BleachedBora
Vendor , w/Business number
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2003
- Location
- Gresham, Oregon
- TDI
- '81 DMC-12, '15 GL350 CDI 275 hp/448 tq - '81 Caddy CJAA, '05 E320 CDI 250hp/450 tq, '23 ID4 AWD Pro S Plus
As seen here:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4297474.html
December 30, 2008
CLICK TO ENLARGE
2009 Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI
CLICK TO ENLARGE
2009 Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI
CLICK TO ENLARGE
2009 Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI
CLICK TO ENLARGE
VW TDI Touareg Baja 1000 unlimited Trophy Truck class
2009 Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI Test Drive: So. Cal. to Baja Road Trip with a Clean Diesel Engine
ENSENADA, MEXICO — The Volkswagen Touareg was a latecomer to the SUV game, debuting as a 2004 model in a booming sport-ute market that was encouraged by relatively cheap fuel. A handful of V10 TDI Touaregs became available in the U.S., but the car's monster torque was accompanied by a high price tag and less than stellar emissions—not exactly the best of both worlds.
Four years later, things have changed. Clean diesel technology offers big torque and low emissions in a package whose only drawback seems to be the uncertainty of diesel prices. The new Jetta TDI paved the way with Prius-beating fuel economy, so we were excited to put the 2009 Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI to the test.
To gauge how it handles a long-distance drive, we road-tripped from Los Angeles to Ensenada, Mexico for the 41st annual running of the Baja 1000, where a highly modified VW TDI Touareg was scheduled to run in the unlimited Trophy Truck class. The action in the dirt was exciting. But the civilian V6 TDI offered a revealing look at how next-gen clean-diesel technology can make long trips in a large vehicle efficient, and fun too. —Basem Wasef
The Specs
Unlike the monster V10 TDI engine in past Touaregs, the 2009 Touareg V6 TDI model is equipped with a reasonably sized 3.0-liter V6 that uses an advanced DeNOx emissions system. Its common rail-injection system uses piezo units operating at nearly 29,000 psi, with eight-hole nozzles designed to introduce tiny amounts of diesel fuel for combustion. The direct-injection system works in conjunction with an intercooled turbocharger, and quick-start heater plugs are capable of hitting 1800 degrees Fahrenheit within 2 seconds.
Nitrogen oxide from combustion is cleaned up using urea that's sprayed into the exhaust stream before exhaust gases hit the DeNOx catalyst. The solution is called AdBlue, a trademarked formulation of synthetically produced aqueous solution that's nontoxic, odorless and biodegradable, according to VW. Adblue is stored in a 4.5-gal tank underneath the spare tire. It is sprayed continuously and metered according to the amount of exhaust gas produced by the engine; your Adblue consumption will vary based on how aggressively you drive, but the system is intended to be filled up at VW dealerships during regularly scheduled maintenance.
The V6 produces 221 hp and 407 lb-ft of torque, enough twist to placate most enthusiasts who pine for the late, great V10 model. Expect 60 mph to be reached in about 8.5 seconds, with an electronic speed limiter kicking in at a healthy 130 mph. Because nitrogen-oxide emissions are reduced by up to 90 percent, Volkswagen claims that "the engine's exhaust gases are cleaner than the air it breaths in," though we're suspecting that claim might vary depending on what city you're in. The V6 TDI is EPA-rated at 17 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and meets Tier 2, Bin 5/ULEV II standards.
The diesel powerplant is mated with a six-speed automatic transmission and permanent four-wheel drive with adaptive torque distribution. The Touareg's unibody construction meets continuous damping control through a four-corner, adjustable air suspension system. Six adjustable ride heights can be dialed in from the cabin, and three adjustable damping settings can also be manually adjusted. The Touareg V6 TDI comes standard with six airbags and an advanced tire pressure monitoring system. Techy options include adaptive cruise control with a forward collision warning system and active braking and acceleration. An available side-scan lane-change assistant warns the driver of vehicles in blind spots.
The Drive
Depending on time of day, the arteries that connect Los Angeles and Ensenada, Mexico, can be clogged with travelers or pleasantly wide open. During our early afternoon, midweek drive we encountered some slowdowns as we traveled through Orange County, but once past the Orange Curtain, traffic along Interstate 5 moved briskly. In fact, the flow of cars was so brisk at some points that it became difficult to test the V6 TDI's fuel economy. It's tough to remain economy-minded when cars blast past at 85 mph.
