THE VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG R50 is the German brand’s flagship Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).

It is powered by a 4.9-litre V10 turbocharged diesel engine. This unit produces a maximum of 350bhp and an astounding 850Nm of torque at a low 2,000rpm.

0-100km/h is achieved in 6.7 seconds and the top speed is 235km/h. A six-speed automatic gearbox is standard.

Taking its speed and size into account, the R50’s fuel consumption of 7.9km/litre is remarkable, given that the much less sporty 3.6-litre petrol records 7.4km/litre.

The R50 is distinguished from its lesser siblings by 21-inch alloy wheels, blue painted brake calipers, flared wheel-arches, side skirts, new bumpers, and a tweaked grille in matte chrome.

It also has lowered suspension which reduces its height to 1703mm down 22mm from the 3.6’s 1725mm.

The interior has R50 logos integrated into the headrests, side sill plates and gear lever. Other features of the cabin include heavily bolstered seats and metal caps for the accelerator and brake pedals.

The R50’s introduction comes on the back of the cuts made to diesel taxes which came into effect on 1 July. The large SUV will attract a yearly road tax of $8,465 which is lesser than the $31,703 payable before the changes made to the diesel tax structure.

THE TIMES THEY are a-changing, and this is the sign. Volkswagen Group Singapore (VGS), the first manufacturer to have its own dealership here is now also amongst the first to launch a range of diesel passenger cars too.

Volkswagen is one of the market leaders for diesel passenger cars in Europe, and such is the popularity of diesels over there that they encompass more than 50% of the market share for passenger cars.

Such are the advancements in diesel technology, such as Volkswagen’s Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) that most diesel engines can now outperform equivalent capacity petrol engines for power, torque and fuel efficiency.

“Diesel is the way to the future, and one of the best alternative fuels available now,” said Dr Olaf Duebel, Managing Director of VGS. “With the revision of diesel here in Singapore, it’s time to let Singaporeans know that Volkswagen can offer diesel passenger cars that are clean, powerful and fun to drive.”

Two of the three vehicles to be launched illustrate this well: the Polo Bluemotion 1.4 TDI and Touareg R50 TDI. The Polo Bluemotion boasts one of the lowest fuel consumption figures at 22.2km/l and a carbon dioxide emission of 99g/km, which is lower than many hybrid cars.

Bluemotion is Volkswagen’s family of efficient and economic versions of it’s regular passenger cars, and “represent the brand’s commitment to the environment.” It encompasses optimising vehicle efficiency as a whole, including engine tweaks, aerodynamic improvements and weight reduction.

On the flipside is the eye opening Touareg R50, which belongs to the R family of cars tuned by performance arm Volkswagen Individual. The R50 is the only diesel car in the line up with a monstrous 5.0-litre V10 TDI engine that generates 350bhp and an astounding 850Nm of torque. The third diesel car to make it debut is the 225bhp 3.0-litre V6 TDI Touareg.

Dr Duebel admitted that the introduction of diesel cars here was a bold step for the company to take. “We have had good experience introducing diesel technology to the region, such as in Taiwan in 2004. We have to educate the customers first before they understand the benefits of diesel. It’s very hard to predict. It could go slow in the first year or it could really explode, who knows? But we believe strongly in the efficiency of our diesel and petrol technologies.”

Prices for Volkswagen’s diesel passenger cars is as follows:
Touareg 3.0 V6 - $188,300 with COE
Touareg R50 - $298,000 with COE
Polo Bluemotion - $85,800 with COE

de Silva’s design brief states his desire to include the elements of a typical grand tourer: long front, short, flowing rear and sculpted sides. Arguably he’s achieved his goal because by any standards, the Audi A5 is a very handsome vehicle.

Highlights of the design include strong shoulder lines which flow all the way from the rear to the signature wedge-shaped Audi grille, flanked by two air-intakes and a kinked front lip spoiler.
No sharp angular bootlids, or overly-pointy front ends to ruin the façade, although the oval fog-lamps do look slightly out of place. The sloping roofline is a definite bonus, giving the A5 the low-slung, ‘going fast while standing still’ look.

In fact it looks like a stretched-out TT, a car which looked sort of like a squashed egg from some angles and now the overall effect achieved is balance.

