Volkswagen announced earlier this year that it would be entering the World Rally Championship starting in 2013 with the Polo R, and we got our first glimpse of the race car here in Frankfurt. While it's easy to see the similarities to the road version, the Polo R WRC has been transformed into an all-out rally car with widened fenders, a fully stripped and caged interior, and plenty of carbon fiber on the body. Under the hood is a race-prepped version of Volkswagen's 1.6-liter STI engine producing something in the range of 300 horsepower. This is a Polo, people. Volkswagen is no stranger to rally racing, having won the 1986 Group A championship with a Golf GTI 16V and more recently finding success in the Australian and Finnish Rally Car Championships. VW also hopes to transfer some of the knowledge gained from competing in the Dakar Rally, which it has won the past three years. We'll have to wait and see if the Polo R WRC finds similar success in motorsports, but with Volkswagen's backing, we wouldn't be surprised to see it on the podium soon enough. That won't be for a few years, though, so in the meantime, check out the photos of the car on display in Frankfurt.
Other VW cues can be seen in the jeweled headlamps, the design of the hood and other features. If that isn't enough, prominent VW badges leave no doubt. Touareg looks brawny, though its off-road capability isn't immediately apparent. The Touareg is designed to look rugged yet refined, practical yet stylish. Its high ground clearance, large wheels, and the robust design of the wheel arches and bumpers are the first clues to its impressive trail worthiness. Big air intakes in the lower bumper contrast with the upper radiator grille, which is shaped like that of a modern passenger car. This contrast hints at its dual role of luxury car and off-road vehicle. In the same theme, smooth, elegant surfaces above the beltline contrast with broad, rugged-looking side sills. Big exterior door handles look functional and are well designed and easy to grab. Like a car, the Touareg is built on a unibody chassis. It was designed to be a highly rigid structure (40 Hz), so that it won't bend or twist even in the most tortuous off-road driving conditions.
We were able to open and close the doors when the Touareg was teetering on two or three wheels, an impressive feat, especially considering Volkswagen's tight fitment of body panels. This rigidity contributes to the Touareg's ride comfort and high-speed stability. The doors are completely sealed when closed, providing a quiet cabin and allowing the Touareg to ford up to 22 inches of standing water. Like many SUVs, the Touareg features a two-stage rear hatch with a glass window that can be raised separately. It has a neat feature that many owners may never discover: The glass hatch can be hard for shorter people to reach when it's open. If this happens, simply raise the rear door. When they reconnect, the window clicks into the door. Rejoined with the glass, the hatch can then be closed as one unit. Tall people have it easier, of course: They simply reach up and close the glass.
Perimeter lights illuminate the area around the Touareg when getting in or out at night, and can be programmed to the driver's preferences. The Touareg cabin is luxurious and attractive. It elegantly combines robust dimensions with delicate details in rich leather and wood trim. Burled walnut is standard, with vavona or myrtle wood available as an upgrade on the V8 and V10 TDI. We like both grades of leather, Cricket and smooth Nappa. The premium light-colored wood with tan leather is particularly attractive and the dark-colored wood is quite nice. The textures found on the dash, door panels and other trim appeal to the sense of touch as well. Chrome and brushed aluminum trim add elegance with a hint of technology. Everything seems perfectly tailored and fitted. The seats are excellent, supportive and comfortable, much better than most. We've found it sometimes takes time to get comfortable in Volkswagen seats, but I was immediately comfortable in the Touareg. Visibility from the driver's seat is quite good, aided rearward by huge outside mirrors.
