VW considers new pickup, planning more minicars

For VW that thing in the picture is going to be a MUCH bigger flop than the Phaeton. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but VW is very far away from being able to compete with Toyota in the USA.

vw has a problem with its reputation for unreliability. it is at the opposite end of the pole from toyota in this respect.

people tend to buy trucks for their utility, ROBUSTNESS, and presumed rugged reliability. you are right, vw will not be able to compete with toyota in this segment.

Uh, no.

i think yall are rite vw cant compete with toyota but then again toyotas tundra wasnt always the best pickup in the US

You are forgetting how much torque the Touareg has with the V-10 TDI engine. And not much less with the new V-6 TDI. I agree that they don't have a gas engine that's suitable for a pickup in this class. But they don't need one. Didn't you all see the video of a Touareg towing a Boeing 747? Now imagine how easy it can tow at least a medium-size trailer? And still get nearly 30 mpg when it's not towing.

The Touareg SUV could be used as a tow vehicle, but a Touareg-based pickup would be better. Especially with a 5th-wheel. Come on, VWoA, make it happen.

J Baustian is right.

VW is arguably making the best diesel engines right now, and their managing equal horsepower to naturally-aspired gas engines built by other manufacturers, while offering equal refinement as well. All of this with 40% better fuel economy than gas-powered VW comparables. The TDIs have an added benefit of as do all diesels for being able to accept alternative fuels (biodiesel and renewable diesel) with no necessary engine modifications and no losses in fuel economy. Try that with a gas-powered, flex-fuel vehicle running ethanol. It's not going to happen. With a diesel, one gets a double advantage. (1) Superior fuel economy, and (2) One gets to keep all that superior fuel economy while choosing a renewable fuel.

I'm driving a 2006 Jetta TDI. I'm getting over 40 mpg consistently running 20% biodiesel in the blend of fuel. I buy it straight from the retailer pre-blended; pump it in for the same price; and that is all there is to it. The standard gas engine, in the same car, is estimated at 22/30 mpg and even if it were designed to run on ethanol, it would get 25% worse fuel economy than the already measely rating.

Applying these VW diesel advantages to a truck would be great for America and bad for those oil producers sponsering terrorism. The 3.0 V-6 (fifty-state emission compliant) would work well in that mid-size pickup.

Do they REALLY think that thing in the picture can compete with a Toyota Tacoma (or even a Ford Ranger for that matter)??? Granted it's a novel car design. But that's the problem - it's a CAR. It's more in a class with the old Suburu Brat. A novel idea, but definitey NOT a Toyota Tacoma or Nissan Frontier, Chevy Colorado, Ford Ranger, etc.
If VW were smart they'd come out with their own version of a REAL pick up truck (Toyota-sized) that's comparable to Hilux and Ranger and so on, keep the price around $20k or so, and they'd do well in the US/Canada market. Despite the glitzy "luxery pickups" that some are selling these days, the main thing most Americans and Canadians look for in a truck is durability, reliability and utility. The concept pictured above may be able to be made duable, even reliable. But utilitarian (in the sense of "using it like a pick up truck)? No way! And if it's going to be based on a Taureg - the $40,000 Volkswagon - I doubt the price is going to be anywhere near as low as a Tacoma or Ranger. Can we say "flop", Volkswagon guys?

If the styling looks like the one shown in your article forget it! I don't want another goofy styled pretend truck - there are enough of those already on the market. I have owned two rabbit trucks and loved them both. They got excellent mileage, were simple to maintain and worked well for the lighter duty jobs that I used them for. If VW would simply bring in the wondreful little truck they make in Brazil (expecially as a turbo diesel) I would buy it in a heart beat. Not everyone wants or needs a overblown gas guzzling beast capable of towing a house. I do however suspect I am not the only one that would like a smaller truck capable handling trips to the dump, nusery, or lumber yard for weekend projects while retaining good fuel mileage and ease of driving on congested city streets.