VW is about to unleash a full-blown SUV offensive to reverse its slide in the US

BeemerMikeTX · Apr 28, 2016

warminwisco said:
Pardon me for asking what goes wrong with the Pano roof?

You read a lot of posts on forums (here and elsewhere) about sunroofs with plugged drains, leaking seals, and broken actuating mechanisms (especially as they age), that tend to be expensive to repair.

Perry01 · Apr 28, 2016

tadpole said:
Without a diesel I have no interest in any SUV. Those who want a powerful V-8 already have choices like Cayenne or Bmw M seris. You're not going to get VW to compete with Porsche and hurt their profit monster. Sad truth is what makes VW different is the diesel line up.

VW offers one diesel motor in the Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne offers the same exact motor too.
.

ameoba · Apr 28, 2016

I'm not so sure I agree.

Here's what we know

New Tiguan is coming - larger and at the same price
The article says there are 2 smaller CUV's coming (smaller than Tiguan)
A US/China exclusive Mid Size (Read - Cross Blue) is coming in 2017 (the timing of which is strikingly similar to the Touareg replacement)

Here's my contention..... Every picture or rendering I've seen of the Cross Blue makes it look very much like a brand new Q7 clone - except on an MQB platform instead of an MLB platform. MQB is the same platform the current Golf and new (larger) Tiguan ride on also.

Then... I read that they want to price the Cross Blue "around $50,000", which is decidedly Touareg pricing (starts in the high $40's). If that's the case, where does the Touareg start - with less seats too.

Here's my thought - I think the Cross Blue becomes the Touareg in North America. And they do what they did with the Passat and give us some sh*tty oversized blob while the rest of the world get's the real thing.

Maybe I'm jaded. Who knows. It will be interesting. It's a good thing the new Q7 is good looking, because if they neuter the Tourareg, I'll be left looking at a Q7.

Spiegelglatt · Apr 28, 2016

I have had the same thoughts, but arrived at a different conclusion. Information now is very confusing, especially regarding the Crossblue. We do know it is to be competitive with (for example) Honda Pilot...if it starts at $50M it won't be as the Pilot can be had for $30M +/-.

As far as Touareg, I don't see it being watered down to a mall finder. If anything it should get pushed up by the new arrivals under it.

VW is a very coy organization that intentionally provides misinformation to distort what is coming to market. So with all this distortion we are getting fed back from the media, it is hard to tell. I hope they don't screw this up

Fingers crossed...

kidentist · Apr 28, 2016

Spiegelglatt said:
I have had the same thoughts, but arrived at a different conclusion. Information now is very confusing, especially regarding the Crossblue. We do know it is to be competitive with (for example) Honda Pilot...if it starts at $50M it won't be as the Pilot can be had for $30M +/-.

As far as Touareg, I don't see it being watered down to a mall finder. If anything it should get pushed up by the new arrivals under it.

VW is a very coy organization that intentionally provides misinformation to distort what is coming to market. So with all this distortion we are getting fed back from the media, it is hard to tell. I hope they don't screw this up

Fingers crossed...

I would love to see that $30,000,0000 Honda pilot (dipped in gold?)

Spiegelglatt · Apr 28, 2016

kidentist said:
I would love to see that $30,000,0000 Honda pilot (dipped in gold?)

Ha ha, me too, it would have to be gold plated for that amount.

Actually, I use Roman numeral "M" as a place holder for three zeros...my industry's jargon I am afraid. Here I let habit take over...

nickm · Apr 29, 2016

Spiegelglatt said:
I have had the same thoughts, but arrived at a different conclusion. Information now is very confusing, especially regarding the Crossblue. We do know it is to be competitive with (for example) Honda Pilot...if it starts at $50M it won't be as the Pilot can be had for $30M +/-.

As far as Touareg, I don't see it being watered down to a mall finder. If anything it should get pushed up by the new arrivals under it.

VW is a very coy organization that intentionally provides misinformation to distort what is coming to market. So with all this distortion we are getting fed back from the media, it is hard to tell. I hope they don't screw this up

Fingers crossed...

