VW Tiguan: Official News, $22K Start

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Leftlanenews.com
Volkswagen has officially named its forthcoming compact SUV "Tiguan," the automaker announced today. The selection was made following a poll of over 350,000 European car enthusiasts. VW says a "clear majority" picked the name over the other possible alternatives, which included Nanuk, Namib, Rockton, and Samun. The Tiguan will arrive in 2008, the automaker said in its announcement. The car is based on the Concept A, first shown in February. Volkswagen also released an official design sketch of the car, which can be seen after the jump…

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Yesterday, Volkswagen released the first official design sketch of its Golf-based SUV, now known as the Tiguan. Germany's Autobild has put together an illustration of the car, apparently based on VW's sketches. The image appears on the cover of the latest issue of the magazine. See the cover after the jump…

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...I like it, as it makes more sense than it's older sibling. But I'm not sure if it will outsell cars like the upcomming Jetta Wagon and Passat Wagon based on utility alone...
 
I like it, I really do, but I would have a hard time being convinced that I need to buy it with the Jetta Wagon on the way. Yes, the extra ride-height would be nice in the Michigan snow, but I can do without it.
 
"Wigwam" was taken?:dunce:

Snortin Norton
Volkswagens are becomming less and less volk's wagens.
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Yes, but this isn't the best example of it. That title goes to the Phaeton. VW is quickly becoming the most ironically named company in history.
 
harrytuttle
VW is quickly becoming the most ironically named company in history.
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Admit it - Oldsmobile was the most ironically named, considering their buyer base.

Volkswagen car naming is beginning to scare me. Not only did they come out with Touareg and Phaeton, which are just difficult to say, they renamed the Golf "Rabbit" in the US, and for some ungodly reason they renamed the overseas Jetta, called the Bora for like a decade and a half, "Jetta" again. The reasons for this would be ... ?

I actually disagree with the statement that the Phaeton is the best example of Volkswagen losing its peoples' car image - for its market, the Phaeton was actually sort of a steal. Obviously overall it was expensive as poo and things of that nature but as luxury sedans went it was more of a peoples' luxury sedan. The Touareg is probably the best example of its becoming elitist - the largest engine in the premium SUV game, priced right up there with Mercedes and BMW, a Porsche-made twin, and, worst of all, the arrogant skip right over the Explorer/Trailblazer/Pilot class.

EDIT: all of this said, I've liked every Volkswagen product since the New Beetle (not including the New Beetle) including the Phaeton, the Touareg, and this thing, which I'll call the Volkswagen Liberty.
 
I'm still wondering if this is the long-rumored MKV-based crossover that is supposed to do battle with the likes of the CR-V and RAV4. But chances are, this will end up throwing punches with the new Acura RDX, especially if they cram the 2.0T under the hood of the Tiguan.
 
M5Power
Admit it - Oldsmobile was the most ironically named, considering their buyer base.
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I'm being pathetically pedantic, but Oldsmobile was the least ironically names company. The name implied "old", and that's what they got. Volkswagen is the "people's car", and they're increasingly making themselves scarce in that segment. Good cars, just not Volkswagens.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ironic

m5power
Volkswagen car naming is beginning to scare me. Not only did they come out with Touareg and Phaeton, which are just difficult to say, they renamed the Golf "Rabbit" in the US, and for some ungodly reason they renamed the overseas Jetta, called the Bora for like a decade and a half, "Jetta" again. The reasons for this would be ... ?
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I don't know why they renamed the Bora in Europe, but I have a theory about "Rabbit". Thirty years ago, the Rabbit sold relatively well, and it happened to be a good car at the right time (so was the GTI). Soon after, the Rabbit was named Golf (to follow the European branding). Soon after that, the Golf started to get boring, mostly with the GTI: too heavy, too stodgy, not fun. Now we've finally got a well put together Golf/GTI and sales are on an upswing.

But the reason for the change is this: someone in marketing, who was around 30 years ago, is still ticked about the first US-market name change, so they changed it back just in time. Lo and behold, the "Rabbit" is selling well. Is it the name, or is it the car? I'm sure the marketing guy is broadcasting his side to anyone who will listen.

m5power
The Touareg is probably the best example of its becoming elitist - the largest engine in the premium SUV game, priced right up there with Mercedes and BMW, a Porsche-made twin, and, worst of all, the arrogant skip right over the Explorer/Trailblazer/Pilot class.
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Touche|. (No, really. That's all I got.)
 
