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Volkswagen Touran available to order now ahead of January launch

30th November 2006 Print
Volkswagen Touran

Volkswagen has announced prices for its new Touran and released the car for ordering ahead of the on sale date of 5 January 2007. Prices start at £14,750 on the road RRP for the entry-level S 1.6-litre 102 PS and rise to £23,310 for the range-topping Sport 2.0-litre TDI DPF 170 PS with DSG gearbox.

As part of a comprehensive revision, Volkswagen’s compact MPV gains new styling, engines and technology, while building on the virtues of the successful current seven-seater Touran. A fresh Volkswagen ‘face’ is adopted for the new Touran, with revised lights similar to those on the Eos coupé cabriolet as well as a new bumper and grille section. At the rear, the lights and bumper have also been modified and updated to give a fresh and modern look. Inside, the Touran gains new trim and materials, including a stainless steel finish to the dials and upgraded standard equipment.

The Touran was always renowned for its safety features, and the new model takes this a step further. It is fitted as standard with front, side and head airbags as well as ABS and ESP (Electronic Stabilisation Programme) with a counter-steering feature which can reduce stopping distances by up to ten per cent.

Another innovation is ParkAssist which uses a series of sensors mounted on the front, rear and side of the Touran to plot the ideal manoeuvring path into a parallel space either to the right or left of the vehicle. Once engaged the system, through audible warnings and visual displays, carries out the necessary steering inputs while the driver simply controls the throttle and brake inputs. The whole operation takes less than 15 seconds. This feature will become an option from spring.

The model line-up remains as before with S, SE and Sport. All models have – among a host of items – 15-inch alloy wheels, CD player, air conditioning, remote control central locking and cruise control; SE adds 16-inch alloy wheels, alarm and body-coloured trims; Sport gains CD autochanger, tinted glass from the B-pillar back, aluminium interior trim and rear parking sensors as standard.

A new engine line-up comprises six units – two petrol and four diesel. These are the 1.6-litre 102 PS; 1.4-litre TSI 140 PS with optional DSG gearbox; 1.9-litre TDI 90 and 105 PS; 2.0-litre TDI 140 PS with optional DSG; and 2.0-litre TDI 170 PS with DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and optional DSG. Over 85 per cent of Touran buyers will opt for a diesel engine, with the best-selling model expected to be the S 1.9-litre TDI 105 PS, priced at £16,275.

Since its launch in August 2003, the Touran has been extremely successful with over 37,000 units sold. It competes in the compact MPV sector which accounted for around 210,000 units in 2005. The Touran continues to be produced at the Wolfsburg factory in Germany. Volkswagen UK expects to sell around 10,750 Tourans in a year.

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Volkswagen Touran