Volkswagen Taigun going into production, but not for US
 

Filed under: Concept Cars, Budget, Crossover, Volkswagen, South America

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We last mentioned the Volkswagen Taigun when discussing the subcompact crossover that Volkswagen will be bringing to the US in 2016. Well, turns out the Taigun won't be that crossover, but it is going into production for other markets outside the US according to a report in Autoweek. Based on the same platform as the Up!, the Taigun is two size classes - not one - beneath the Tiguan, and is seen by VW as lacking the dimensions and power that the US crossover brigades demand. It's the same reasoning that will probably keep the Ford EcoSport, a Taigun competitor, from coming here.

The Autoweek piece says the Taigun, with a wheelbase two inches longer than the Up! and a seating position that puts the driver 2.5 inches higher, will only use front-wheel drive. Three-cylinder gas and diesel engines, as well as a natural gas option, will provide motivation; manual and dual-clutch transmissions will do the shifting. The concept, for example, uses a 1.0-liter three-cylinder with 109 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque. What's more, it seems the patent drawings spied in China weren't lying, AW saying the production version will remain close to the concept. For a driving review of the concept, head over to AW.

A solid date for release hasn't been given, but 2016 is the expected timeframe. That would have it on sale at the same time as the compact crossover we are meant to get, which will sit above it and below the next-generation, long-wheelbase Tiguan due also to be shown in 2016.Volkswagen Taigun going into production, but not for US originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Jul 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.



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