There’s also ABSPlus, a system which can cut braking distances by as much as 20 per cent on muddy surfaces. With low range engaged, the Touareg can drag itself up a 45-degree slope with 35 degrees of sideways lean. The V10’s torque is always a bonus, but the light weight of the five-cylinder TDI engine makes it particular nimble on downhill stretches. Touareg diesels represent respectively the most popular and most powerful models in the line up and given the choice available it seems an act of reckless folly to plump for the petrol model over this trio of oil burners. Oh, and in case you were wondering, torque is defined as a measure of how much a force acting on an object causes that object to rotate (or Force x Moment Arm). One suspects you’ll find the concept of a Touareg TDI a good deal easier to understand.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Touareg range PRICES: £29,880-£61,885 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 16-19 CO2 EMISSIONS: 265-355g/km PERFORMANCE: [V10 TDI] 0-60mph 7.6s / Max Speed 140mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.5 TDI] (combined) 28.8mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front/side/curtain airbags / ABS / ESP / Brake Assist/ hill descent assist / hill start assist WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm [air suspension], 4754/1928/1726

HARD TORQUE
Volkswagen’s Touareg 5.0 V10 gets even more presence, power and torque in special R50 guise. Andy Enright reports

Quite who the people are who felt that Volkswagen’s V10 TDI Touareg was a little shy of attitude and engine is open to interpretation, but the R50 model has had the options list thrown at it and now fronts up with 347bhp from its 5.0-litre diesel engine. Crikey.

It’s rare that we have faceless European bureaucrats to thank for anything, but the backroom machinations in Brussels have, rather inadvertently, given us one of the most extreme luxury 4x4s ever to hit British roads. Emissions regulations drafted in the bowels of the European Parliament mean that the 5.0-litre V10 TDI engine that has powered the range-topping Volkswagen Touareg for some years is not long for this world. To re-engineer this engine to conform to these stringent laws was apparently prohibitively expensive. Rather than meekly bow to the man, Volkswagen has stuck one to him in a quite extravagant manner. The Touareg R50 may be the V10 TDI’s swansong, but it’s quite a spectacular exit. With even more power and torque and available for a limited run only, the R50 is a car that does excess extremely well. You can almost hear teeth grinding in Belgium from here. The Touareg R50 is a vehicle that benefits from certain frames of reference. Its torque figure of 627lb/ft for example. Compare that to the Ferrari 599 GTB’s 6.0-litre V12 that manages 448lb ft or the Bentley Continental GT that can struggle to 479lb/ft. Need something a little more comparable? Try the most powerful diesel engine in a Mercedes M-Class and you’re still 111lb/ft shy of this mighty Volkswagen. This translates into an ability to jet from standstill to 60mph in just 6.4 seconds. Sheer frontal area limits top speed to a ‘mere’ 146mph, but that will be more than enough for most. Even more remarkable than the time in which it gets there is the manner in which the Touareg V10 TDI accelerates, the six-speed automatic gearbox slurring rapidly through the gears as the four-wheel drive system and massive tyres seek out every scrap of purchase on the road surface. Couple this with a very effective stability control system and putting big numbers on the speedometer is frighteningly easy. Somewhat astonishingly, Volkswagen’s sister company Audi has developed an even more extreme engine that it has fitted to its Q7 SUV. This V12 powerplant, with 495bhp and 737lb/ft of torque might well be the answer if you feel the Touareg R50 is still a little limp wrested. To be honest, a course of counselling may be a more cost-effective solution.

"Any vehicle that can be this much fun and still cater to a family of five must be doing something right…."

