A Billy Goat in a Tux

by Joe LaMuraglia

If you read our review of the 2006 VW Touareg TDI, you know that we were impressed with the VW Touareg and tested it extensively on road. What many of you may not know is, the Touareg was designed from the beginning to be a superior off-road vehicle. To emphasize that capability, VW of America intentionally chose to debut the new 2008 Touareg 2 in a locale that would highlight both the on-road and off-road qualities of the newly updated nomad from Wolfsburg – beautiful Couer d’Alene, Idaho.

The 2008 VW Touareg arrives in U.S. showrooms with some subtle, yet significant, upgrades. The press kit claims that the new Touareg has been “Nipped, Tucked and Re-Tuned”. “Nipped and Tucked” refer to the nose job (new grill) and butt lift (new tail lamps and rear spoiler) all of which give the Touareg a fresh new look without the loosing its identity (Jennifer Grey anyone?). “Retuned” references the two new, more powerful engines that feature direct gasoline injection. They deliver a much needed boost in power for the gasoline engines without sacrificing fuel economy.

The new V6 engine (3.6L VR6 FSI) is rated at 280 horsepower, the new V8 engine (4.2L V8 FSI ) at 350 HP, and the 5.0L V10 TDI twin turbo puts out 310 HP with an incredible 553 foot pounds of torque. We tested the V6 and the V8 gasoline versions on the highways and goat trails of Idaho and came away very impressed.

On the road both engines were quiet, powerful and perfectly matched to what 99% of the Touareg owners will use them for – commuting, road trips and running errands – all of which will occur in a sumptuously designed cabin worthy of a luxury vehicle. What isn’t evident from the design or the on-road drive experience is that the Touareg is a Billy goat in a tux.

The Touareg’s inner goat became evident when VW put us behind the wheel with a professional driver in the back to guide us up some mountain trails just outside of Coeur d’Alene. Having done similar trails during the Land Rover Driving School, I was concerned that the Touareg would be able to handle the ruts, rocks, hill climbs and 45-degree banks that were described to us prior to the drive. After all Land Rover is known for their off-road prowess and despite traversing a golf course or two in my ’73 Super Beetle, I never equated the people’s car with off-road driving.

One simply needs to watch the video to the right so see what the Touareg is capable of. We conquered trails and obstacles that very few, if any, Touareg owners will ever encounter. The vehicle’s capabilities are clearly over-engineered in stereotypically German fashion and as Martha says, “that’s a good thing”.

The one criticism that VW didn’t address was the price. All that capability isn’t cheap and the base prices for the new Touareg reflect that. The V6 starts at $39,320, the V8 at $48,320 and the glorious V10 diesel at $68,320. Hardly pocket change for a 5-passenger SUV but consider this: 4XMotion AWD is standard across the board, all versions can tow up to 7,700 pounds, and safety features abound.

If you want a SUV that is equipped to handle whatever the road, parking lot, valet, goat path or logging trail throws you, definitely check out the new 2008 VW Touareg.

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