NEW TIGUAN R-LINE STUDY UNVEILED AHEAD OF UK LAUNCH

The new Volkswagen Tiguan compact 4x4 is set to go on sale in February powered by a choice of advanced new TSI petrol and common rail diesel engines. Just ahead of its arrival in the UK Volkswagen Individual has unveiled the Tiguan R-Line design study at the Essen Motor Show – a subtly aggressive styling exercise demonstrating the potential for a range-topping Tiguan.

Established in 2003 and based in Wolfsburg, Individual is an engineering department wholly owned by Volkswagen and is responsible for special projects including the Golf R32 and the BlueMotion range of vehicles.

Individual’s influence on the Tiguan R-Line extends to a set of 19-inch multi-spoke wheels, a unique set of front and rear bumpers, subtle wheel arch extensions and colour-coded sills. The grille section is also new and features a pair of split chrome bars.

Inside the R-Line adds to the Tiguan’s already extensive list of standard equipment. Unique sports seats and a flat bottomed multifunction steering wheel distinguish the R-Line from the conventional vehicle.

The standard Tiguan goes on sale in the UK in February powered initially by a choice of 150 PS TSI petrol and 140 PS, common rail, TDI diesel engines. In summer 2008 these will be joined by a new 170 PS TDI engine and a range-topping 200 PS TSI variant. All Tiguans feature the advanced Haldex 4MOTION all-wheel drive system.

The R-Line model is likely to be sold in the UK as the new range-topping trim level similar to the popular Altitude line-up currently applied to the Touareg model. Prices for the standard Tiguan are set to start at £19,370 RRP on the road for the entry-level 1.4-litre TSI before rising to £23,750 for the 2.0-litre TDI model equipped with a six-speed Tiptronic gearbox.

VOLKSWAGEN SPACE UP! CONCEPT UNVEILED AT TOKYO MOTOR SHOW

The Tokyo Motor Show today saw the debut of the space up! – the latest concept vehicle to join the Volkswagen up! small car family.

The space up! takes its inspiration from the up! concept vehicle which was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show last month. Modest external dimensions belie the vehicle’s versatility. Its spacious interior features four individual seats, three of which can either be folded or removed completely to allow for up to 1,005 litres of luggage space.

Access to the boot area in confined spaces is made easier through the adoption of a pair of side hinging rear doors intersected by a Volkswagen roundel. As with the up! concept the space up! features a translucent panel at the rear into which are set the car’s high-intensity LED brake lights.

The space up! concept was penned by a team led by Chief Designer of the Volkswagen Group, Walter de Silva. It shares many traits in common with the up! including the simple, cohesive lines running through the vehicle. In the space up! the wheelbase extended to 2,560 mm to improve interior space while each of the 165/50 R18 wheels is pushed as far into each corner of the vehicle as possible. The overall length of the space up! grows by 230 mm and the height by 40 mm when compared with the up! concept. Despite the gains in size the space up! is still 150 mm shorter in length than the current smallest Volkswagen model, the Fox.

Walter de Silva commented: ‘The space up! offers maximum space on the smallest of platforms. Despite the character of the car we have avoided superfluous gimmicks of any kind. This has created a very confident design.’

As with the up! concept, the space up! features a small compartment at the rear for an engine – be it petrol, diesel or electric. Above this space is a luggage area which is complemented by the addition of a further stowage cubby under the bonnet. This space can be extended through a removable panel in the passenger footwell to allow for awkward loads.

The simplistic approach to the exterior design is reflected in the vehicle’s interior. Access is granted through unique butterfly doors hinged on the A and C pillars allowing for uninterrupted access to the front and rear seats. Clean surfaces are joined by intuitive and highly advanced touchscreen panels through which both climate and entertainment functions can be accessed. The screen in front of the driver relays information on the vehicle’s critical systems as well as instantaneous readings of the levels of CO2 being emitted by the vehicle.

Development of production versions of the up! family of vehicles is already underway with the aim of bringing a road-going version to the market before the end of the decade.