The R50 differentiates itself courtesy of a set of 21-inch ten-spoke alloy wheels as well as the Touareg ‘R’ design package. This includes at the back a body-coloured roof spoiler, restyled body-coloured bumper and oval tailpipe trims.  Wheel arch extensions and blue brake callipers enhance the distinctive wheels, while at the front, the R50 gains a matt chrome radiator grille and louvres as well as honeycomb-style inserts in the air dams. Inside, and on top of the Altitude V10’s specification, the R50 has ‘R’ logos on the pedals, door sill protectors and Nappa leather sports seats, as well as heated outer rear seats, a ski sack and a net partition.  The Touareg never feels less than well built and although the dash is a little overloaded with buttons, the controls are solid to the touch. The interior doesn’t have the elegance of a Range Rover’s or the slickness of Audi’s Q7 but it certainly isn’t put to shame in this illustrious company. The display screen isn’t well integrated with the rest of the centre console and the control interface for its various functions isn’t particularly intuitive. There’s the feel of a car that has had lots of equipment and classy trim inserts thrown at it to liven-up an otherwise ordinary interior. Of course, it’s only ordinary in comparison to the rest of the luxury 4x4 elite, cars with some of the most opulent cabins anywhere. Although prices for the Touareg range start at under £30,000, you’ll need significantly deeper pockets to land the R50, with a £61,885 on the road price putting out of the reach of most. This represents a £3,885 premium over the V10 TDI Altitude model which, when you tot up the amount and cost of the additional kit, doesn’t represent too catastrophic a value proposition. The only problem with the R50 is what may well attract certain buyers to it in the first place. It’s hardly subtle. The massive wheels, the aggressive front end treatment and the low profile tyres all shout of a vehicle that’s never going off road and there is an argument that it’s all just a little bit crass. The Touareg R50 counters accusations of ostentation with fairly respectable fuel consumption figures. Despite the extra power and torque, it turns in identical economy figures to the stock V10 TDI. This means a 22.4mpg average, which is very good for a vehicle this big. Less impressive, and the key reason why this engine is not long for this world, is the emissions figure of 333g/km. This is worse than a petrol-powered Mercedes ML500, a vehicle that’s virtually as quick as the Touareg R50, is more refined and which, when the comparative costs of petrol and diesel are taken into account, doesn’t actually cost any more to fuel. All of which makes the Touareg R50 seem a bit, well, extraneous in today’s climate. That is until you get in and drive it. Yes, you do need to pay a price for having this much muscle under the bonnet but sometimes it’s worth just recognising the fact that you’re a bad person, that you’re sending cuddly polar bears to certain doom but that you’re having a whole lot of fun doing so. Let’s clear one thing up right away. Just because it has a diesel engine does not make the Touareg R50 an environmentally sensitive vehicle. It emits 333g/km of carbon dioxide and will need a gallon of fuel every 22 miles. This is a shamelessly indulgent car by virtually any measure. Get comfortable with that and you’ll have an absolute hoot with the R50. It is larger than life, over the top and yet it’s likeable. Any vehicle that can be this much fun and still cater to a family of five must be doing something right. Of course, you’ll need to pay for the privilege and £61,885 is no small beer. That said, you’ll be able to rest assured that a certain degree of exclusivity is guaranteed as the R50 is only being shipped to the UK in very limited numbers. Those who do get one won’t be able to wipe the daft grins from their faces for a very long time.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Touareg R50 PRICE: £61,885 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 19 CO2 EMISSIONS: 333g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 6.4s / Max Speed 146mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 16mpg / (extra urban) 29.4mpg / (combined) 22.4 mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front/side/curtain airbags / ABS / ESP / Brake Assist/ hill descent assist / hill start assist WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm [air suspension], 4754/1928/1726

BEST OF THE BLACK PUMP
Slotting in between the 2.5-Litre and 5.0-Litre turbodiesel engines comes a Volkswagen Touareg with a 3.0-Litre V6 TDI powerplant. Andy Enright prepares to be heavily compromised

Volkswagen definitely took their eye off the ball when they launched the Touareg. Fitting the 5.0-litre TDI diesel engine was a canny move, garnering plenty of column inches and giving the Touareg something that none of its rivals could match. The 2.5-litre TDI diesel was also a worthwhile addition for those who were looking to take a less ambitious bite at Touareg ownership. Unfortunately that left a huge, yawning gulf in between. A gulf that BMW, Volvo, Land Rover and Mercedes weren’t exactly shy about capitalising upon. Two distinct niches in the luxury 4x4 sector have emerged in recent years. The big V8 petrol engine and the 3.0-litre turbo diesel market. With only a 2.5-litre oil burner to campaign with, the Touareg was, if such a thing is possible, looking a little lightweight. Volkswagen thankfully rectified this issue by launching the Touareg V6 TDI, a model which makes heaps of sense in its current facelifted form.