I saw it the same way, cross blue would be 30 to mid 40s, much like a pilot and the like. Typical corporate VW styling with lower end engines, drivetrain and cheap stuff where 99% of people don't look....nobody buying a pilot is looking at the forged aluminum works of art that make up the Touareg suspension for example. Touareg would go upmarket and get out of the 40s/low 50s. But come with higher end engines and high end items like air suspension and the like. Reality is even in its current format you aren't paying the price for size, I think the higher price of the Touareg becomes obvious the moment you drive it vs a mainstream 30k SUV.

It's a good way to keep the clientele that has bought a million Touaregs since 2004 while getting a mass market offering into the showrooms.

Oregon TDI · Apr 29, 2016

Predict the MSRP range for this lineup of VW AWD/4Motion models, all of them essentially new designs that will probably be in showrooms by the end of 2017 or early 2018 at the latest. My off-the-wall predictions are included.

Sportwagen Alltrack: $27.5K-$37K
Tiguan (and Tiguan XL?)" $24K (2WD Sport)-$38K
Crossblue: $32.5K-$49K
Touareg (assuming we get it): $51.5K-$70K

sandr0id · Apr 29, 2016

It would probably be ill-advised to not sell the Touareg in Canada, at least.

At least in my part of Canaydialand, the perception of VW brand, and the Touareg, is not quite so low as in the USA. I cross-shopped the Touareg, the GLE, XC90 and X5, and the "best car for me" was the Touareg when factoring in what I needed, vs what I was getting for the extra money in an XC90, or the GLE. I had crossed out the X5 early on.

That's me, but I'm not alone, this I know. I also can say there are ALOT of Touaregs on the road here in Montreal. I was looking in the slightly used pool since I wanted a TDI, and the prices were insane, which supported the demand - I had trouble being able to get to one in time to test-drive it at first. A colleague was torn between the GLE and Touareg - he went GLE because he was looking to finance a big chunk, and Mercedes has 2.9, whereas VW dealerships need to do bank financing at ~4-5%. My wife's friend traded in a 2014 ML for the Touareg, and liked it better.

I'd love to say that the Canadian buyer seeking euro engineered cars sees the value in VW vs the BMW/Merc, and not just badges, - but then again, lots of Canadians also bought the Jetta, so there goes that theory.

fincher · Apr 29, 2016

Hopefully the new 'decentralized' VW here makes good decisions with future product offerings. Getting handcuffed by the mothership in Wolfsburg (as in the previous decade) is still a possibility. Same old VWoA? We shall see...

Touareging · Apr 29, 2016

sandr0id said:
It would probably be ill-advised to not sell the Touareg in Canada, at least.

At least in my part of Canaydialand, the perception of VW brand, and the Touareg, is not quite so low as in the USA. I cross-shopped the Touareg, the GLE, XC90 and X5, and the "best car for me" was the Touareg when factoring in what I needed, vs what I was getting for the extra money in an XC90, or the GLE. I had crossed out the X5 early on.

That's me, but I'm not alone, this I know. I also can say there are ALOT of Touaregs on the road here in Montreal. I was looking in the slightly used pool since I wanted a TDI, and the prices were insane, which supported the demand - I had trouble being able to get to one in time to test-drive it at first. A colleague was torn between the GLE and Touareg - he went GLE because he was looking to finance a big chunk, and Mercedes has 2.9, whereas VW dealerships need to do bank financing at ~4-5%. My wife's friend traded in a 2014 ML for the Touareg, and liked it better.

I'd love to say that the Canadian buyer seeking euro engineered cars sees the value in VW vs the BMW/Merc, and not just badges, - but then again, lots of Canadians also bought the Jetta, so there goes that theory.

Same in Calgary. I see at least 3 or 4 a day, a mix of diesel and gas, and my commute is short. They are everywhere on the road, but there are not many for sale - new or used. (Also, I am surprised how many new 2016 Volvo XC90 are out there.)

VW should treat Canada as a part of their European and Chinese market. Canada has more European (i.e. better) taste than the US. If only Canada aligns its regulations with those of EU...

