Automotive Reviews
Emmy Jackson
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Posts by Emmy Jackson
2008 Volkswagen R32
01387 days
So what is the engine story? Simple. The R32 is equipped with a naturally aspirated 3.2 liter V6 making 250 horsepower. With the standard all-wheel drive and awesome Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) manumatic, the R32 is good for a 6.5-second 0-60 run. The numbers don’t tell the whole story, though; it’s true that there are several other performance cars that would happily trounce this $32,000 glorified Rabbit. Very few of them, however, can return the R32′s brand of torquey poise. There’s no turbocharger under the hood; the R32 makes its power through the old-fashioned method of displacement. The 3.2 liter V6 is a DOHC, 24-valve unit with variable valve timing. At idle, a menacing burble from the centered dual exhaust is the only clue that the R32 has something special going on. Out on the road, there’s serious acceleration available at just about any engine speed. It lacks the visceral punch of the turbocharged Japanese all-wheel drivers, as well as giving up a measure of horsepower to them, but the tradeoff is a high performance car that’s easier to live with. The R32 is manageable when you want it to be, and a high-performance demon when theneed arises. The DSG’s instantaneous twin-clutch engagement allows for selective gear-changes as quick as a manual transmissions–the only thing missing is the fun of manipulating a clutch pedal.
A wider track and lowered suspension give the R32 a more intense ride than the rest of the Rabbit line. The setup is the same–MacPherson struts up front and a multilink independent rear–but tuned to reduce body roll. The R32 offers a firm ride with tenacious grip. It doesn’t like rough roads, but the all-wheel drive improves stability if not ride comfort. The weather offered up some very un-sportscar-friendly black ice during the week I spent with the R32, and the dangerous roads proved to be no problem for the hot Volkswagen. When things finally warmed up so that it was merely damp, the R32′s flat cornering and brakeforce distribution made it possible to play on some of my favorite roads without fear. The Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) stability control works with the all-wheel drive to ensure sure-footed performance.
It may have the familiar combination of big horsepower and all-wheel drive, but the R32 is something quite different from the other compact performers out there. This is reflected in the design, which at a glance isn’t that different from the Rabbit on which the R32 is based. The familiar one-box design is upgraded with a central dual exhaust at the rear and a chrome grille up front. A body-colored roof spoiler and bumpers are accented with R32 badges and xenon headlamps. Unique 18-inch, 20-spoke wheels and brakes with distinctive blue calipers round out the R32 appearance package. It doesn’t stand out much on the road, especially when compared to the big spoilers and wings found on other compact performance flagships. The R32 trades on its reputation rather than its looks.
The interior is equally subtle. The R32 gets a flat-bottomed racing-style steering wheel and body-hugging sport seats, but then so does the GTI. Only “R” badges and special hand-turned style dash trim set it apart visually. This isn’t a bad thing however, as the standard Rabbit’s interior is already comfortable and well-trimmed as it is. The R32 difference is mainly in the equipment; automatic climate control, a six-disc CD changer, rain-sensing wipers, and heated seats are standard equipment. A navigation system is available, though the controls are challenging to master.
Critics will be quick to point out that the R32 is less powerful and has a lower ultimate performance limit than a number of cars which cost significantly less. This is true, but this is also one of those cars about which the numbers can’t tell the whole story. The R32 offers exceptional performance in a more reserved package, one that doesn’t constantly leave you feeling as though you’re driving a special stage in a World Rally competition. The R32 can be driven like a normal car, if you’d like, and the subtle design modifications mean that it only shows off when it really wants to. For some drivers, that will be enough to justify the price premium. The cost is a significant thing, too; R32 pricing starts at $32,990, and as a limited-edition model it’s not going to be common on the dealer lots, either. Odds are that a significant percentage of the production run has already been snapped up by eager Volkswagen loyalists.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2008 Volkswagen R32.
Length: 167.2 in.
Width: 69.2 in.
Height: 57.7. in.
Wheelbase: 101.5 in.
Curb weight: 3547 lb.
Cargo space: 9.7 cu.ft. (seats up); 43.4 cu.ft. (seats folded)
Base price: $32,990
Price as tested: $35,430
Engine: 3.2 liter DOHC V6
Drivetrain: six-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 250 @ 6300
Torque: 236 @ 2500-3000
Fuel capacity: 14.5 gal.
Est. mileage: 18/23
2008 Subaru Outback
01387 days
Back in the day, the family car was expected to do everything–it wasn’t uncommon to see mattresses or furniture strapped to the roofs of sedans, or sports cars struggling through the snow in the dead of winter. In the new millennium, however, we’ve got an automotive landscape that’s diversified and specialized, and there’s a car, truck or SUV suited for just about every task you could imagine.