It’s got more than enough engine for the task. With 223bhp under the bonnet, this Touareg squares up nicely against Mercedes, BMW, Land Rover and Volvo rivals. Suddenly the £32,640 asking price for the entry level model doesn’t seem quite such an obstacle. The SE variant is pitched at £36,040. It’s also an agreeably muscular engine, generating some 369lb/ft of torque. It’s broadly similar to the unit found beneath the bonnet of the Phaeton V6 TDI limousine, except for the fact that the Touareg’s installation has been tuned to offer more in the way of low down grunt. This means that the Volkswagen is adept at towing or hauling up steep inclines. The overall fuel consumption figure of 27mpg is a reasonable showing given the Touareg’s enormous all-up weight, and the acceleration to 60mph of 9.7 seconds is also firmly on the right side of acceptable. Top speed is quoted as 125mph, so motorway cruising shouldn’t see the engine being flogged too hard. The emissions of 278g/km are hardly stellar but if you’re buying this sort of vehicle, that’s hardly likely to be a prime criterion. The engine is a good deal more advanced than either of its other diesel siblings, using an advanced piezo electric injector capable of making up to four fuel injections per cycle.

"The Touareg V6 TDI has more than enough engine"

A six-speed tiptronic automatic gearbox allows the driver to marshal things when in the mood and leave it to its own devices when wafting about. Fortunately, wafting is something the Touareg V6 TDI is rather good at. You’ll only really hear a slight clatter from the engine at start up and this soon settles into a refined background thrum. Anybody who knows their cars will always be able to tell that this vehicle drinks from the black rather than green pump, but it’s a car that revels in its fuel type rather than attempt to mimic the characteristics of something petrol powered. You’ll rarely feel the need to push the engine much above 3,000rpm and the gearbox plugs nicely from one fat slug of torque straight into the next. It makes piloting the Touareg extremely effortless. The only time you’ll feel a little anxious is when trying to thread it through narrow city streets. The Touareg isn’t what you’d call svelte. At 170cm high, it’s not lacking in road presence and you’ll have to edge carefully through urban width restrictors. Opt for air-suspension and you’ll be able to jack the ride height up still further. The interior styling is pleasantly restrained, the materials quality is class-leading and the look and feel is much like the opulent Phaeton. Standard equipment includes electronic climate control, a multifunction computer, a ten-speaker CD system, walnut trim, heated and folding door mirrors and a huge airbag count. The current car is a good deal better looking than the original, adopting the latest Volkswagen family face with the bold grille and also adding some rather sleek headlamp units that are fluted along the bottom edge. This means new front wings and bumper assemblies to make everything fit, so this hasn’t been a low budget exercise. Revised door mirrors also feature as do new lower profile rear light clusters, with a beefier spoiler and exhaust pipes also evident if you know what you’re looking for. The interior styling is pleasantly restrained, the materials quality is class leading and the look and feel is much like the opulent Phaeton. On the road, the Touareg can’t quite match the class-leading BMW X5. It comes close, though, and is a little tauter than a Range Rover and a touch keener than a Mercedes M-class. The Volkswagen has slightly more lateral roll in corners and there’s that bit more side to side ‘wobbly head syndrome’ that BMW has worked so hard to exorcise. Still, the engine has enough pull to keep things composed when pushing on through corners. It’s off road that the Touareg plays its trump card, especially when equipped with air suspension. Permanent four wheel drive and a low ratio gearbox are taken for granted, but factor in selectable front and rear differential locks, hill start and descent assist and very short front and rear overhangs and the Touareg becomes an awesomely capable tool. There’s also ABSPlus, a system which can cut braking distances by as much as 20 per cent on muddy surfaces. With low range engaged, the Touareg can drag itself up a 45-degree slope with 35 degrees of sideways lean. The diesel engine’s torque is always a bonus, and the relatively light weight of the six-cylinder TDI engine makes it particularly nimble on downhill stretches. The Touareg V6 TDI is probably the most satisfying model in the range. While the 5.0-litre V10 undoubtedly gives the biggest adrenaline rush, the V6 offers a decent blend of pace, refinement, economy and relative affordability. Stacked up against the best in class, it makes a strong case for itself, offering more power and – in many cases – a more technologically advanced basic platform. Luxury 4x4s are never going to be sensible, but this is one of the more justifiable. We like it and think you will too.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI range PRICES: £32,640-£38,840 – on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 16 CO2 EMISSIONS: 278g/km PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 9.7s / Max Speed 125mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 27mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front/side/curtain airbags / ABSPlus / ESP / Brake Assist/ hill descent assist / hill start assist WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm [air suspension], 4754/1928/1726

ALTITUDE SLICKNESS
Buyers who really want their Volkswagen Touareg in mean and moody mode had better specify Altitude trim. Steve Walker reports…

It’s called the Altitude but, if the Volkswagen marketing department are listening, the Attitude may have been more appropriate. Certainly, the price is fairly lofty at around £2,800 over and above the mid-range SE Touareg models but this collection of cosmetic enhancements adds a bold, aggressive edge to the vehicle that should appeal strongly to a certain section of the market.

