Volkswagen reveals Taigun concept

Volkswagen has revealed its intention to join the burgeoning compact SUV ranks with the Taigun concept revealed at the Sao Paulo motor show in Brazil.

The four-seat Taigun previews the look and mechanical layout for a new Volkswagen model to be positioned and priced below the popular Tiguan. The new SUV will be launched toward the middle of the decade as a rival to vehicles such as the Mini Countryman, Nissan Juke and Chevrolet Trax.

By showing the Taigun two years before its planned market introduction, Volkswagen hopes to receive valuable feedback from potential customers. The Taigun is set to provide the basis for a new family of vehicles, including similar-sized offerings from Seat, Skoda and possibly Audi.

Although the concept is described as a tribute to the Brazilian market, the head of Volkswagen research and development, Ulrich Hackenberg, confirms the upcoming production version of the new SUV is "not only planned to be sold in South America but around the world."

Based around a stretched version of Volkswagen's NSF (New Small Family) steel platform used for the Up city car, the Taigun's exterior styling was developed by a team of in-house designers working under Volkswagen brand design boss Klaus Bischoff. It takes on a more rugged and functional form than the Tiguan, with four front-hinged doors and a tailgate that extends well into the rear bumper.

Bischoff describes the new SUV's appearance as "confident, logical and clean." As seen on recent new Volkswagen models, the Taigun is dominated by horizontal design elements, while various details aim to provide visual links to the Tiguan, most notably the taillamps.

Key among the Taigun's design elements are a highly technical interpretation of the German carmaker's grille treatment, LED headlamps and separate daytime running lamps, high-set bumpers with contrasting aluminum-look scuff plates front and rear, a heavily contoured hood, bulging wheel arches with 17-inch wheels, cladding along the wheel arches and sills, a prominent crease line running below the greenhouse, aluminum roof bars and a characteristically wide C-pillar.

At 151.9 inches long, 68.0 inches wide and 61.8 inches tall, the Taigun is 22.3 inches shorter, 3.2 inches narrower and 5.1 inches lower than the Tiguan. Its 97.2-inch wheelbase and 58.0-inch track widths are also 7.1 inches shorter and 3.8 inches narrower than the Tiguan.

Although Volkswagen does not make any mention of Taigun using a four-wheel-drive layout, raised ride height implies that it can be taken off-road, even though the NSF underpinnings currently only support front-wheel drive. Rumors suggest the production version could sit on Volkswagen's MQB (modular transverse architecture) platform and run the same four-wheel-drive system developed by Audi for the limited-production A1 Quattro.

Power for the Taigun comes from the same turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine destined for the upcoming Up GT and other models in 2013. Part of Volkswagen's new EA211 engine family, it uses 3.46-inch bore spacing and an aluminum block to make it both compact and lightweight.

The transversely mounted engine kicks out a claimed 108 hp, 4 hp more than VW's existing turbocharged 1.2-liter four-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine, with peak torque put at 129 lb-ft at 1,500 rpm. Drive is channeled through a six-speed manual gearbox.

The powertrain can propel the 2,172-pound Taigun from 0-to-62-mph in 9.2 seconds and to a top speed of 116 mph, VW says, and with estimated fuel economy of 50 mpg.

The interior of the Taigun has, according to Bischoff, been inspired by the latest smartphones. It has a clean and reduced look that aims for the visual clarity and simplicity of early off-roaders.

A thin, aluminum-look strip forms the basis of the dashboard, housing a plain-looking three-dial instrument binnacle, a trio of additional gauges, integrated color monitor and chunky controls for the air conditioning set within the air vents on the outer edges. The rest is invitingly uncluttered, with a simple flat-bottom three-spoke steering wheel, floor-mounted gear lever, door trim housing large stowage bins and a traditional cable-operated hand brake.

Volkswagen claims 40.8 inches of headroom up front and 38.2 inches in the rear. Raised ride height and elevated seating provide a commanding seating position that is claimed to be at least 10 inches higher than the Up. Cargo space is put at 9.9 cubic feet—6.7 cubic feet less than the Tiguan. The cargo area expands to 34.9 cubic feet when the split-fold rear seats are stowed.

By Greg Kable