VW goes a-huntin', BMW style

Newswheel staff :: 05 November 2005 :: Filed under Four wheel drive, Saloon, SUV, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Jetta, Volkswagen Passat, Volkswagen Toureg, US,

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Wraps come off a range of high perfromance Volkswagen concepts

Volkswagen has unveiled a trio of BMW M Power-bashing concepts at the SEMA aftermarket show in the US. The German car maker also revealed plans to design cars specifically for the North American market. All three show cars pack a highly tuned, twin-turbo version of VW’s narrow angle V6 and 4MOTION all-wheel drive.

Toureg R-GT
First up is slammed, 500bhp Toureg SUV. Along with the blown 3.2-litre V6, upgrades include KW Variant 3-way coilover suspension, Brembo brakes and humongo-ginormous 22-inch custom-built, forged-aluminium,…pause for breath…mono-block Avus wheels. Yikes.

Passat R-GT
The Passat R-GT, meanwhile, packs the same twin-turbo V6 but with even more aggressive Garrett GT25R ball-bearing turbochargers and improved intercooling. The result is an extra 75 bhp and therefore a slightly silly total of 575bhp. Drive goes to all four wheels (19-inch titanium anodized items, in this case) via VW’s twin-clutch paddle shift DSG gearbox.

Jetta R-GT
Finally, the Jetta R-GT has to make do with just 550bhp, again transmitted courtesy of the DSG box and 4MOTION all-wheel drivetrain. Likewise, the KW suspension and Brembo brake upgrades make another appearance, while the wheels are positively puny 19-inch forged-aluminium plates. The Jetta R-GT also boasts wider tracks front and rear and flared wheel arches.

Although unlikely to make production, the new boss of VW America, Brit Adrian Hallmark, confirmed the three cars represent the first step by VW towards a range of high performance models to take on BMW’s M Power range. That said, we doubt the real deals will have the SEMA-friendly aftermarket feel of these concepts. We also wonder whether a range of R-GT V-Dubs might not clash with stablemate Audi’s S and RS models. Then again, Volkswagen has made fine art in recent years out of cannibalising its own sales by launching overlapping products in several niches from its many European brands.

Hallmark also said VW’s 18-month Moonraker project, set up to investigate how VWs can better appeal to US buyers, was due to wrap up towards the end of 2005. Unique models for the US market are likely to follow within the next few years, Hallmark hinted. However, it’s far from clear whether these US specials will be all-new cars or merely tweaked variants of VW’s Euro range.

Linkage:
Full VW press release (via WorldCarFans)
The Car Connection (SEMA round up)