So where does that leave the old-fashioned do-all? Well, as it turns out, that’s a class of car that’s evolved along with everything else. In the Thirties, the ubiquitous Ford Model A was the car that could do just about anything. In 2008, cars like the Subaru Outback continue to fill that role. Freshened for 2008, the Outback is a road car, an off-road vehicle, a family sedan, and a cargo carrier. It’s even reasonably fun to drive, within its limits. For 2008, it gets a comprehensive round of updates to its styling, powertrain, suspension and interior.
Visually, the Outback hasn’t changed much. It sports a wedgy profile and tapered, boatlike prow that take some of the stodginess out of the station-wagon silhouette. The Outback’s face has been tweaked front and rear with a larger grille and newly stretched headlights. Overall the car’s familiar look has been smoothed and subtly modernized. Fans of the odd-duck Outback sedan will be disappointed to hear that the high-riding AWD four-door has been discontinued for 2008.
Much work has been done with the interior. The instrument panel is all new, with a fresh layout that borrows a bit from sports sedans. Black trim figures heavily into it, but a lighter lower section keeps the interior from resembling a cave. The available navigation system is nicely integrated into the dash front and center, and easy-to-read electroluminescent gauges are now used across the board. Subaru has made the Ouback’s interior look less cheap over the years, but there are a few subtle downmarket flaws still, like the action on the glovebox. Shorter passengers complained (loudly) that the leather seats were uncomfortably hard and poorly shaped, though taller folks didn’t seem to mind. The heated seats were a welcome option on twenty-degree Michigan winter nights. The available cargo area spill-mat is also handy. Like most sport-utes, the Outback is available with a wide range of dealer-installed accessories aimed at making cargo loading and hauling easier.
The 2.5 liter flat-four engine makes pleasant noises and 170 horsepower, but the four-speed autobox requires a firm stomp at times to wake it up. Merging in the four-cylinder Outback is an annoying and daunting process if you catch the transmission sleeping out of the powerband, a situation that we found ourselves in more than once. Power is otherwise adequate; freeway cruising is comfortably relaxed. Drivers who want more than “adequate” can step up to the Outback 2.5 XT Limited with its 243-horse turbocharged four-cylinder, or to the Outback 3.0 R L.L. Bean which is equipped with a 245-horsepower six-cylinder. Subaru’s standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is unstoppable on snow, and in fact the Outback practically begged for drifts to plow through. The XT Limited and L.L. Bean Outbacks, Subaru’s SI-Drive system is also available, offering three-mode engine response that can be tuned to different road characteristics.
In any flavor, the Outback is a nasty-road champion, and enjoys hammering along at stupid speeds over cracked pavement, gravel and even the beat-up stretch of road that I use to evaluate the suspensions of my test trucks, floating and drifting through puddles but always in control. The suspension is independent at all four corners, and it’s got excellent balance and feel thanks to a low center of gravity. You wouldn’t know it from the driver’s seat, but the Outback rides high, with up to 8.4 inches of ground clearance. The Outback’s even got some limited off-road ability, thanks to its high-riding stane and the all-wheel drive’s sure-footedness. It’s got wood trim inside and a neat, luxurious interior, but the Outback begs to be used hard. Standard anti-lock brakes ensure that the fun doesn’t get out of hand.
All said, there isn’t much you can’t do with an Outback. Hauling the family, carrying groceries, making road trips and even banging along unfinished roads to get to a remote fishing spot, this car can do it all. Opt for the turbocharged Outback XT and it’s even got a hint of the performance that makes Subaru’s Impreza STi a favorite of driving enthusiasts. Pricing is reasonable as well; my test car was an Outback Limited and light on options, with only satellite radio and a convenience group that added cargo nets and an auto-dimming mirror, and it stickered for $29,312.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2008 Subaru Outback.
Length: 189.0 in.
Width: 69.7 in.
Height: 61.6 in.
Wheelbase: 105.1 in.
Curb weight: 3395 lb.
Cargo space: 33.5 cu.ft. (seats up); 65.4 cu.ft. (seats folded)
Base price: $27,695
Engine: 2.5 liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive
Horsepower: 170 @ 6000
Torque: 170 @ 4400
Fuel capacity: 16.9 gal.
Est. mileage: 20/26
2008 Volkswagen Touareg 2 V10 TDI
01387 days
Okay, so why does the Volkswagen Touareg suddenly have a “2″ at the end of its name? Is this a smaller Touareg, or a companion model? You’d be forgiven for assuming that the name “Touareg 2″ referred to VW’s upcoming compact sport-ute, but nope, that rig goes by the name of Tiguan. No, “Touareg 2″ is what VW is calling the redesigned Touareg that’s debuting for 2008.
