Before I begin penning my views about the Touareg R50 TDI, I just want to share that I’m not exactly a fan of big cars. But as monstrous as the R50 was, it had this inner gentleness that eventually changed my mind about big cars.
Yes, indeed the R50 is a monstrous huge-ass car.
In one sentence, it is a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) from German carmaker Volkswagen which has been injected with a heavy dose of aggression to give 347bhp of power, a whooping 850Nm of torque and an incredible 627lb/ft of pulling power. We’re talking 6.7 seconds from zero to hundred and a top speed of 235kmh. All that and more delivered by a vehicle that weighs more than three tonnes; impressive, very impressive.
The first thing that would strike you once in the car is its soundtrack. Typical of all diesel engines, the clatter, especially when idling, would probably remind you of a public bus or a taxi, but upon acceleration, it growls ferociously as it pulls away.
Producing this growl is the 5-litre V10 twin-turbo diesel engine, which powered the Touareg V10 TDI model since its launch 6 years ago. But this time for the R50, it has been tuned up and enhanced for improved performance.
In addition, Volkswagen has beefed up the R50’s suspension and further lowered it by 0.8 inches, and firmed up the air dampers to give a performance good enough to rival that of a sports car. The power output of 350bhp is expected and nothing spectacular; it’s the 850Nm of torque that it is capable of delivering that really frightens. As seen in the Volkswagen’s ad campaign, the R50 can tow a Boeing 747 jumbo jet!
The R50 commands an immense load of presence, dominating the road with its sheer size and in our test drive unit’s case, its go-faster bright blue colour. The drive might be a bit overwhelming initially as you adjust to the car, particularly the overpowering torque delivered from the turbodiesel the first time you floor the accelerator.
But once you’ve comfortably adapted, you can proceed to enjoy being King of the road. I did, gleefully deriving pleasure as the monster intimidated with its enormity, making cars move out of the way when they see the R50 coming up behind them in their rear view mirrors.
Driving the monster was quite an experience; just imagine having all that power and torque in your hands. Mated with a six-speed automatic transmission, the R50 engine reaches maximum revs rather quickly with its typical diesel narrow powerband. The steering can do with more feedback though.
Boasting 21-inch alloy wheels on low-profile tyres and very big brake discs with chunky blue callipers gripping them, the brakes seem a tad too soft for the monster, lacking the bite of standard performance cars and requiring a firm foot to bring it to a stop. But it is decent enough for normal everyday driving.
The Continuous Damping Control in the R50 has a sports modification and works in three settings: Comfort, Sport and Auto. Depending on your journey and your mood, you can select the one that suits best – the car works excellently in all three modes.
The cabin is similar to the rest of the Touareg range, but with some little differences here and there. The most distinctive difference is the existence of the R logo plastered all over the cabin, on the gear lever and the alloy foot pedals for example. Our test drive unit came with faux aluminium trim that not only gave a pseudo sporty look, but also reflected sunlight into the eyes of passengers and becoming more of an annoyance than anything.
Comfort and generous space within the cabin are common features of an SUV; the R50 is no exception, with its seats more bolstered than the regular Touareg and enough space to have a party inside. Standard features offered in the R50 are of absolute abundance. There are things like the luxurious Dynaudio stereo system that comes with a sat-nav and storage space for your music, reverse cameras, bi-Xenon headlamps, sunroof, electronic front seats, four-zone climate control, cruise control and rear privacy glass.
Needless to say, all these equipment do not come cheap. The range-topping R50 comes with a range-topping price of $298,300 with COE. Despite the tax cuts on diesel vehicles, keeping it on the road would be costly, with a hefty eleven thousand-dollar road tax a year. Thankfully pump prices are down.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Volkswagen only sold a few units of the third Volkswagen R model (after the Golf R32 and Passat R36); that’s what the $298,300 price includes – exclusivity of the R50 on our roads. And also, SUV performance that few others can match.
Volkswagen Touareg R50 TDI
S$298,300 (On-road, inclusive of COE)
www.vwasia.com
Engine: 4,921cc 20-valve twin-turbo V10 diesel
Transmission: Six-speed automatic with paddle shifts
Power: 350bhp at 3,500rpm
Torque: 850Nm at 2,000rpm
0-100kmh: 6.7 seconds
Top speed: 235kmh
