VW Touran U.S. Release date?

I have been perusing the VW sites and cannot find an estimated date for the Touran TDI (van) release date for U.S. Does anyone know?

VW has no plans to offer the Touran -- ever -- to North America. Have you read otherwise somewhere else?

That darn VWoA company, this thing would sell like hot cakes with a TDI in in it in the US, am I wrong? I would definately buy one. Build it in Curtiba to keep costs down...

7 passengers and 40 MPG...

Edited to alter my entry of VWoA at the beginning...

I'm not so sure. Other mini-minivans in this market have either flopped (Nissan Axxess) or grown bigger in subsequent generations (Honda Odyssey, Mazda MPV).

Mazda 5 seems to do pretty well though.

The Touran is going to be built in Windsor, Ontario. The line at the Chrysler Minivan plant has already been updated for the VW (which is known as the RM).

From what I know they are supposed to have a 2.8L diesel. I am not sure if this is for Europe, since they have the 2.8L at TNAP for the Liberty but it is not Bin 5 Tier 2. All those vehicles are headed for Europe and the rest of the world.

The reason I say it is supposed to have the 2.8L is because on the engine rack for the 2.8L from VM Italy (I believe it's Italy) it has RM as one of the models labelled right on it.

Hopefully that brightens your days a bit. VW will have a diesel for NA, it's only a matter of time.

Really? The Touran will be built in Ontario?

Newspaper Headline: "Todd Stinks"
Quote from Todd: "Is your source reliable?"

If it is going to be call the Touran. I know that the line is now split with RT being the Daimler version, and RM being the VW version. The workers have been told that there will be totally different parts, that the only thing they share is the platform.

I'm not sure of the exact figure, but the Windsor plant had to invest like 2.3 or 3 million on their paint shop becuase VW is picky about the quality of their paint and processes.

Nobody has seen any parts yet, I will ask next time I meet with they guys that work there, but they were on shutdown.

I'm extremely curious to see what it looks like and what diesel will be offered. I'm not in the least bit interested in a gasser version.

Nice, check back with us when more is available.

Is VWoA going to sell the Daimler Chysler minivan under the Touran name? I would find that difficult to believe if that were the case but I guess now that the Golf is a Rabbit, anything goes... just make it a diesel and I know that a manual transmission is WAY too much to ask for on this so I won't even bother ( well, it is my wifes as well as my own preference with the manual and I would actually pay extra for it ), but a DSG would make sense now wouldn't it?

I too would love to see a manual tranny in this thing, but keep in mind that any manual tranny minivan is going to see its resale value plummet like a rock...as you eliminate about 3/4 of the soccer mom market with a manual box. On the other hand sporty gals like my wife have no trouble with a manual, but they are far and few between (so if you have one guys, hang on to 'er!).

Well I can say this that it is NOT the Daimler van. It's just the platform, basically the floorboard. Apparently DCX does this for another company in the US minivan plant. They just share the line.

This was the reason DCX had to invest so much into the plant, VW has higher standards, and they had to match them. I believe it will be only for the VW van, but I am not sure.

I will definately check back when I get more information.

Is this the small mini-van looking vehicle I've seen in Europe? I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure a tech. service advisor at Amesbury (Mass.) VW told me last week that VW is going to sell this model in the U.S. Maybe it was another model that starts with a T. I know he didn't say Tourag.

There is another thread on here from a reliable source that the DCX VW van will not have a VW drivetrain, thus it's not going to be anything worthwhile from my point of view, I'm predicting a flop actually, why would anyone buy the VW over the Chrysler version, especially if the best parts of a VW aren't even there...

The Touran is the minivan in Europe that you might have seen. Interior similar to the A5 chassis, really a very nice vehicle, everything I've heard says this won't ever make it here, if it did I would definately buy one.


Review and picture of the newest version of the Touran: ( my family really needs this van! )
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/13/paris-preview-vw-shows-off-the-new-touran/

Touran?

I rented a Touran on my 17 day trip to Western Europe last year and I have to say that I was not very impressed. The interior was more like a Dodge Caliber than my Jetta... We had the 90HP 6 speed and on the autobahn it was almost dangerous when trying to pass a diesel truck. It was also very easy to stall because of the tall first gear (it took a day or so to get comfortable with).

On the other hand it was fairly practical with all of the storage compartments scattered around and it got respectable fuel mileage.

If if it is sold here for sub-$20K with a slightly more powerful engine it may do ok, but I do not think that this is how it will be if it is imported...

My advice:
If you like the Touran just buy a Jetta TDI sport wagon and you will only suffer a bit of headroom because you will probably not use the rear seats.

Snake

cool I want 3

I'll take the Touran any day over a Jetta wagon, I'm AOK with the 90hp too.

ditto

Me also! I rented a Touran TDI on a vacation in France and the Alps. Best minivan I've ever driver, our North American minivans are not in the same class at all.

The Touran with a small TDI engine makes so much sense, it's roomy, comfy and not much less fun to drive then a car like the Jetta wagon. I'd certainly buy one before the upcoming Sportwagen if they offered it. Funny so many people in forums interested in buying fuel efficient mini vans or wagon version of cars but our car companies hide behind the fiction that people in North America are only interested big powerful engines...

Consumers are changing their purchases today but the last decade or so GM and Ford made lots of money on that big motor/auto fiction. Change takes time. I see GM announced $890million profit today mostly from nondomestic operations (china, etc).

Fresh out of todays Windsor Star from the front page:

Tom LaSorda, the Windsor native who is vice-chairman and president of The New Chrysler, confirmed for the first time Windsor Assembly will build a minivan for Volkswagen, to be badged as a VW.

There you have it. It looks like Jan 08 before anyone will see any of these coming around. If I see some of the first builds around I will snap pics of them and post them.

I have seen the Touran in Europe over the past two summers and I have thought that they would go quite well here in the US.

If they are bringing a minivan over I hope it is the Touran and not the Sharan (larger - like other minivans currently in the US) and that a TDI motor is an option. Otherwise, I wouldn't get too excited...