The automotive industry took another step toward environmental responsibility last night. Fully electric and hybrid cars have become increasingly popular in recent years, and now Volkswagen is set to offer its own contender, the Touareg BlueMotion.
Most manufacturers until this point have featured a single hybrid vehicle among their offerings, usually an ultra-efficient compact. Volkswagen, with its recently-promoted bold CEO Stefan Jacoby, is trying a very different tack. They will be introducing hybrid versions of a number of their models, and their first, the Touareg, is an SUV. It would seem almost perverse: the current Touraeg has more than once earned the designation of most environmentally-unfriendly vehicle on the road. How green — and how successful — can a hybrid version make such a lumbering beast? As to the first part of the question, Volkswagen claims the BlueMotion will improve the Touareg’s efficiency by 25% to 26 mpg. As to the second part, sales, the question is more difficult to answer, but Jacoby certainly believes it can be a centerpiece in his efforts to triple American sales by 2018.
When Jacoby spoke about the new model Tuesday night, he emphasized Volkswagen’s tradition for design alongside its new efforts for environmental stewardship. To that end, the location of the event, the IAC Building on the west side of Manhattan, was not accidental. Jacoby, 51, called the IAC “a perfect location” for a preview of the Touareg. “Not only is the building beautifully designed, it is environmentally sound,” he said, referring to the numerous green features of the Frank-Gehry-designed structure. And Volkswagen intends to be environmentally sound across the board. While developing a full line of electric cars, what Jacoby called the company’s “clean diesel offensive” would continue apace. He also referred to a third aspect of Volkswagen’s effort to go green. He said he had flown in that day from Chattanooga, Tennessee, site of a planned $1 billion dollar facility for manufacturing green cars and components.
Following Jacoby, Walter de’Silva took the stage. De’Silva is a major name in the field of automotive design, and his presentation was to be the evening’s main event. An artist’s easel stood on the stage with him, and as he delivered a brief lecture on design principles, he sketched a front-end profile of the new Touareg. The Global Head of Design said the Touareg was the third car to be launched in Volkswagen’s “new design age.” Departing from the heaviness of the old Touareg, it was a “completely new car, new dimensions, new design.” He drew a number of horizontal lines. “When you have a good architect, you have a good proportion.” The horizontal lines turned out to be the Touareg’s bumper. “Iconic,” he said. Then, some curves and a vertical line: “a very precise shoulder, very precise line for the bonnet.” He finished off the sketch by rendering the headlights.
Also in attendance last night were Kelly Bensimon of Real Housewives of New York City fame, wearing hot pants, and Adrienne Bailon, formerly of The Cheetah Girls, in sunglasses.
The Touareg BlueMotion will roll onto American dealer lots in 2011.
Photos courtesy of Marion Curtis.