VW to take on MB, BMW, Land Rover with the Touarug? Yea right!

[Under Pressure]

What do you guys think of the new VW Touareg? That thing costs $35k-$40k!!! Who would pay that for a VW? When I saw commercials, I thought it would take on the slim Land Rover Freelander segment of the market (slightly overpriced ute).

But no, they are taking on SUV's from Benz, BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, and more! I will be surprised if they can do it. Too much to pay for a VW.

[Buddha_Kip]

It is essentially a Porsche Cayanne...just without the twin-turbo. I think they can do it, they just need to get the word out more that VW doesn't just make econoboxes anymore. That was their entire problem with the Passat W8....people had a hard time convincing themselves to pay $39,000 for a VW.

edit - this is also the hurdle they will have to overcome with the Phaeton.

[MB300E87]

buddha and i talked about this one time i remember.

i feel more optimism for the Touareg than i do the Phaeton only because i think Americans will accept a VW SUV far more than they will a VW s-class competitor. people who buy passats will definitely look at the Touareg in my opinion. jetta and golf/gti owners are completely different than passat owners nowadays. i know people who drive the golfs and jettas would never think to spend that much on a VW.. but then passat drivers will. i think the Touareg is a great package with some great engines. 3.2 V6 from the R32 and a 4.2 V8 which i assume shares its roots with the audi 4.2 V8. and if we get it.. the V10 TDi will own.

the phaeton.. well we'll see what happens.. i fear the same fate that the Passat W8 has faced will also be shared with the phaeton. but maybe in the case of the passat the price didn't seem to justify the package. because the V6 was already good enough. perhaps the oppulence of the Phaeton will convince people its worth the money. but we'll see.

anyway my final thought is that the Touareg is far better looking than the cayenne.

[C-Kompii]

Phaeton has failed pretty bad in Germany, but I think Touraeg will do much better as the luxury SUV segment is not as brand concious.

-G'day-

[Rocky]

I thinkt he tourag will do well. VW has always had thier loyal followers and the up and coming yuppie market always buy's a VW. The tourag has the stylings and appeal of a jetta like car. People will buy it. Right now, there's no company this is satisfying the small luxury SUV market. Alot of people want a small SUV but don't want an econobox SUV like the Rav4 or CR-V. The X3 will sell well and the tourag will too.

[Sesh]

I wish they'd evolved a new brand altogether and not associated the Touareg with VW. Besides being hard to spell and pronounce, what's so special about this thing anyway?
Unless they offer a very solid USP (price, features, whatever) I am not so sure they can dislodge Ford, Mitsubishi, Chevrolet, MB, BMW, or any other brand quite so easily. Now, Kia is another creature altogether, lol.
Sesh

[Vodka G]

Originally posted by Buddha_Kip
It is essentially a Porsche Cayanne...just without the twin-turbo. I think they can do it,

:werd: :stupid:

the VW touarug is basically the porsche cayanne and with vw sharing a lot of the tech with porsche and audi i think they are in good hands

i will go test drive one once they have them in SJ

:D

[C280 JR]

ive never seen this VW, does anybody have any pictures that they can provide??

Elvir

[Vodka G]

Originally posted by C280 JR
ive never seen this VW, does anybody have any pictures that they can provide??

Elvir

goto the vw.com website is all over the place

[C280 JR]

http://vw.com/art/touareg/home/graphic_right.jpg

This looks nice, definitively worth the money..i always wondered why VW did not make an suv..

Elvir

[sf280]

Originally posted by C280 JR
http://vw.com/art/touareg/home/graphic_right.jpg

This looks nice, definitively worth the money..i always wondered why VW did not make an suv..

Elvir

Elvir is is definitely, not definitively!!!!

Oh and on topic -

VW will never do well at the high end until the change the way that the dealers treat their customers. They are very defensive about problems with the cars and go on the attack.

[Brabus]

I think this might do well because since it's pretty much like a discount Cayanne, lots of people will pick that up.

In terms of having high priced cars, it's something VW might not ever be able to break out of. They should concentrate on using the Audi name more. I mean, if the A8/S8 didn't do that well then why would the Phaeton do well??

[C280 JR]

Elvir is is definitely, not definitively!!!!

Sf280,
its "is" not "is is";)


Elvir

[kameraguy]

Performance wise I think the Toureg is pretty sweet. I saw some off-road tests and that thing was amazing. I wouldn't under-estimate it because it has a VW badge. IMHO the Toureg is more off-road oriented than the ML.

As far as price, i don't think paying upwards to $40K for this is out of line. Considering anything decent from Europe starts around this price anyway, it's like the common "entry" price-point nowadays. If it holds to be a reliable vehicle, I'd definitely get this over a Japanese option, and definitely over a british alternative. If an X5 or XC90 is too rich price wise, and the Allroad and ML is not enough off-road machine, this VW would be a great choice.

[toniusbenz]

Originally posted by Brabus
They should concentrate on using the Audi name more. I agree! They should put their resources on Audi more to compete in the upscale market.

I'd pay for the Toureg than a Cayanne though, feature wise. ;)

[kameraguy]

I agree they should develop the Audi marque in this market segment....and they are. Hence the Pikes Peak. So the dilemna is....do you produce this SUV concept as an "affordable" Audi, in which that price point may take away sales from the Allroad, or increase the VW image by expanding it's current line-up?

Looks like they are choosing the latter.

[redline]

VW donsn't have the brand stregnth to offer a 40k model (already experimented with the W8 Passat, which they can't give away).

[Brabus]

Originally posted by C280 JR
Sf280,
its "is" not "is is";)


Elvir

Actually, it's "it is" not "is" and not "is is" :D

[sf280]

Originally posted by C280 JR
Sf280,
its "is" not "is is";)


Elvir

A typo is one thing - which I am at fault for, commonly using the incorrect or making up words is a totally different issue :rolleyes:

[Hank]

That's Serbian English, I tell ya.

[pokerface]

yes, I'd definitely pikc a Touareg over a Cayenne too.

I priced a Touareg V10TDI a while back from the UK website.. worked out to about Cdn$100,000++ :eek:

I'm sure this is because of the higher vehicle pricing in UK, right??? :(

but yeah, the V10 is definitely the one to get.


As for the Phaeton.. come on guys.. how many ppl bought a LExus LS400 the first year it came out? (seriously.. I don't know :rolleyes: )

[MidniteBluBenz]

For what its worth Car And Driver compared it to the GX470, MDX, Disco Series 2, X5 3.0 Sport, Envoy, Aviator, and a few other trucks, and the Touarug won. They said it was as good as the Disco off road, and as good as the best out there on road.

C & D also found it interesting that Benz was unable to come up with a ML for the test.

[BenzoAMGpower]

W163 for life!!!!!!!!!!!