Volkswagen developing seven-seat SUV - report

2011 VW Touareg, 27.08.2010

Will be built in Chattanooga, Tennessee

According to a recent report, Volkswagen is developing a seven-seat crossover for the United States.

Details are limited, but Auto Express is reporting the model will built alongside the US-spec Passat in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This will enable the crossover to be priced less than the $44,450 Touareg, which has suffered low sales due to its premium positioning.

As we have previously reported, Jonathan Browning - the CEO of Volkswagen America - is particularly bullish on SUVs. He sees them as vital to Volkswagen's effort to become competitive in the United States and meet their goal of selling 800,000 vehicles annually by 2018.

Source: Auto Express

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TZARHINO

About time!

January 19, 2011 3:09 pm

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catchmyshadow

the Q7 is offering 5+2 seats already or do they mean 7 proper seats?

January 19, 2011 9:53 pm

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Microice

I thought they were going small like a Q5 variant but since its American it has to be the size of a house.

January 20, 2011 2:15 am

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Sacto8780

It'll probably be based off the NMS platform used on the US-market Passat but may offer a V-6 "clean" turbodiesel engine with six-speed automatic transmission.

January 20, 2011 5:11 am

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PONTIAC G8 GXP

I don't see any reason. This could be Q7 competitor

January 20, 2011 5:38 am

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2 replies

maloparac

It would be competition to GL

January 20, 2011 7:02 am

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AutopiaDR

Just like the Land Cruiser would be competition for the LX570 from Lexus. Its the same old story. Same plaforms, different styling, more profits. And I agree with SACTO8780, the will probably base it on the NMS.

January 20, 2011 11:46 am

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August Horch

I, too, bet this will be based on the NMS platform. I just went to the Detroit auto show this week and can confirm that the US-spec Passat is both huge and cheaply made. The Q7's +2 is really good only for children for anything longer than 30 minutes. I can actually see VW making something like a more stylish CX-9 and doing well with that.

January 20, 2011 8:09 am

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VWRick

Questions for August Horch. I'm dying to know about the underbody construction of the US-Passat. Is the cast alloy front subframe still used, or is it the new Jetta-type stamped piece? Is the rear subframe direct-bolted as in cheaper models, or is it still rubber-mounted as on the Euro-Passat? I ask this question because as a former driver of a 2008 Passat and current driver of a 2011 Golf, I can tell you the road noise is MUCH louder in the Golf design. And as an aside, I noticed that all 2011 PQ platform models, even those coming from Europe (CC and Tiguan) have switched the front control arms from forged alloy to a stamped/welded steel. I presume that the weight of such pieces is actually on a par with the alloy. Any thoughts?

January 20, 2011 8:44 am

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August Horch

I'm pretty sure it was a stamped piece for the front underbody. To tell you frankly, I'm not completely sure about the rear subframe. Interior materials were comparable to the new Jetta, which are much worse than my '00 Jetta IV.

January 20, 2011 8:56 pm

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GTurbo

This VW crossover could be on same platform as Porsche's forthcoming super slick Cajun, an Audi Q5 rival. It's got to be a million miles more attractive than the big brother to cut it as a crossover Stateside! Nissan gave us the Juke and Hyundai jumped on same bandwagon and gave us Concept Curb; get the picture VeeDub America?

January 20, 2011 1:11 pm

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