The Touareg's five-passenger cabin is roomy and quiet at highway speeds. In the best conditions—constant-speed traveling with cruise control engaged—we pulled an impressive 29.3 mpg from the diesel V6, according to the onboard digital trip computer. We would have preferred to measure our consumption the old-fashioned way (by filling up and dividing the gallons used by the miles driven), but our incremental use of fuel coupled with the Touareg V6 TDI's gargantuan 26.4-gal fuel tank wouldn't have produced a particularly accurate reading. Some more disciplined long-distance drivers have reported over 30 miles per gallon from the V6 TDI, which is believable since our 65-mile-per-hour pace wasn't the optimum speed for fuel economy.
On those brief lower-speed drives—after stopping for food—we got a tantalizing taste of the Touareg's torque, which pulls this heavy SUV like a big-block V8. And it does press your back into the seat under hard acceleration as a much larger engine would. It's satisfying in a way that hybrids seldom are.
Driving past the border and along the ribbon of highway that winds along the coast of Baja California, the Touareg was well-mannered, if a bit heavy feeling. Though a curb-weight figure has yet to be released for the TDI version, the car felt sure-footed, but not quite nimble enough to dance through a curvy canyon like, say, a smaller crossover.
The Bottom Line
Our drive to Mexico and back in a Touareg V6 TDI required few fill-ups. In fact, after several hundred miles we still had nearly two-thirds of a tank of fuel left. If we maintained our 65-mph cruising speed while getting the indicated 29.3 mpg, we could have traveled nearly 800 miles on a single tank of gas—not bad for an off-road-capable 5000-plus-pound SUV.
As for Volkswagen's participation at the Baja 1000, its Touareg TDI prototype made history as the first-ever Trophy Truck to run using clean-diesel technology. While its V12 (which produces 550 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque) ran without a hitch, a defective gearbox seal challenged the Arciero Miller Racing team, ultimately resulting in a 13th-place finish. It's a respectable showing for a newcomer, considering the rigors of Baja, and the Touareg TDI will hopefully encourage more clean-diesel technology in race-bred vehicles.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4297474.html
December 30, 2008
CLICK TO ENLARGE
2009 Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI
CLICK TO ENLARGE
2009 Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI
CLICK TO ENLARGE
2009 Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI
CLICK TO ENLARGE
VW TDI Touareg Baja 1000 unlimited Trophy Truck class
2009 Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI Test Drive: So. Cal. to Baja Road Trip with a Clean Diesel Engine
ENSENADA, MEXICO — The Volkswagen Touareg was a latecomer to the SUV game, debuting as a 2004 model in a booming sport-ute market that was encouraged by relatively cheap fuel. A handful of V10 TDI Touaregs became available in the U.S., but the car's monster torque was accompanied by a high price tag and less than stellar emissions—not exactly the best of both worlds.
Four years later, things have changed. Clean diesel technology offers big torque and low emissions in a package whose only drawback seems to be the uncertainty of diesel prices. The new Jetta TDI paved the way with Prius-beating fuel economy, so we were excited to put the 2009 Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI to the test.
To gauge how it handles a long-distance drive, we road-tripped from Los Angeles to Ensenada, Mexico for the 41st annual running of the Baja 1000, where a highly modified VW TDI Touareg was scheduled to run in the unlimited Trophy Truck class. The action in the dirt was exciting. But the civilian V6 TDI offered a revealing look at how next-gen clean-diesel technology can make long trips in a large vehicle efficient, and fun too. —Basem Wasef
The Specs
Unlike the monster V10 TDI engine in past Touaregs, the 2009 Touareg V6 TDI model is equipped with a reasonably sized 3.0-liter V6 that uses an advanced DeNOx emissions system. Its common rail-injection system uses piezo units operating at nearly 29,000 psi, with eight-hole nozzles designed to introduce tiny amounts of diesel fuel for combustion. The direct-injection system works in conjunction with an intercooled turbocharger, and quick-start heater plugs are capable of hitting 1800 degrees Fahrenheit within 2 seconds.
