Volkswagen TOUAREG 4.2-LITRE V8
Volkswagens Touareg 4.2 V8 Has What It Takes To Mix It With The Best Luxury 4x4s Around. Andy Enright Reports
In any vehicle range there are highs and lows. Take the
Volkswagen Touareg line up. The monster 5.0-litre V10 diesel garners the most column inches while the 2.
5-litre and 3.0-litre TDI models will hoover up most of the sales. The 3.2-litre petrol model is a notch down in terms of desirability and the 4.
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2-litre V8 would appear to appeal to the smallest market, being slower, thirstier and only slightly cheaper than the V10 diesel model. Can a case be made for the Touareg 4.2 V8?
Drive one for any period of time and youll come to the conclusion that yes, the 4.2 V8 is worth a place in the Touareg line up. With less weight in the nose than the 5.0-litre V10 TDI, the V8-engined car offers a more nimble ride with far sharper turn-in.
With a delightfully smooth power delivery, the V8 establishes itself fairly quickly as the drivers choice in the Touareg range. The V8 Touareg costs £44,260. The 309bhp 4.2-litre V8 engine will power the big 4x4 to 60mph in 8.
1 seconds and on to a top speed of 135mph. Thats the good news. The not so pretty reading comes when you pause to consider the average fuel economy figure of 19.1mpg and a CO2 emissions figure of 355g/km.
Although youll need deep pockets to run the Touareg, it acquits itself very well in this rarefied price bracket. Unveiled at the 2002 Paris Show, the Touaregs basic shape wasnt too much of a surprise as much of the engineering had been developed in partnership with
Porsche and their Cayenne had been scooped long before. Whereas the Cayennes styling is, to put it most kindly, challenging, the Touareg wears its metal rather more purposefully, although much of the basic shape is similar.
"The V8-engined Touareg offers a more nimble ride with far sharper turn-in than the V10 diesel model"
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.
Volkswagen boss Bernd Pischetsrieder reckons it is. "Unlike these rivals, its a proper off-roader, it eclipses the X5 on road and on top of it all it is a spacious luxury car" he purrs, obviously rather happy with his brawny creation. So much for the corporate ambition, whats the car like? In a word, big. At 170cm high its not lacking in road presence. The suspension is a conventional steel spring set up but V8 owners can give their Touareg a little more in the way of ride height by plumping for the optional air suspension set up.
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 V8 features leather trim, dusk-sensing lights, heated seats, engine compartment lights and chrome finishing on the doors and grille. On the road, the V8 Touareg cant quite back up Pischetsrieders claim as better than an 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 theres that bit more side to side wobbly head syndrome that BMW has worked so hard to exorcise. Its 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 relative light weight of the V8 engine makes it particularly nimble on downhill stretches. Although its not without its attractions, the 4.2-litre V8 model is by no means the standout performer in the Touareg line up.
Many customers will be seduced by the ritzier badge of the Porsche Cayenne if theyre after a high performance 4x4 of similar appeal but the Volkswagens smoother styling will swing the balance for many.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Volkswagen Touareg 4.2 V8 range
PRICE: £44,260 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 18
CO2 EMISSIONS: 355g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 8.1s / Max Speed 141mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 19.1mpg
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 4754/1928/1700
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