For the Asian premiere of its small Taigun crossover concept, Volkswagen has fitted it with a new feature: a boot lid with an outside-mounted spare wheel – something similar to the Ford EcoSport. Unfortunately, just like the Ford, it is not available with all-wheel drive.
VW says the new rear section is what future drivers wished for in the new Taigun. How does the carmaker know that? Well, it analyzed feedback from around the world following the Taigun’s debut in Brazil in 2012 and adapted the SUV to customers’ wishes. One of these wishes was to have fast access to the spare wheel without having to empty the boot first.
The rest of the car looks the same as the previous version, except for the new “Ultra Orange” paint. The Taigun is powered by a 1.0-liter 3-cylinder TSI engine producing 109hp (110PS), mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. VW says the Taigun averages 4.7 l/100 km (50 mpg US) and emits 110 g of CO2 per kilometer, enabling a driving range of around 1,000 km (621 miles) thanks to its fuel tank capacity of 50 liters (13.2 US gallons).
As the Taigun only weighs 998 kg (2,200 lbs), the 109hp engine is enough to accelerate it from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 9.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 186 km/h (115.5 mph). The crossover concept has a boot volume 280 liters (9.9 cu-ft). When the rear bench seat is folded down, volume increases to 996 liters (35.1 cu-ft).
VW didn’t say when the production version will be launched, but earlier reports speculate about deliveries starting sometime in 2016.
By Dan Mihalascu
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