Frankfurt preview: VW to debut rear-engine city car
The Tiguan is one of eight models making their Frankfurt debut.
Volkswagen is gearing up for Frankfurt and has no intention of disappointing the seething throngs of media-types when it lifts the curtain on its home turf. A total of eight new models will debut, including the Tiguan, six BlueMotion-equipped models and, most intriguing, a new micro car dubbed the City Expert that's equipped with a powerplant that "will beat where the flat-four 'Boxer' engine once did in the Beetle."
We've reported on rumors of a rear-engine vehicle in the past, and although it was easy to dismiss with a shrug, the market is ripe for an ultra-inexpensive model that VW claims is "sensationally flexible." That last part leaves us wondering what kind of body styles the City Expert will be available in, likely a three-door hatch, four-door sedan and five-door wagon. It's safe to expect that luggage space will be at a premium, considering the rear-mounted mill and the radiator, A/C and battery are likely to be fitted up front.
The real question is what kind of motor will fill the trunk, and rumors are beginning to circulate that two- and three-cylinder powerplants will provide motivation. We'll have to wait until next month rolls along to get all the official details, but in the meantime get your speculation caps on and read through the press release after the jump.
[Source: VW]
PRESS RELEASE
Volkswagen at the IAA 2007: Marketing campaign with eight world premieres
* SUV: World premiere of an agile Tiguan
* Prototype: World premiere of a slick City Expert
* BlueMotion: Six new models at a stroke
Wolfsburg, 01 August 2007 – Volkswagen will present its widest product range of all time at the International Automobile Exhibition (IAA) in Frankfurt (13th to 23rd September). Europe's no. 1 will be presenting over fifty models on view in Hall 3.0 – eight of them world premieres. One of the highlights: the Tiguan – an entirely new generation of SUV developed to complement the Touareg. And if all that's not enough: Volkswagen will respond to the official motto of this year's IAA – "see what's driving tomorrow" – with a prototype. The heart of this sensationally flexible City Expert will beat where the flat-four "Boxer" engine once did in the Beetle. When the gates open at the IAA, six new BlueMotion models will also make their debut. From 2008 onward Volkswagen will offer nine vehicles under the BlueMotion label.
Volkswagen will welcome visitors to the IAA in an exposition area of 9,000 square metres. The centrepiece of that will be the Tiguan. It is the world's first production model exclusively equipped with supercharged engines. It offers two particular advantages: lower fuel consumption and still fun to drive. Also new: the remarkably quiet four-cylinder diesel engine with common-rail injection. The two new TDIs produce 103 kW/140 PS and 125 kW/170 PS respectively. Both engines already conform to the Euro 5 exhaust standards that will be introduced in 2009. You will be able to "see what's driving tomorrow" here and now.
Moreover, Volkswagen will unveil six new BlueMotion models at the same time. Therefore, in the course of 2008, there will be at least nine BlueMotion models available. The Volkswagen BlueMotion environmental label will certainly become a byword for effective environmental protection. The versions already available – the Polo BlueMotion (3.8 litres of Diesel consumed per 100 km and 99 g/km CO2) and Passat BlueMotion (5.1 litres of Diesel consumed per 100 km and 136 g/km CO2) – have already redefined the standards of economy in their respective classes.
The Volkswagen press conference will be held on 11th September at 11.00 a.m. in Hall 3.0, on the Volkswagen stand. Dr. Martin Winterkorn will present the new Tiguan there, as well as the prototype of a future compact model
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mike 8:37AM (8/02/2007)
Is anyone else beginning to have trouble seeing where Audi ends and VW begins?
The push to move Audi upmarket has worked great...by doing the same with VW they are ditching their old customers and moving in on Audi's. VW's were known for reliability and cost (cheap). Now they are known for being unreliable baby Audi's. Doesn't make sense...
Reply
omar 9:26AM (8/02/2007)
That is so ture, Volkswagen is making more and more expensive cars and sharing more than ever with Audi in my opinion. Volkswagen and Audi are of the same comapny but they same to have a problem defining where one ends and the other begins. volkswagens have always been very unreliable and Audi was always worst even today.
Prof 9:38AM (8/02/2007)
When did VW decide it was a good idea to steal headlights from the Sebring?
Reply
Jason 5:17PM (8/02/2007)
Other way around. Sebring copied current Passat headlights.
DJ 9:37AM (8/02/2007)
I think we need to not think too North American here, and consider the rear engine configuration of the City Expert -- it will not come in 4-door sedan, not a flexible configuration at all. If VW has any brains/foresight at all, look for something reminiscent of the Beetle and along the lines of the Fiat 500, with the engine mounted low like the Smart For Two to preserve cargo space.
Reply
Keija 9:46AM (8/02/2007)
actually, volkswagen and Audi are moving away from each other by not sharing a platform accross all brands, but as audi has done, across the brands fleet.
Reply
Calguy 9:46AM (8/02/2007)
Just saw a few Tiguans in San Francisco (probably for an ad shoot). It's very small. Like, old Suzuki Sidekick 4door small. It almost could be the new city car.. except it will probably weigh 4000lbs and get 18mpg. Ick. Ditto on the Chrysler headlights. Definitely brings NOTHING new to the market. Maybe diesel eventually. Where is the innovation? A VW city car sounds great, please.
Reply
Dan 10:16AM (8/02/2007)
I love VWs. The Tiguan is only about 12 years late to the party. Toyota RAV4 is on their 3rd edition. I am sure the Tiguan is well made, rides probably great, and decent looking, but why so small? I know it's in the small category, but that will hurt sales right off the bat. At least it wasn't designed by Bangle.
Reply
DriverG 10:54AM (8/02/2007)
The funny thing about this is that the Smart was originally a VW project, talk about late to the party.
As much as I like Smarts, they haven't been nearly enough of a success to inspire so many imitations, unless car companies are really starting to brace for $100 a barrell oil.
Reply
Tiochristopher 2:08PM (8/02/2007)
VW's quality problems started with the 1964 acquisition of Audi/Auto Union. They bought the company to get water cooled front wheel drive tech. Anyone that owned a 1970's Audi could predict what would happen to VW in the reliablity area. Things haven't changed much in all these years. Still quality problems. They should have looked to Porsche more for engineering. IMO
Reply
James 4:42PM (8/02/2007)
The aquisition is what helped bring the Rabbit (Golf I) to fruition, with it's front wheel drive in '74 at a time when FWD wasn't very accepted by the public. The Rabbit became an excellent economical option when the beetle platform was starting to show it's age. The rabbit also
featured the highly reliable CIS fuel injection in '77. The Japanese were just starting to make a name, but their dealer network fell short until they had time to catch up.
"Things haven't changed much in all these years." -nothing could be farther from the truth.
Please enlighten us with the specific quality problems that began with Auto Union.
Reply
suvfan 4:08AM (8/03/2007)
For those who can not wait to see more from the Tiguan, here a Video with the two production modells: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS4N7-cvwsw and here some recent pics from Germany: http://de.sevenload.com/bilder/0kUmAnK/Tiguan-Shooting
Reply