A new Touareg? Yes, I know it looks at a glance to be just like last year’s model, but the Touareg has undergone quite a bit of revision and updating.
The redesign is one of the most subtle ever. The front end has the same tall, sleek good looks as before, but the grille and headlights have been substantially revised to match the rest of VW’s lineup. The larger, deep-chinned grille is chrome on V6-powered Touaregs and more subtle matte chrome on the V8 and V10 models. Chrome eyebrows over the rounded off headlamps offer additional distinction. The long-nosed profile and muscular side contouring haven’t changed, but at the rear there’s a new roof-edge spoiler and a bit of tweaking to the taillights. 19-inch wheels are standard on uplevel models. The Touareg is a bulky-looking vehicle, and still tends to give the impression that it’s much larger than it is.
Twist the key, and the HID headlamps come imposingly to life, a dance of light that’s especially impressive at night. Day or night, the interior drips with Volkswagen’s special brand of high-tech working-class luxury. Amenities include heated seats front and rear, a backup camera with a parking guide that overlays the direction the Touareg’s going to go in the display, automatic four-zone climate control, and a sunroof. Sirius satellite radio is standard equipment, and there’s a specially tuned 620-watt Dynaudio sound system available as an upgrade. The Touareg’s dash hasn’t changed much with the redesign and continues to play the command center vibe to the hilt, with acres of buttons and controls that are sometimes less intuitive than they ought to be. Wood trim on the console adds a warm touch. The standard power tailgate works quickly, though the 31 cubic-foot cargo area that it reveals could use bag hooks of some kind. The big Volkswagen’s cabin is a very nice place to be, and it’s one of the places the Touareg’s rather high bottom line shows.
The other big justification for the Touareg’s base price is under the hood. A choice of V6 V8 or V10 diesel power is available, and all three are world class. A new FSI fuel management system improves power and efficiency across the board. Touareg buyers get a choice of a 3.8 liter V6 with 280 horsepower, a 4.2 liter V8 making 350, or the 5.0 V10 TDI that churns out 310 horses and 553 pound-feet of torque. Driving the high-horsepower middle child, the V8, is a pleasant and relaxing experience. Docile at low speeds, the Touareg’s V8 is quick to roar, and offers great power throughout the range. On the freeway it’s relaxed to the point of calmness, yet there’s enough power for the Touareg to handle a good-sized trailer. The six-speed automatic transmission is geared nicely for high-speed freeway cruising, and the Touareg masks its hefty 5300-pound curb weight well under acceleration. Do not ask about fuel economy, for it will only make you cry. At least Touareg measures decent off-road skills among its achievements, to make up for its fuelish nature.
The Touareg’s all-wheel drive gets added security from standard Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP) stability control. The ESP includes rollover mitigation and understeer protection, and as a result sloppy roads and ice don’t seem to concern the Touareg at all.
A double wishbone suspension is used up front, with an independent four-link setup at the rear. It’s not exactly sporty, but the Touareg is very responsive and confidence-inspiring. The on-road ride is stiffer than most, but not particularly waddly. Of course, there are so many SUVs on the road these days that there’s no point in comparing it to a car. The Touareg manages its high center of gravity gracefully, offers excellent steering feedback through the wheel, and brakes well enough that it’s easy to forget that it weighs two and a half tons. The brakes include a dry-braking system that skims water off of the brake discs when it’s raining, as well as offering the capability to dislodge small bits of gravel and other debris that might get wedged in between brake pad and rotor when off-roading.
You can have it all, but you can’t have it all for nothing, of course. The revised 2008 Touareg is a high-class, high-capability vehicle. It’s also undeniably a high-ticket item as well, with pricing starting at $39,320 for the V6 model and $48,320 for a V8 like the one I drove. The V10 TDI comes in at a startling $68,320, which is considerable even taking into account that vehicle’s indstrial-grade towing and hauling capability.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg
Length: 187.2 in.
Width: 75.9 in.
Height: 68.0 in.
Wheelbase: 112.4 in.
Curb weight: 5300 lb.
Towing capacity: 7716 lb.
Cargo space: 31 cu.ft. (seats up); 71 cu.ft. (seats folded)
Base price: $48,320
Engine: 4.2 liter DOHC V8
Drivetrain: six-speed automatic transmission, four-wheel drive
Horsepower: 350 @ 6700
Torque: 324 @ 3500
Fuel capacity: 26.4 gal.
Est. mileage: 12/17