Singh · Apr 29, 2016

tadpole said:
Without a diesel I have no interest in any SUV. Those who want a powerful V-8 already have choices like Cayenne or Bmw M seris. You're not going to get VW to compete with Porsche and hurt their profit monster. Sad truth is what makes VW different is the diesel line up.

glad we get the v8 twin turbo diesel here, goes quite well!
After a year two will look at remapping and see if it breaks 5 secs to 100

Singh · Apr 29, 2016

Grifnsqest said:
Twin turbo V8 +1 Vote

Already have that

Njord · Apr 29, 2016

Touareging said:
VW should treat Canada as a part of their European and Chinese market. Canada has more European (i.e. better) taste than the US. If only Canada aligns its regulations with those of EU...

+100500

That what I noted as a foreigner. (May be because of Quebec and its French roots. Even houses are European-style there).

HotRodW · Apr 29, 2016

Oregon TDI said:
Predict the MSRP range for this lineup of VW AWD/4Motion models, all of them essentially new designs that will probably be in showrooms by the end of 2017 or early 2018 at the latest. My off-the-wall predictions are included.

Sportwagen Alltrack: $27.5K-$37K

Tiguan (and Tiguan XL?)" $24K (2WD Sport)-$38K

Crossblue: $32.5K-$49K

Touareg (assuming we get it): $51.5K-$70K

Plus rumors/speculation about the:

Polo-based CUV
Tiguan Coupe
CrossBlue Coupe
T-Prime/Full Size (assuming it is not given the Touareg name)

Even if they don't all make it to production VW will have one of the most comprehensive utility lineups in the industry. Too bad they're about a decade late, and there might not be a diesel among them.

sandr0id · Apr 29, 2016

Njord said:
+100500 That what I noted as a foreigner. (May be because of Quebec and its French roots. Even houses are European-style there).

So I guess you were in Quebec/Montreal. Oldest (white) cities in North America - so there are still some areas where homes are made european style: Throw concrete at the problem.

The whole condescension and perspective thing about "better taste" aside, it's a question of values, not taste. If it were true about taste, I'd still maintain that you wouldn't see all the jettas you see here.

Those cars are really crappy.

nickm · Apr 29, 2016

VW moves about 50 Touaregs a month in Canada vs US sales of 500/month, so on a per capita basis, it sells almost in identical volumes in both countries as Canada has 1/10th the population of the US and they sell about 1/10th the number of Touaregs.

The previous Canadian government aligned all its regulations with the US, mostly because of the wide open movement of vehicles between borders, you do still get some uniqueness however, notably the GLE keeps the 3.0 V6 diesel in Canada vs. the 4 cylinder diesel in the US. Also neither the GLE or X5 is offered in rear drive versions in Canada.

I agree on your selection process on the Touareg vs. others, the X5 is really not that good at all, the GLE is fine but I can't believe they charge extra for leather interior vs "artico" (vinyl).

sandr0id · Apr 29, 2016

nickm said:
VW moves about 50 Touaregs a month in Canada vs US sales of 500/month, so on a per capita basis, it sells almost in identical volumes in both countries as Canada has 1/10th the population of the US and they sell about 1/10th the number of Touaregs.

You sure it's 50 a month up here? Maybe specific trim models? I know that an execline was really hard for me to find, but comfortline/highline are a dime a dozen.

The stealership I bought my TDI at was in the midst of finalizing 3 of them just in the two weeks I was negotiating their demo TDI, which makes 4. And this dealer is out in the frikkin sticks. The stealership I usually deal with had 2 sitting in the lot waiting on delivery when I first went to see them.

Beyond that, keep in mind that there must have been a solid chunk of Canadians buying US VW's - I ALMOST did it in 2007 when the CAD was higher than USD... Until I found out VWoA had really dumb packaging for MKV GTI options.

fincher · Apr 29, 2016

Executive trims were hard to find here, too. That's normal. The Lux was easy to find.

noobytoogy · Apr 29, 2016

In announcing that Winterkorn has been paid US$18.7 million to eff off, and that there will be no compensation for any European VW owners, VW says it is refocusing on electric . . .

VW is about to unleash a full-blown SUV offensive to reverse its slide in the US

BeemerMikeTX

Perry01

ameoba

Spiegelglatt

kidentist

Spiegelglatt

nickm

Oregon TDI

sandr0id

fincher

Touareging

Singh

Singh

Njord

HotRodW

sandr0id

nickm

sandr0id

fincher

noobytoogy

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