The Touareg has never been the most in-your-face of the big 4x4s. Look at the imposing slab-like front end architecture of a Range Rover or the squirrel swallowing air-intakes on the Porsche Cayenne and you’ll probably concur. Volkswagen’s offering has always appeared a little more reserved, more family-friendly, more Volkswagen than its ostentatious rivals. With the Altitude, this changes to a certain extent. Buyers who like to keep a low profile in their £40,000 SUV won’t be interested but those after a leather-clad, four-wheel-drive status symbol should be falling over themselves to apply. Only the VW branding should prevent it rivalling the likes of BMW’s X5 and the Audi Q7 in the visual impact stakes. The Altitude package includes a styling kit that features aggressive front and rear bumpers, spoilers and side skirts. Visually, this ensemble lowers the vehicle down to hug the tarmac with a more purposeful stance. It slashes ground clearance and so will seriously hinder offroad performance while increasing the Touareg’s urban wow-factor by a corresponding amount. At the back, the bumper is punctuated by twin stainless steel exhaust tailpipes and the snarling wheelarches are filled to capacity by 19" Siena alloys. Go for the mighty V10 TDI diesel offering and those 19" rims are replaced with humongous 20" Casablanca versions. These have been specially designed to ensure that everyone is looking at you…Kid.

"…this is one imperious-looking 4x4. "

Heavily tinted, heat insulating glass from the B pillar backwards completes the Altitude effect. It all tallies well with the latest Touareg styling revisions including the Volkswagen H-shaped front grille and the revised rear light clusters. The pack is only available in selected paint colours but you can specify it with any of the Touareg’s engine options. This puts prices in the £36,080 to £58,000 bracket, so they ain’t cheap but this is one imperious-looking 4x4. There’s just one petrol engine in the Touareg Altitude range, the 3.6-litre V6 FSI unit. Developing 280bhp, this is a little more socially-acceptable than the hulking great V8 that was offered earlier on in the Touareg’s life, it also generates far lower emissions and drinks a good deal less fuel. You can expect to average over 20mpg and the 0-60mph sprint is timed at 8.7s. Not a bad showing. From the moment it came on the scene, it has always been the Touareg’s top diesel engine that makes headlines. No, scrub that, perhaps this diesel should be called The Diesel Engine. It’s a monster. The 313bhp 5.0-litre V10 TDI turbodiesel offered in the Altitude generates 542lb/ft of torque. What does that mean in the real world? A V8 turbodiesel Range Rover develops 472lb/ft, whilst a diesel BMW X5 manages 369. Pitiful! Lamborghini Murcielago – a limp wristed 479lb/ft. A Ferrari Enzo hawks up 484lb/ft. The Touareg V10 TDI is a true leviathan amongst cars. If half a leviathan is more than enough, Volkswagen also offer a 2.5-litre TDI engine in the Touareg that’s effectively one half of the mighty V10 diesel unit and comes with a manual transmission as standard. Apart from that, there’s a more modern 3.0-litre TDI diesel. This engine seems like a happy compromise between the two other oil-burners, it has 223bhp and 369lb/ft of torque. On the road, the Touareg can’t quite better the class-leading BMW X5. It comes close, though, and is a little tauter than a Range Rover and a touch keener than a Mercedes M-class. The Volkswagen has slightly more lateral roll in corners and there’s that bit more side to side ‘wobbly head syndrome’ that BMW has worked so hard to exorcise. The V10 TDI is monstrously muscular, despatching the sprint to 60mph in 7.6 seconds yet will return an average of 23mpg – a decent return for a car that tips the scales at around 2,500kg. The V6 and V8 petrol models are both respectably quick although neither can match the diesel’s punch or parsimony. It’s off road that the Touareg plays its trump card, especially when equipped with air suspension. Permanent four wheel drive and a low ratio gearbox are taken for granted, but factor in selectable front and rear differential locks, hill start and descent assist and very short front and rear overhangs and the Touareg becomes an awesomely capable tool. There’s also ABSPlus, a system which can cut braking distances by as much as 20 per cent on muddy surfaces. With low range engaged, the Touareg can drag itself up a 45-degree slope with 35 degrees of sideways lean. The V10’s torque is always a bonus, but the light weight of the V6 engines makes them particularly nimble on downhill stretches. Luxury 4x4 buying decisions tend to be heavily influenced by the prestige attached to the badge on the front of the car. Volkswagen have a first rate product in the Touareg but, with the best will in the world, it’s going to struggle against the Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Range Rover offerings, purely on grounds of perceived cachet. While it can’t miraculously reinvent the VW brand image, the Altitude trim helps by beefing up the Touareg’s visual impact substantially. Cruise through the city streets in a V10 TDI Touareg Altitude and you can rest assured that it’s going to be just about the meanest-looking thing out there.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Touareg Altitude range PRICES: £36,080-£58,000 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 15-19 CO2 EMISSIONS: 265-312g/km PERFORMANCE: [3.6 V6] 0-60mph 8.7s / Max Speed 134mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [3.0 V6 TDI] (combined) 26mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front/side/curtain airbags / ABSPlus / ESP / Brake Assist/ hill descent assist / hill start assist WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm [air suspension], 4754/1928/1726