Nitrogen oxide from combustion is cleaned up using urea that's sprayed into the exhaust stream before exhaust gases hit the DeNOx catalyst. The solution is called AdBlue, a trademarked formulation of synthetically produced aqueous solution that's nontoxic, odorless and biodegradable, according to VW. Adblue is stored in a 4.5-gal tank underneath the spare tire. It is sprayed continuously and metered according to the amount of exhaust gas produced by the engine; your Adblue consumption will vary based on how aggressively you drive, but the system is intended to be filled up at VW dealerships during regularly scheduled maintenance.
The V6 produces 221 hp and 407 lb-ft of torque, enough twist to placate most enthusiasts who pine for the late, great V10 model. Expect 60 mph to be reached in about 8.5 seconds, with an electronic speed limiter kicking in at a healthy 130 mph. Because nitrogen-oxide emissions are reduced by up to 90 percent, Volkswagen claims that "the engine's exhaust gases are cleaner than the air it breaths in," though we're suspecting that claim might vary depending on what city you're in. The V6 TDI is EPA-rated at 17 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and meets Tier 2, Bin 5/ULEV II standards.
The diesel powerplant is mated with a six-speed automatic transmission and permanent four-wheel drive with adaptive torque distribution. The Touareg's unibody construction meets continuous damping control through a four-corner, adjustable air suspension system. Six adjustable ride heights can be dialed in from the cabin, and three adjustable damping settings can also be manually adjusted. The Touareg V6 TDI comes standard with six airbags and an advanced tire pressure monitoring system. Techy options include adaptive cruise control with a forward collision warning system and active braking and acceleration. An available side-scan lane-change assistant warns the driver of vehicles in blind spots.
The Drive
Depending on time of day, the arteries that connect Los Angeles and Ensenada, Mexico, can be clogged with travelers or pleasantly wide open. During our early afternoon, midweek drive we encountered some slowdowns as we traveled through Orange County, but once past the Orange Curtain, traffic along Interstate 5 moved briskly. In fact, the flow of cars was so brisk at some points that it became difficult to test the V6 TDI's fuel economy. It's tough to remain economy-minded when cars blast past at 85 mph.
The Touareg's five-passenger cabin is roomy and quiet at highway speeds. In the best conditions—constant-speed traveling with cruise control engaged—we pulled an impressive 29.3 mpg from the diesel V6, according to the onboard digital trip computer. We would have preferred to measure our consumption the old-fashioned way (by filling up and dividing the gallons used by the miles driven), but our incremental use of fuel coupled with the Touareg V6 TDI's gargantuan 26.4-gal fuel tank wouldn't have produced a particularly accurate reading. Some more disciplined long-distance drivers have reported over 30 miles per gallon from the V6 TDI, which is believable since our 65-mile-per-hour pace wasn't the optimum speed for fuel economy.
On those brief lower-speed drives—after stopping for food—we got a tantalizing taste of the Touareg's torque, which pulls this heavy SUV like a big-block V8. And it does press your back into the seat under hard acceleration as a much larger engine would. It's satisfying in a way that hybrids seldom are.
Driving past the border and along the ribbon of highway that winds along the coast of Baja California, the Touareg was well-mannered, if a bit heavy feeling. Though a curb-weight figure has yet to be released for the TDI version, the car felt sure-footed, but not quite nimble enough to dance through a curvy canyon like, say, a smaller crossover.
The Bottom Line
Our drive to Mexico and back in a Touareg V6 TDI required few fill-ups. In fact, after several hundred miles we still had nearly two-thirds of a tank of fuel left. If we maintained our 65-mph cruising speed while getting the indicated 29.3 mpg, we could have traveled nearly 800 miles on a single tank of gas—not bad for an off-road-capable 5000-plus-pound SUV.
As for Volkswagen's participation at the Baja 1000, its Touareg TDI prototype made history as the first-ever Trophy Truck to run using clean-diesel technology. While its V12 (which produces 550 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque) ran without a hitch, a defective gearbox seal challenged the Arciero Miller Racing team, ultimately resulting in a 13th-place finish. It's a respectable showing for a newcomer, considering the rigors of Baja, and the Touareg TDI will hopefully encourage more clean-diesel technology in race-bred vehicles.