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The Short Version: Despite the big wheels and flashy interior bits, this is what the production Tiguan will look like.
Our take: Volkswagen chose to unveil the Tiguan Concept not at the L.A. Auto Show itself, but rather an off-site location at a big celebrity party in Hollywood. Part of it is obviously a publicity stunt, but VW is also trying to underline that they can still build something hip that also has an environmental bend to it as the Tiguan Concept utilizes new BLUETEC "Clean Diesel" technology (which also means a new alliance between Volkswagen, Audi andDaimler Chrysler). BLUETEC is a technology that utilizes an injection system to produce lower-emission levels in diesel engines. Previously this was only a Mercedes-only technology but it appears that VW and Audi are joining forces with Daimler Chrysler to reduce costs on development of diesel technologies that fit within strict U.S. emission standards.
The Tiguan is a small SUV designed to compete with the likes of the Honda CR-V. In terms of dimensions the Tiguan is within a inch of the width and height of the CR-V but falls short in overall length of the CR-V by approximately 4 inches. Pricing is expected to be competitive with the CR-V and while final powertrain options for the U.S. market haven't been disclosed yet, we expect the Tiguan to be powered by the 2.5l inline-5 in the base model and the 2.0T on uprated models. A diesel offering is expected although it is not likely to arrive at launch. Expect to see the Tiguan here on sale next fall in the U.S. We'll have more later after we've had a chance to see the Tiguan Concept in person.
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