Volkswagen will complete the development phase of the new Volkswagen Tiguan with a final extreme test in Namibia. During the final acceptance drive on the African continent, the electronic components and chassis of the new SUV are the primary focus of testing. Considering the electronics, a technical highlight on board the VW Tiguan is of special interest for the testers: the completely new generation radio and navigation system. This was developed in close cooperation with the most important local Volkswagen operations in Europe, Asia and America. Worldwide development collaboration made it possible for a wider than ever pool of specialized know-how, and also the requirements of all markets, to influence the devices. The top system of the new line, with the designation RNS 510, has a 30 GB hard disk and is controlled with a touch screen. A rear-view camera enables a view behind in this case. Completely new electronic systems also simplify offroad driving in the Volkswagen Tiguan. The particularly agile and dynamic SUV uses an innovative network of assistance systems with the name of "Offroad Mode".
Just on touch of a switch activates a whole armada of safety features, supporting the driver in a multitude of situations. Five motors. All of the engine and body versions of the VW Tiguan have to "swallow" the dust of Namibia in this final test. Volkswagen will be offering the SUV - and this is unique so far - exclusively with charged engines. The TSIs (gasoline) output 110 kW / 150 PS, 125 kW / 170 and 147 kW / 200 PS; and the TDIs (diesel) develop 103 kW / 140 PS and 125 kW / 170 PS. Two front ends. The two body variants of the Volkswagen Tiguan differ primarily in their front ends. The "Trend & Fun" and "Sport & Style" versions are designed for a maximum entry angle of 18 degrees in front. The "Track & Field" Tiguan that is tuned even more for offroad duty can assume entry angles of up to 28 degrees with its front end. During the testing program in Africa, as however already mentioned, the emphasis is less on engines and entry angles than on final checking of the electronics and chassis.
Long before the first prototype was built, it had been decided that the new Volkswagen Tiguan should be an extremely actively driving and safe SUV. The development team pulled out all the stops to achieve this goal. The Tiguan now has to demonstrate in Africa that it achieves neutral to lightly understeering handling and an unusually low roll angle. Furthermore, the road holes along the edge of the Namib Desert should once more test how well the highly dynamic driving characteristics and excellent ride comfort interact under the hardest conditions. Because the demands on the car were clearly stated in the specification: to set benchmarks in dynamics, comfort and active safety. Rear axle. The four-link rear axle has also been adapted to best suit the permanent four-wheel drive system 4MOTION. The four-link rear axle of the VW Tiguan is specially intended for this combination. The rear axle of the front-wheel drive Tiguan has been modified correspondingly. Items no longer found on board include: Cardan shaft, rear final drive and drive shafts.
But the sub frame is utilized in both drive variants. The innovative modular system of this rear axle has a decidedly positive effect on costs. For the rear axle, newly developed shock absorbers were developed with increased oil volume; a favorable temperature level makes the absorbers well equipped for even the toughest offroad use. Like the front damper struts, also newly developed, both components provide for exceptionally good ride comfort properties. A new generation of steering. A technological highlight in the indirect chassis area is the completely new generation of electromechanical power steering. A decisive advantage of the system: Despite the very precise steering feeling, even in offroad operation no jolts whatsoever are transmitted to the steering wheel. Primarily responsible for this is a newly constructed steering gear. Wheels and tires. Providing contact to the road or trail on the base versions of the Tiguan are 16-inch wheels with 215/65 R16 tires.
In its styling, the powerful and clearly drawn lines of the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept body follow the new Volkswagen "design DNA" par excellence and show cult potential. That is because never before has an ultra-compact vehicle - which does not aim to be retro but forges new paths instead - brought such appealing, timeless, class-independent and dynamic qualities to light. Inside, the smallest Volkswagen ever also astonishes with its impressive space utilisation. 1 seater is driven by an electric motor with a peak power output of 60 kW (continuous power: 40 kW). The motor of the front-wheel drive car, which is mounted in front, develops a maximum torque of 210 Newton-meters right from rest. The driver activates forward or reverse gear via a rotary knob in the centre console. The fact that the Volkswagen E-Up! Concept will also quite clearly offer driving enjoyment is demonstrated by a look at the car's classic 0 to 100-km/h sprint time: 11.3 seconds.
Speaking about Cadillac, in the early 1980s GM's luxury brand briefly marketed a compact car - the Cimarron - that ultimately bombed, in part, because it strayed far from its big luxury car base. Sure, the car was little more than a rebadged and re-tweaked Chevrolet Cavalier, but it contradicted the entire Cadillac mystique. Even a slightly larger and much later model, the Catera, also failed as the car was perceived for what it really was: a remade Opel. So, now the dilemma: will consumers accept the "1 Series" BMW's planned entry or will it cause confusion and diminish the BMW name? I visited BMW's U.K. Series 1 model. With the typical BMW fascia in place the Series 1 resembles a slightly stretched Volkswagen Golf mated to a compact BMW. The "1" comes equipped with either a 1.6L or 2.0L I4 gasoline engine, a gas 24V 3.0L V6, or a 2.0L four cylinder diesel that achieves a whopping 50 mpg fuel economy. Equipment on the "1" is typical BMW with ABS and all the full luxury appointments. Clearly, the current "1" is not a stripped model as it features many of the amenities found on larger BMWs. In my opinion BMW must tread carefully in bringing a car of this size to the American market. Forget the hatchback and just go with the sedan with either a wagon and or a coupe being a possibility. Unlike the basic Mercedes models, the "1" may just be able to pull it off for BMW and allow the German automaker to sell a tiny BMW successfully in the U.S. Alternatively, BMW just may want to consider launching a separate brand, to retain the BMW mystique in the American market.
Ferdinand Porsche was an automobile engineer with more than a thousand patents to his name, and played an important role in the development of airplanes and the construction of tanks for the Wehrmacht as well. In the 1920s he was appointed chief engineer at Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart and later set up his own engineering workshop. There he designed, among other things, the Volkswagen. He acted as chief of operations at the plant where the Volkswagen was made, Wolfsburg, and at the end of the war he was interned by the Allies. He was released a few years later and immediately went to work building his first car with his son, Ferry Porsche. This car was named the Porsche 356, after Ferry, and was a sports car with styling reminiscent of the Volkswagen. In fact it had the same four-cylinder boxer engine, and wore it rear-mounted, just as the VW did.