HIGH, WIDE AND HANDSOME
Volkswagen’s heaviest hitter is now even better looking. Andy Enright reports

I think I can count the number of successful midlife facelifts on one hand. Most of the time, the interference of a stylist looking to graft a few trendy design cues onto an established shape usually just sullies what has gone before. Thankfully Volkswagen has been added to the very short list with the current generation Touareg model.

Although the old model by no means had a face like a plasterer’s radio, the current car is a good deal better looking, adopting the latest Volkswagen family face with the bold grille and also adding some rather sleek headlamp units that are fluted along the bottom edge. This means new front wings and bumper assemblies to make everything fit, so this hasn’t been a low budget exercise. Revised door mirrors also feature as do new lower profile rear light clusters, with a beefier spoiler and exhaust pipes also evident if you know what you’re looking for. The Touareg has surprised even Volkswagen with the acceptance it has received from British buyers, outstripping even the company’s most ambitious estimates. To date over 11,000 have been sold on these shores and the sales figures are still nosing upwards. Originally going on sale in May 2003, the Touareg is a car that is capable of springing surprises on rivals too. Back-to-back testing of 4x4s isn’t something we get to do as often as we’d like, so when the opportunity to line up fifteen of the best arrived, we jumped at it. After we’d picked ourselves up from the slippery mud, we had a winner, some highly commended vehicles and a whole bunch of also-rans. The biggest shock of the lot? Volkswagen’s Touareg. I thought this was going to struggle when subjected to the rough treatment but up against luxury class rivals like the Range Rover, the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Volvo XC90, the Touareg was comfortably the best of the lot. The good news gets better. As well as revising the styling, Volkswagen has also updated many of the Touareg’s electronic control systems, making it a safer and more secure vehicle than ever before.

"The latest Touareg is even sharper looking than before"