The family resemblance doesn’t stop there though. Perhaps one criticism that could be leveled at the A5 is that it looks exactly like the new A4 from straight on. But it’s a minor point really, and once you look at the GT curves on the side there’s no mistaking it for anything else.

The car is the successor of the Megane R26, and like it, is also manufactured as a limited edition model in Dieppe, France, which is also where Renault’s Formula One racing cars are constructed.

A small metal plate is fixed to the car’s centre console detailing the R27’s origins and production number, and the car itself is actually a further tweak of the Renault’s Clio 197 hot hatch.

If you’re more used to the garish bodykitting and mecha-inspired angularity of Japanese performance cars, the R27 might be a tad disappointing when you first see it in the flesh. It’s got huge 17-inch rims and bold Brembo brake calipers beneath them, but the styling on the rest of the body doesn’t exactly mark it as a car that is capable of standing head and shoulders above the rest of the pack.

Blame it on the local aftermarket bodykit scene then, as the front fender vents and rear diffuser that is supposed to make the R27 look special can already be found tacked on to garden variety small hatchbacks all over the neighbourhood.

But nobody’s going to able to replicate the bits that make the R27 the truly special, which include just about everything beneath the bodywork.

Then there are the real MPVs, large enough to fit even adults and still have room to spare. Leave it to the Americans, who love all things big and bold, to come up with one of the largest MPVs that money can buy.

The Chrysler Grand Voyager will be a familiar name to anyone who has ever looked around for something bigger than the average run-of-the-mill MPV, and the latest generation car brings everything bang up to date to keep the backseat passengers riding around in cool comfort.

Taken in the context of the automotive world, manufacturers have been known to cull favourable qualities by studying the best in the business while retaining their own core attributes in their quest to create a car that will be a hit with the buying crowd.

The Germans seem to have set the standard when it comes to making cars. And the other car manufacturers of the world are in hot pursuit to equal or better them. Peugeot is no exception and the company’s latest offering shows a fervent desire by them to beat the Germans at their own game. Gone are the flimsy interior plastics and the cosseting ride quality with Teutonic solidity and firm suspension being the order of the day.

Exterior wise, the 308 looks like what a proper Peugeot would and loses none of the distinctive design details that have graced the brand’s current range of cars. The front is dominated by large tapered headlamps and a gaping maw of an air intake while the rear has a bustle back shape. It looks like an enlarged version of the 207 compact hatchback but the design when translated to the larger car has lost much of the perky chic-ness that made its smaller sibling a head turner. In fact, it looks a little bloated and bulbous from some angles.

MASERATI’S SPORTIER VERSION of the Quattroporte is making a quick stopover in Singapore, months ahead of its official debut in November.

A left-hand drive example of the Quattroporte S is currently in the hands of Maserati importer Hong Seh Motors, and is available for customers to preview until September, when it will be shipped off to another market, most likely Hong Kong.

The car is a 4.7-litre version of the Quattroporte, Italy’s answer to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

The ‘S’ suffix denotes sportiness, which accounts for the car’s uprated brakes, extra power and 19-inch alloys (up an inch over the standard model, although Maserati offers extra sick customers optional 20-inch wheels to think about).

While the standard Quattroporte is powered by a 4.2-litre V8 with 400bhp, the Quattroporte S gets a modified version of the V8 from the GranTurismo S, tuned for 430bhp.

It drops the 0 to 100km/h time by 0.2 seconds to 5.4 seconds, driving the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic, and bumps up top speed to 280km/h, a 10km/h increase.

At the same time, the preview car gives customers an advance look at minor updates to the Quattroporte itself.

A facelift gives the car a new grille with vertical slats (a la the GranTurismo), while the front and rear lamps incorporate LEDs. A reprofiled front end gives the nose a slightly more aggressive shape, which actually adds a bit of length to the car.

All new Quattroportes will be equipped with satellite navigation, as well.

Hong Seh expects most Quattroporte customers to opt for the S model, despite its $485,000 price tag giving it a $65,000 price premium over the standard 4.2 model.

Apart from the extra go-faster goodies, one extra feature will help distinguish the Quattroporte S from the regular model here. “If you want to spot an S, it will have a sunroof. It’s standard on the Quattroporte S here, so look out for it,” says a source from Hong Seh. “That, and the
faster way the driver is going…”