Volkswagen Tiguan

By Ben Whitworth

Motor Shows

29 November 2006 09:42

Volkswagen Tiguan: the lowdown

Volkswagen is going Freelander hunting with its new Golf-based Tiguan off-roader. Unveiled at the Los Angeles Motorshow this morning, Concept Tiguan gives a nine-tenths preview of what the production-ready Tiguan will look like when it arrives here in January 2008. It will initially arrive with a choice of front or all-wheel-drive, four engines – two petrol and two advanced ‘Clean TDI’ diesel units – and six-speed manual or DSG transmission. Expect prices to range from £20-29,000.

It’s billed as a concept, but it’s the real thing. At 4400mm long, 1850mm wide and 1690 high, the Tiguan’s footprint is almost exactly the same as the Freelander’s (4500mm x 1910mm x 1740mm) and its square-jawed bluff styling borrows much from the Concept A showcar launched earlier this year. And if the shape of those headlamps looks familiar, they’re similar to those on the Eos, Polo and Iroc. According to Tiguan designer Klaus Bischoff, the car’s looks are all about power. “It was very important to us to have the car appear powerful and muscular. For us that had a higher priority than anything else”, he said at its unveiling. The show car’s contrasting anthracite grille frame and vast sunroof – it’s 134omm long and 850mm wide – will make it through to production as will the huge five-poke 19inch alloys. The two-tone orange and black Continental tyres will not. Thank goodness.

By Ben Whitworth