The latest Touareg features a raft of revised technology, including ABSPlus and additional ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme) features. ABSPlus has been developed and patented by Volkswagen and is a world first. The system shortens the braking distance by up to 20 per cent on the sort of unsecured driving surfaces you’ll want to turn your Touareg loose on. Additional features have been added to the ESP, including Active Rollover Protection (ARP), rain brake support, fading brake support and understeer control logic, which improves the turning behaviour in the event of understeer. The eye-catching entry-level price for the Touareg has dipped to under £30,000 for the 2.5TDI while SE models such as the midrange 3.0-litre V6 TDI justify their premium with features such as Cricket leather upholstery with heated front seats, DVD satellite navigation with a six-inch LCD screen and a six-disc autochanger. If you really want to hit the high notes, you’ll need an Altitude model. Launched to commemorate the World Record set by a Touareg in Chile, where a team drove one to the highest point on Earth that a vehicle can reach – some 6,080 metres or 19,948 feet – this permanent addition to the Touareg line up has had virtually the entire options list flung at it. This means features like a Volkswagen Individual body styling pack, privacy glass and 19-inch Siena alloy wheels. Available with the entire range of engines, Altitude prices kick off at £36,180. Do the basic maths and you’ll appreciate that this is a big step up from the entry level. In other words, you’ve really got to like your toys to stump up over £6,000 on extras. That only leaves the ultimate Touareg, the R50. Based around an uprated version of the formidable 5.0-litre V10 TDI engine, it features 21" alloy wheels along with the Touareg ‘R’ design package with its spoilers, skirts and chrome detailing. If size counts for a lot, it’s doubtful you’ll be disappointed. At 170cm high, the Volkswagen Touareg is not lacking in road presence. The V10 TDI models sit a couple of centimetres higher still on their air suspension, the other models relying on more conventional steel springs. Unless, that is, you want to hit the options list. The interior styling is pleasantly restrained, the materials quality is class-leading and the look and feel is much like the opulent Phaeton saloon. On the road, the Touareg can’t quite back up Volkswagen Chairman Pischetsrieder’s claim that it’s better than an X5. It comes close and is a little tauter than a Range Rover while being a touch keener than a Mercedes M-class. The Volkswagen has slightly more lateral roll in corners and there’s that bit of the side to side ‘wobbly head syndrome’ that BMW has worked so hard to exorcise. The V10 TDI is monstrously muscular, despatching the sprint to 60mph in 7.6 seconds yet will return an average of 23mpg – a decent return for a car that tips the scales at around 2,500kg. In standard from it generates 308bhp but the version installed in the R50’s nose has 345bhp. The V6 models are respectably quick, although none can match the diesel’s punch or parsimony. Six-speed Tiptronic boxes are standard on all bar the 2.5-litre TDI models. It’s off-road that the Touareg plays its trump card, especially when equipped with air suspension. Permanent four wheel drive and a low ratio gearbox are taken for granted, but factor in selectable front and rear differential locks, hill start with descent assist and very short overhangs and the Touareg becomes an awesomely capable tool. With low range engaged, the Touareg can drag itself up a 45-degree slope with 35 degrees of sideways lean. The V10’s torque is always a bonus, but the light weight of the V6 petrol engines makes them particularly nimble on downhill stretches. The Touareg was very good before and it’s better now. It’s better than I thought it could be and it’s probably better than you may expect. In the face of newer and glitzier rivals, it needed a shot in the arm and the revised styling just underscores the host of detail changes that Volkswagen has made to this model in recent months. It makes a great car even better.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Touareg range PRICES: £29,980-£61,985 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 15-19 CO2 EMISSIONS: 267-333g/km PERFORMANCE: [V10 TDI] 0-60mph 7.4s / Max Speed 143mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.5 TDI] (urban) 21.4mpg / (extra urban) 34mpg / (combined) 28.8mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front/side/curtain airbags / ABS / ESP / Brake Assist/ hill descent assist / hill start assist WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm [air suspension], 4754/1928/1726

PEAK PERFORMANCE
A trip to the Staffordshire Peak District told us plenty about Volkswagen’s latest Touareg. Steve Walker reports…

A lengthy motorway journey followed by a close encounter with some twisty, undulating B-roads, it was a trip with all the ingredients to provide an accurate impression of a luxury saloon’s true abilities. The Peak District was the destination and Volkswagen’s Touareg TDI was the car.

