V10 Twin Turbo Tow Monster


N

nota4re

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Le Mans 2010 Supporter
Feb 15, 2006
4,395
Back in 2006 - the same year I purchased the GT, I was also very interested in the VW Touareg. Only one model in particular actually, and that was the V10 Twin Turbo, Direct injected, Diesel. These puppies have 305HP and 553TQ and have a tow rating of 7800 lbs. Full 4-wheel air suspension and a shared platform with the Porsche Cayenne. To top it off, one option was a King Ranch-like baseball glove leather interior which, like the King Ranches, is just killer good looking.

I had been casually looking to purcahse one of these and had been looking at all of the usual places to find one. A 2007 popped up in Virginia a couple of weeks ago and through this forum, I found some gearheads to go take a look at it for me. This inspection and test drive came back all thumbs up so then I spent another week or so "negotiating" with the seller. We closed the deal and the Touareg is in route to SoCal as I write. I'm expecting to get it on Tuesday. This is the first time I have purchased a used car site un-seen and I must admit that I am pretty darn excited. Despite that I already have a 3/4 Ton towing pick-up, I plan to use the Touareg to tow my enclosed trailer and Boss Mustang over to Spring Mountain to visit Terry and Monica. I can't wat to see it!! Here's a couple of pics from the Ford GT Forum arranged inspection....

Back2.JPG

Interior.JPG
 
What?! No ENGINE shot?????!

(Nice looking ride, BTW.)
 
305hp/550tq is a tow monster? Come to Colorado and let me show you a real TT tow monster with 1000hp/1800tq. It has leather too lol.
 
Great looking truck! That engine had tremendously good reviews when it came out. I'm sure you'll love it!
 
Here is something you can watch until the car arrives
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhk3VRtU5Dk
 
I've got a Touareg in the same (exterior) color. It has the V6, and I think about 200 less HP.

Works well in the snow though...
 
Is the vehicle's weight, and the tire footpads, sufficient to provide tractability for towing high weight trailers? You don't want the trailer to start pushing the tractor around.

Regardless of the film clip - 747's can be pushed around the airports with rather small vehicles.
 
Trailer brakes
 
I have always liked the VW Touareg. In my opinion a better SUV than the Porsche SUV - Sorry kendall!

Congrats.
 
In my opinion a better SUV than the Porsche SUV - Sorry kendall!
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That's why I got one of each - so I can compare!!
 
RALPHIE said:
Regardless of the film clip - 747's can be pushed around the airports with rather small vehicles.
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Aircraft tow tugs may look pretty small from the terminal but they’re actually really large and heavy pieces of equipment… taken from a Car and Driver article…

“At the time, Jones and I were at Newark International Airport, seated within the surprisingly comfortable cabin of a 255- hp, 35,000-pound Douglas-Kalmar TBL-280- a so-called supertug for which Continental Airlines had just shelled out $481,898. It makes as much torque as two Corvettes and can tow any commercial air-craft except a Boeing 747. If Continental needs to tow a 747, it simply fires up one of the TBL-280's big brothers-the 540- hp, 53,000-pound TBL-400. That one costs $667,657.”
 
The Touareg is a great SUV, very comfortable, great in the snow and with the TDI plenty of power if not fuel economy. That said, for towing an enclosed car trailer, I think you will be sadly dissapointed with it the first time you tow at highway speeds. The short wheelbase will cause the trailer to push the truck all over the place giving a very poor sense of control. Will not be an enjoyable or fun experience. Hope I am wrong here and it all works out. BE VERY CAREFUL the first few times you are passed by a semi or any cross winds, road dips etc until you get very used to its dynamics. They will be different than you expect.
 
I think you will be sadly dissapointed with it the first time you tow at highway speeds. The short wheelbase will cause the trailer to push the truck all over the place giving a very poor sense of control. Will not be an enjoyable or fun experience. Hope I am wrong here and it all works out. BE VERY CAREFUL the first few times you are passed by a semi or any cross winds, road dips etc until you get very used to its dynamics. They will be different than you expect.
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Still getting the Treg set up for towing but I'm hardly the pioneer here. If you've ever attended a Porsche club event, the tow vehicle of choice tends to be the Treg or the Cayenne. (I guess these guys have a thing against American iron.) Yes, many Porsche's are lighter but the combo trailer weight is similar. Interestingly, as I begin to look at electric trailer brake controllers - the Treg's built-in stability control ALSO has specific programming for the trailer. That is, if the stability control senses a swaying, for example it will apply the electric brakes.

Anyway, I look forward to getting the thing set up and trying it. Growing up, I've always been towing trailers, boats, and flat-towing Jeeps and I think the heavyweight Treg will do just great.
 
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I am withholding any lectures until you give it a go. Remember, Braking is everything with a trailer. Go to a horse jumping event, tell me how many Treg's you see dragging the
prize possessions.

On one of my race's at Watkins Glen I came down that hill to town with the loaded rig,wet road, F350 crew cab and Cobra Mustang in the trailer and I slid through the stoplight
with the trailer half jack knifed behind me I let off the brakes to get her strait or I was going to wipe out the other lane of traffic, it was one of those talkin to jesus moments,
Thank goodness no traffic coming through the light.

I told my "pit crew" passengers I was sorry "kinda slow on the reflex's" , they thought I was Dale Earnhardt or better. Build in some margin in your rig it might be needed,
 
Trailer brakes are very important and important that they are adjusted correctly and the proportional system is set correctly. I'd venture to say that the vast majority of part time tow rigs - boats, travel trailers, toy haulers, car trailers don't have this set correctly. On my Featherlite enclosed trailer with a GT loaded and proper electric brakes - you pretty much never know it's back there. The stopping power of the loaded trailer and the stopping power of the 3/4 ton truck are very similar. (FYI the brake calipers on my 3/4 Diesel are the same size as the OEM calipers on the Treg.)

Seems it's hard to talk about anything but a Ford-branded tow rig. Sorry I brought the subject up.
 
Does the Touareg hold a towing world record? Seems like it :eek

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls23tHPX8mQ

And while I like many of the Ford offerings, I would never buy a Ford Diesel Truck based on their past 10 year history.:thumbsdow The new diesel engine may be different, but Ford has a lot of grounds to cover before they get my confidence. Now the F-150 is a different story.:thumbsup
 
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Good choice Kendall- Congrats and enjoy it :cheers.
 
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