That looks like an SUV I would like to buy in the future possibly. I like how VW made the SUV have some "Jetta"ness into the front of the car, but wished it resembled closer though.
 
It isn't a horrible idea, and I think it would be one of the few vehicles that could get the greenies to buy a quasi-SUV. Toss a diesel under the hood and match it with the 6-speed DSG with a part-time AWD system and I would consider it. I doesn't need to be a Hummer off-road, as long as it is capable to tackle Michigan winters quite well, I'd be quite happy.
 
harrytuttle
I don't know why they renamed the Bora in Europe, but I have a theory about "Rabbit". Thirty years ago, the Rabbit sold relatively well, and it happened to be a good car at the right time (so was the GTI). Soon after, the Rabbit was named Golf (to follow the European branding). Soon after that, the Golf started to get boring, mostly with the GTI: too heavy, too stodgy, not fun. Now we've finally got a well put together Golf/GTI and sales are on an upswing.
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I agree fully with your theory but I think the point Volkswagen is missing is that the sort of people considering the Golf weren't even alive for the original Rabbit and will have no association with that name.

Honestly, it was time to re-name the Golf anyway. That car has had about three straight really bad models, and indeed, this is a positive change. One of few re-names I agree with - I just don't agree with the chosen name.
 
Yes, but the car is selling outrageously well. Even in domestic-dominated Michigan, the local VW dealers can't keep them on their lots. I've only seen one in person, and it was a fully-loaded 5-Door that was allready spoken for.

...I think the commercial has had a lot to do with the success of the car...
 
M5Power
I agree fully with your theory but I think the point Volkswagen is missing is that the sort of people considering the Golf weren't even alive for the original Rabbit and will have no association with that name.

Honestly, it was time to re-name the Golf anyway. That car has had about three straight really bad models, and indeed, this is a positive change. One of few re-names I agree with - I just don't agree with the chosen name.
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It's only 30 years ago; we're not talking naming the original Corvette. A marketing department is different than an engineering department, so I guess the turnover can be a lot quicker. A quick search online results in exactly zero names associated with the original US Rabbit, other than whoever was running the plant in Pennsylvania. If anyone works for VW/VAG US, I'd be very interested in knowing who runs your marketing department.
 
VAG marketing in the US is poor, I heard the latest fast campaign was succesful though. Audi's campaign is poor though.
 
I'm going to assume for a moment none of you read VW's owners magazine, correct?

There have been stories in it on and off over the past few years about how Volkswagen had to hire specialists to find out why VWs weren't selling in the US, and how to quell the problems that have been created over the years. Turns out, VW wasn't connecting to the past, and wasn't doing enough to connect to the youth culture they had relied on for so long.

...Thus, catchy campaigns like "Fast," "Unpimp My Ride," "Sterotypes of VW Drivers," "Safety," and the new Rabbit "Breeding" commercials were done.

VW sales have gone up signifigantly since then, and once again have become profitable in the US.
 
How can they be turning over profit so soon after the campaign started? This campaign has barely been around for a third of a year. Were their losses so marginal or was that campaign so much bigger than I could possibly imagine?
 
harrytuttle
"Wigwam" was taken?:dunce:



Yes, but this isn't the best example of it. That title goes to the Phaeton. VW is quickly becoming the most ironically named company in history.
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Phaeton was what reminded me; besides, [rejoice]it's gone now[/rejoice].
 
Well I suppose it has been more of a progressive build-up of campaigns, maybe added to that the rising cost of fuel as well. Atleast in the US, VW has been advertising quite hard on channels that are what I like to call "Youth Oriented" like G4 and MTV. For a while they had some spots on Adult Swim as well, so it is pretty obvious they are trying to get back to their roots just a bit.
 
It annoys me so much that VW will sell this when Skoda (Skoda!) designed (by themselves, mind you. with no help from the parent company) a far better packaged vehicle which is only sold as a Skoda. And it even looks (dare I say it) cool. It certainly has a beter name than this, too.
 
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...Who do they think they are fooling with the "Canada" badges on the grille? Ha ha, Volkswagen... You thought you had us!

BTW: Check out that interior. Wow, that really looks nice on a prototype. Anyone else notice the Jetta wheel there?
 
...And those tiny windows on the back of the Mustang? The old "porthole" window Thunderbirds?
 
Eeech...The front overhang in that third pic looks ginormous compared to the rear. :ill: Oh well, if they'll sell me one with a TDI and DSG for under $30k I don't think I'd even consider a RAV4 or CR-V (unless of course the rumors about the latter getting a 50-state compliant diesel turn out to be true...).
 

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