The general consensus of opinion pre-trip was that the big black Touareg would devour the motorway mileage with a flourish and barely a flicker of its fuel gauge. The Peak District’s serpentine back roads, it was thought, would present more of a test for such a big smoothy. In the end, that’s just about how things panned out but there were more than a few surprises along the way. Like most cars of its ilk, the Volkswagen Touareg is well equipped to soften the hard edges of long distance motorway travel. Leather, wood, chrome, the interior has everything the luxury buyer could want with expanses of beautifully crafted trim apparent at every turn. Even where plastics are employed, they are plastics cunningly doctored to give the effect of leather, wood or chrome. The result is a relaxed, quality, drawing room ambience - a cocoon of tranquillity for the bothered executive and an ideal environment in which to undertake a trip of a few hundred miles or more. Two-zone climate control prevents cross-cabin arguments about who’s too hot and who is not. Meanwhile, the outstanding sound system provides the entertainment and the satellite navigation system deals a terminal blow to the tired old road atlas. Actually, we took the tired old road atlas anyway - past experiences have taught that a healthy mistrust of satellite navigation is often, well, healthy. Three TDI Touareg models are now on offer. We tried the awesome £55,200 5.0-litre V10 version but many will want to go for either the 2.5 TDI (from £29,880) or the impressive £32,640 3.0-litre V6 TDI variant. All three are as smooth as silk in their natural motorway habitat. Even at relaxed cruising speeds, a prod of the throttle rapidly puts on the 10mph you need to bypass a pair of overtaking HGVs and when it’s time to rest those feet, a spell of cruise control works wonders. The torque emanating from the V10 turbo diesel engine means accelerating back up to speed out of heavy traffic is a breeze and even if you drop down to speeds of 40mph, the Touareg will still pick up quickly. The wonderfully smooth and lorry-free M6 toll road threw the satellite navigation system something of a curve ball. The on screen map showed us, clear as day, ploughing across open fields and farmland with no road in sight. The audio instructions calmly requested all kinds of illegal manoeuvres every time our cross-country course intersected a local B-road that did appear on the map. An updated mapping CD in the boot-mounted drive would have solved the problem but so did the deactivation of the system’s voice commands and on rejoining the M6 proper it soon regained its bearings.

"On our trip, the car went the whole way (nearly 500 miles) on a single tank"

The roads around the village of Warslow in the Staffordshire Peak District could have been created expressly to upset the equilibrium of a large luxury 4x4. Winding across the landscape connecting clusters of small stone houses, the narrow tracks twist up inclines and plunge into shallow valleys. These roads would ask big questions of a well-balanced roadster - an observation conformed when a convoy of day-glow Vauxhall VX220s, complete with grinning drivers, blasted past in the other direction. The Volkswagen fared better than many people would imagine here. The suspension still soaks up the undulations and ruts to a great extent, which can be a little disconcerting, but when you ask it to brake in a hurry or turn sharply around a dry stone walled hairpin, it does so with reassuring agility. The gearbox isn’t slick enough for this kind of driving and finding the required ratio quickly can be difficult. It’s also far too easy to push the lever over into reverse when looking for first or second gear. Performance-wise, the TDI engine is a real pleasure to punt around. It’s smooth and quiet but when you stir it up there’s genuine bite to the acceleration. 0-60mph in 7.8 seconds is the official performance figure for the V10 TDI (9.9s for the 3.0-litre version) but powering out of a corner up a Peak District hillside, the flexibility of the powerplant makes it feel even quicker than that. The Touareg’s handling on some taxing but enjoyable roads felt very secure, which is more than can be said for yours truly during a night at Warslow’s Greyhound Inn. The 17th century pub was brimming with character and hospitality but the landlord’s spirited rendition of the ghost story attached to the building did little to facilitate a good night’s sleep. Still, £35 a night for a well-appointed double room and breakfast seemed excellent value. The next morning it was a short drive through rolling hills bordered by streams and criss-crossed by the dry stone walls to a destination that would put the Touareg’s high speed manoeuvrability firmly in perspective – Alton Towers. With names like Nemisis, Submission and (I can hardly bring myself to type it) Oblivion, the rides at this theme park lead you to suspect that you’re in for something mildly unpleasant but the reality made the Greyhound ghost story seem like an episode of The Tweenies. When you’ve had your sense of direction turned inside out by the dizzying Spinball Wizzer, been fired headfirst through the woods by Air and endured a 50ft vertical drop into a misty pit on Oblivion, the Volkswagen’s cosseting interior was a joy to collapse into for the drive home. The trip proved that the big Volkswagen is more than a long distance cruiser. It’s actually very capable in the twisty stuff for a car of its considerable size. The engine was outstanding for powering up the Peak District’s many inclines, traction was near faultless and the chassis remained poised on some testing thoroughfares. Touareg buyers will be pleased to know that their car can cut it cross-country but there’s no doubt that the motorways and A-roads are its preferred habitat. Effortless performance, well-crafted interiors and a quality ride all help here but the biggest draw of all for diesel customers of this car will be the fuel economy. On our trip, it went the whole way (nearly 500 miles) on a single tank. That’s better than 33mpg and that’s very impressive for a big luxury 4x4 being driven reasonably hard.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Touareg range PRICES: £29,880-£58,000 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 16-19 CO2 EMISSIONS: 265-355g/km PERFORMANCE: [V10 TDI] 0-60mph 7.6s / Max Speed 140mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.5 TDI] (combined) 28.8mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front/side/curtain airbags / ABS / ESP / Brake Assist/ hill descent assist / hill start assist WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm [air suspension], 4754/1928/1726

