I know most everyone here is into the classic VW's but I'm just curious to see what everyone thinks of current generation Veedubs. I've grown up with Passats, Jettas, Mk1 and Mk2 Golfs but for me the new Touareg is a sign the VW is just another car maker.

I know VW long ago stopped being 'the peoples car' based on its prices and its cleverly different but slightly upmarket marketing campaigns. I don't have a problem with that. I think the Generation 3 Golfs look lovely. Sure they will never be the truly unique pieces of engineering that came out of Wolfsburg until the 70's but I don't mind that. Quirky companies occasionally need to do a bit of growing up in order to survive.

I am however very disappointed to see the marque jump on the bandwagon of making petrol guzzling camels for yupp-topia. Expenive 4 wheel drive monstrosities for the Mosman Mums to ferry the brats to and from school. The BMW X5, the utterly ridiculous Porsche Cayenne and all the others. In an era where green issues and the use of our dwindling natural resources is becoming increasingly critical, it breaks my heart to see VW ignoring the facts and jumping on the bandwagon.

Just wondering whether I am the only one disappointed by my favourite car maker...

Nothing wrong with yupptopia in my opinion... unless you're some directionless hippy with no life and a chip on his shoulder

Dude,
If I could afford a Toureg I would get one. As i have been for a drive in one, complements of my nephew who is one of the head technical advisors for VW Australia and he explained to me the technical issues in respect to the vehicle, I am nothing but impressed with the engineering the VW have placed into the said vehicle.
As for gas guzling...get a grip....the toureg will guzzle less fuel per 100klm then my Kombi does.....and a toureg weighs some 2800kg. So may i ask that before you voice your concerns, have a look at the big picture....with time comes change...comes inovation....move on, let go of the past.......if you can't afford one, at least admire it for what it is.....a VW that is better engineered then the porsche Cayenne and the BMW X5.

Regards
Mick hall

I'm with you Mick, if I could afford it I would get one too. In my opinion, easily the leader in that market segment.
I have researched it a little, so.. after all, thats what I do for a living.. sell these things!

Oh wow i so totally agree with you Mick. Its great to see that someone else agrees with the fact that VW are moving ahead with the times. Im lovin it, give me more VW Australia. If i could afford the Toureg id be getting one as quick as a flash. But instead im trading to get another New Beetle.....I need turbo now!
Amsterdamned....there maybe a Toureg owner on here right now, so you know how easily ppl get offended about their cars. Just letting you know:thumb
Im not disapointed with what VW are producing, Im just damn proud to own one of the most incredible cars ive driven.

If I had a lazy $130,000

I'd get a turbo diesel Toureg

IN A HEART BEAT

750nM of grunt

Hello again Y2k, Everytime our paths cross its to do with people whinging about modern VW, I still stand with my opinion's a VW is a VW, no matter what year, i own years 1957 - 1999, i would like a toureg one day but i may have to wait 5 years for the price to drop a little, then i can park the w8 next to the toureg, the porsche 4x4, well its basicaly the same as the toureg with some extras and differnt badges, of course the price tag is slightly more, = top of the range VW is the same price as the bottom of the range porsche!!!

Andy

Mmmm V12

Gotta love that power!

You're a legend Andy

Bring it on
Y2K

DDDRRROOOOOOOOOOL:thumb

Doh

VW mus tbe doing something right
their cars have gone upmarket ie more expensive.
yet the golf is still the largest seling car in Europe, go figure.

love the Toureg but am waiting for the V5 diesel to come over here. Went OK in the Paris Dakar Rally

And you must remember if VW didn't turf the beetle and start building the golf in the 70s they would have gone bust and there would be new vws around now.

With the interest and keenness here, you'd think that Volkswagen Australia could organise something like a 20% discount off retail of the Touareg for forum members.....

Go the Audi:bounce

hehe they use a lot of VW parts too just that they are better built than their sister cars Golf/Passat

look what i found on my sump in my Audi




:beer

I still dont understand why everyone gets shitty at the prices. you cant get too much for 30k these days brand new....But you can get a couple of Different vw's. A polo and a golf. As for the Big T, well look at its competitions pricing! Also, I would rather for that kind of money own a VW than a Land cruiser or a Pajero....Dont get me wrong, the quality in those two cars is great, but to me they dont look the best, AND I would rather own a VW!

N!

good on you amsterdamed well said it seems as though you are a lone voice on this subject. As for vwfool well i know a few hippies who drive vw, they grow there own organic food use natural resources as little as possible, and live quiet relatively peaceful lives i don't think there lives are directionless, but then I'm not a prisoner of yupptopia and I'm not pulled this way and that by every new marketing gimmick that comes along including incredible expensive useless vehicles. Now if one of these vehicle manufactures developed another "peoples" vehicle that ran on hydrogen and was affordable, non polluting and recyclable then maybe that would be something to talk about, otherwise it's all just another pile of dung to add to the already rather large pile of dung called the new vehicle market.

I agree with the rest of these guys. I don't think VW has jumped on any bandwagon. Infact I think they invented the bandwagon Think of where cars would be without VW's innovation and joint research with other manufacturers?
I reckon it's great that they've released the Touareg on the same platform as the Porsche Cayenne. Both the marques got their hands dirty on the research side of things and it's helped both of them out immensly and... Again, they've raised the bar in regard to vehicle design (no top of the line 4x4's will be the same after this). The cayenne laps in very respectable times around the 'ring (beating the jag xkr) and even completed the millitary hummer test course. This is by far the best and most thoroughly thoughtout 4x4 since the original aluminium Land Rover was introduced in the 1960's.
And, in reality. If you look at the prices of beetles and kombis in Australia when they were originally released, they were'nt as cheap as we would like to think. But they sold so well because of their superior, unique, robust, practical and (at few times more than all) revolutionary design. Something which I'm proud VW has stuck with and not gotten into the mindest that they should be dishing out cheap, dime-a-dozen pieces of junk to rival what's coming out of developing countries atm. If you want a cheap peoples car, get a Hyundai thats a few years old for a couple of grand. It will be relatively reliable, get decent fuel consumption, have aircon and so on. But, just pray you don't back into a fence post or you'll be forking out a premium for a replacement bumper.
However, if you want staggering value for money (features, customer service, spare parts avail', specs vs purchase cost, depreciation, etc...), above industry standard safety and economy for it's class, then you go for something like a Touareg.
VW has always been a quality manufacturer, first and foremost! The cost of the cars has always been relative to whats on the 2nd hand market and how many units they can produce on a slowly evolving platform. If you could buy a Touareg for $19,990 then I'd be out there buying a 996 GT3 for $39,990 and not complaining when Porsche and VW both were sold off to GM.
Just my $0.02
-C

the turbo diesel has more torque than the new dodge viper the toureg could pull down a house

Yeppers... Has more than the McLaren/Mercedes SLR too. But being diesel it won't rev like on tho

How about this the VW Touran a 7 seater,
Wonder what they will call the next model? tour__

Touareg... Overlander magazine's 4WD of the Year...