Spied Volkswagen Robust Prototype needs a Breakdown Service

VW Robust Broken Down / Copyright by Automedia

Tester couldn't get it restarted

By Clinton Deacon
September 24, 2008 1:58 PM
Filed Under: American, Spy Photos, Volkswagen

There’s apparently still a long way to go for Volkswagen to make their new Pick-Up as reliable as its name suggests. While the marketing people have just revealed the Robust concept, engineers over in the U.S. are still fighting with the production model’s mechanics: While undergoing high speed tests on a ride through the desert in Mexico, the prototype’s engine suddenly died and the driver was unable to revive it.

Noticing our photographer was around, the engineers covered the prototype with a second cover (although it was already wearing bras front and rear), usually being used for cars parked or transported on a truck. Equipped like this, the testers let the prototype run down a mountain road for at least 10 kilometres and with the engine still cut off . When the road got too flat, a VW Crafter was driving behind the Robust and pushed the vehicle – bumper to bumper – to the next village .

After arrival there, the Pick-Up was covered completely and the ballast on the car’s load space was thrown out . Finally, the Robust was pushed into a truck by six people.

The funny part: The testers were accompanied by a photo- and film-crew that had planed to shoot a nice feature of the car’s heavy test programme. Well, boys, maybe tomorrow ...

Comments

LMS
September 24, 2008 3:20 PM
It didn't break down, they just wanted to test how fast it goes with four people pushing it.

afterace2
September 24, 2008 3:55 PM
I rather think this is a test of the new 0 emission biofuel variant

Bada_Bing
September 24, 2008 5:25 PM
The 6th picture along you can see the front end is totaly different to that concept version under the cover.

kimbo
September 24, 2008 6:35 PM
jeez, such thing always can happen on prototypes.

unknown
September 24, 2008 9:27 PM
better than the r8 in the ring burning to the ground. =D

Bada_Bing
September 24, 2008 10:24 PM
HAHA that made my day :)

ericthedog
September 24, 2008 9:29 PM
Thankfully everything else in life is more reliable than a volkswagen....

catchmyshadow
September 24, 2008 11:29 PM
probably didn´t want to open the hood, because it would have shown the front undisguised, haha

BabyMilo
September 25, 2008 12:57 AM
hahahahaha this makes me feel good =D

sasquatch
September 25, 2008 4:46 PM
Just curious, when did Mexico annex Stovepipe Wells, Death Valley, CA?

loyo
September 25, 2008 9:14 PM
There are no "STOP" signs in Mexico, ALL of them, even those found in the roads or cities near the US border say "ALTO", and the lanes on the highways are divided with white lines, not yellow ones... so that my friends, is not Mexico

THERENAISSANCEMAN
September 26, 2008 8:38 AM
erhmm.... Wolfsburg we've got a problem ...

EJ255
October 2, 2008 2:07 AM
It just shows the quality of VW :p

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