THE BUSINESS
What is it about Volkswagen’s latest Touareg that makes it appeal so strongly to business people who want to spend their lives both on and off the road? Jonathan Crouch has been finding out at the wheel of the latest 2.5 TDI SE version

Life as a rep isn’t so bad these days. The quality of the Little Chefs is better. There’s the Birmingham Toll Road to make cross-country commuting more bearable. And the standard of the kind of executive class motor the fleet manager’s likely to give you for the journey has changed beyond recognition.

Think back ten years – then ten years before that. Motorway marathons were things you psyched yourself up for with a stock of Mars bars and a few bottles of Red Bull. No longer. At the wheel of a car like the Volkswagen Touareg 2.5 TDI SE we’ve been driving recently, you’ve the kind of luxury normally reserved for the Chairman. Of course it helps that our car was one of the SE versions which, for over £3,000 more than the standard variants, offer full leather trim, satellite navigation and a host of other extras. It’s well equipped then. As for the price, well the car we tried lists at £33,280 but you can buy Touaregs from £29,880. For business buyers of course, these figures are often only the starting point for negotiation and Volkswagen Fleet Managers in times past often had to be very flexible, given the product on offer elsewhere. The Touareg however, is still universally recognised as a car sitting near the top of its sector. No other luxury 4x4 offers greater quality and in terms of running costs, the car is exactly where it needs to be. In other words, with an average fuel consumption of around 30mpg, this is a luxury off roader you really could use on a day-to-day business basis.

"With an average fuel consumption of around 30mpg, this is a luxury off roader you really could use on a day-to-day business basis ….."

Sales figures show the 2.5-litre TDI to be the most popular model in the entire Touareg line up and it returns some excellent figures. Although it’s not quite got the mumbo of a 3.0-litre BMW X5 diesel, it’s a good deal cheaper and feels a more modern package. It will accelerate to 60mph in 12.2 seconds and run on to a top speed of 114mph on the standard steel spring suspension. Plump for the optional air suspension and top speed falls to 111mph. If you want more power from your Touareg diesel, the 3.0-litre 241PS V6 TDI has more than enough engine for the task of dealing with Mercedes, Land Rover and BMW rivals. Drive one and suddenly the asking price of around £32,000 doesn’t seem quite such an obstacle. It’s also an agreeably muscular engine, generating some 369lb/ft of torque and broadly similar to the unit found beneath the bonnet of the Phaeton V6 TDI limousine, except for the fact that the Touareg’s installation has been tuned to offer more in the way of low down grunt. This means that the Volkswagen is adept at towing or hauling up steep inclines. The overall fuel consumption figure of 25.9mpg is a reasonable showing given the V6 TDI Touareg’s enormous all-up weight, and the acceleration to 60mph of 9.7 seconds is also firmly on the right side of acceptable. Top speed is quoted as 125mph, so motorway cruising shouldn’t see the engine being flogged too hard. The emissions of 294g/km are hardly stellar but if you’re buying this sort of vehicle, that’s hardly likely to be a prime criterion. The engine is a good deal more advanced than either of its other diesel siblings, using an advanced piezo electric injector capable of making up to four fuel injections per cycle. So why should your next executive company car be a boring three-box 2WD saloon? It’s a good question. In a market sector dominated these days by excellence, it’s easy for motoring journalists and Fleet Managers alike to take the Touareg’s talents for granted. And especially to overlook the car in conversations dominated by cars like the BMW 5 Series, the Audi A6 and the Mercedes E class. That would be a mistake. Any Touareg owner will tell you that.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Volkswagen Touareg range PRICES: £29,880-£58,000 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 16-19 CO2 EMISSIONS: 265-355g/km PERFORMANCE: [V10 TDI] 0-60mph 7.6s / Max Speed 140mph FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.5 TDI] (combined) 28.8mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front/side/curtain airbags / ABS / ESP / Brake Assist/ hill descent assist / hill start assist WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm [air suspension], 4754/1928/1726