VW wants to Expand its SUV Line-up, Plans to Triple U.S. Sales by 2018

Volkswagen hasn’t given up on its plans to become the world’s biggest automaker and for that it needs to sell more cars in the U.S. The Germans want to triple their American sales in the next seven years and one solution is to expand their SUV line-up in order to catch up to GM and Toyota.

“We will be looking to really grow, particularly in the compact SUV segment”, VW's U.S. chief Jonathan Browning told Bloomberg news. “Over time, I think there's also scope for growth in terms of a larger SUV within the portfolio”.

Volkswagen sold 20,946 Tiguans and 4,713 Touaregs in the U.S. last year, which is insignificant compared to the total of 3.3 million SUVs delivered in the country.

“VW is simply not a player in the American SUV segment”, said Stefan Bratzel, director of the Center of Automotive Management at the University of Applied Sciences in Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany. “Their models aren't being recognized as sufficiently competitive”.

The automaker is exploring other means to increase its sales as well, one of them being the all-new New Mid-Size Sedan (NMS), which is set to debut at this year’s North American International Auto Show.

The yet to be named model will be assembled at the company’s new factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with deliveries programmed to start in the third quarter of 2011.

Source: Bloomberg

VW Releases 'Greener' Touareg BlueMotion with 225HP V6 Diesel

Blue is Volkswagen's way of saying green with the automaker applying its ecological brand to the most efficient and economical models in each range. The latest BlueMotion model is based on the Touareg SUV and is equipped with a more efficient but less powerful version of the standard car's 3.0-litre V6 TDI common rail diesel engine which develops 225HP and 550Nm (405-lbs/ft) of torque, and drives through a six-speed automatic tiptronic gearbox.

Like all BlueMotion models in the Volkswagen range, the Touareg features a number of modifications to improve fuel efficiency including revised aerodynamics, an optimized engine with a more efficient alternator, low rolling resistance tires and a 25mm lower ride height to reduce drag.

Altogether, these revisions help the Touareg BlueMotion boost fuel economy from 30.4mpg UK (23.3mpg US or 9.2lt/100km) to 34.0mpg UK (28.3mpg US or 8.3lt/100km) while cutting down CO2 emissions from 244 g/km to 219 g/km.

improved fuel efficiency and, well below the tax threshold of less than 225 g/km. Prices for the most efficient version of Volkswagen's luxury off-road vehicle start at £34,150 on the road RRP for the entry level model and rise to £37,545 for the SE.

Performance-wise, the Touareg BlueMotion is a tad slower than its standard 3.0 TDI counterpart with a 0 to 62 mph (100km/h) time of 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 126mph or 203km/h (vs 8.0 sec and 207km/h respectively).

Prices for the BlueMotion version of Volkswagen's luxury off-roader start in the UK at £34,150 for the entry level model and rise to £37,545 for the SE. The first examples are scheduled to arrive in showrooms in September.

ABT Sportsline Presents Discrete Tuning Package for 2011 Volkswagen Touareg

According to ABT, the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg should be tuned without diluting its distinct character. As a result, the Bavarian specialist concentrated on increasing the power of the German SUV, while keeping the exterior changes to a minimum.

“More power wouldn’t hurt with a car as diverse as this, but it was important for us that the tuning suited the characteristics of the Touareg”, the company’s general manager, Christian Abt, explained.

Tipping the scales at 2.5 tons, the Touareg is certainly no featherweight, so adding more power and torque to the mix is probably a good idea. Engineers developed the ABT Power kit for 3.0-liter diesel V6, which increases peak output from 240 hp to 282 hp. The second stage of the engine conversion is called Power S and delivers 310 hp.

Garnished with a similar power upgrade, the 4.2-liter V8 diesel also benefits from extra oomph, churning out 385 hp (+45 ponies) and an even more impressive 870 Nm (642 lb-ft) of mountain-moving torque (+70 Nm or 52 lb-ft).

As mentioned previously, exterior appointments are discrete as they are limited to a new front grille, rear wing and rear apron, alongside a 4-pipe exhaust system. ABT BR or CR wheels, which can be specified in various sizes up to 22 inches complete the finishing touch.

The new ABT Touareg – dates and facts
ABT ENGINE TECHNOLOGY
Engine: 3.0 TDI, 2967 ccm, V6
Performance tuning: ABT POWER
Performance: 282 PS/207 kW (standard: 240 PS/177 kW)
Engine: 3.0 TDI, 2967 ccm, V6
Performance tuning: ABT POWER S
Performance: 310 PS/228 kW (standard: 240 PS/177 kW)
Engine: 4.2 TDI, 4134 ccm, V8
Performance tuning: ABT POWER
Performance: 385 PS/283 kW (standard: 340 PS/250 kW)
ABT AERODYNAMICS
ABT front grille
ABT rear spoiler
ABT rear skirt
ABT EXHAUST SYSTEM
ABT 4-pipe-exhaust-system
ABT SPORTS WHEEL TECHNOLOGY
ABT BR and CR up to 22 inch