Touareg/Cayenne fiasco Round 2 (Dakar)

[Rocky Mullin]

At 3:22 PM -0600 1/20/04, Livolsi, Stephane wrote:
>Well...ok....yes....but.....the Touareg that she was driving in the
>Dakar has virtually nothing in common with the Touareg that you are
>going to drive off the lot, except maybe the skin,

	not even the skin.  it's a different shape and they use carbon
fiber.  that said, they start with the platform and technology and "race
it out".  just like any other car in racing that is based on a production
car.

>as is the case with
>all the other vehicles (how many schlessermobiles have you seen on the
>street?) Even then, how many starters actually finish the Dakar? I don't
>know the exact number but the attrition rate is very high and this is on
>virtually purpose built vehicles.

	for the most case.  the bikes are a LOT less purpose built than
the cars and the trucks.

>I can't see anyone dropping the coin for a Touareg and then taking it
>off road trying to keep up with Bubba (no offence - I used to be one,
>hoping to be again soon) in his jacked up 82 chev 4X4 with 3 feet of
>ground clearance and 44" monster mudders.  It'll be a parts Touareg in
>very short order - which isn't necessarily a bad thing, IMHO :)

	depends on how well prepped and modded it is, really.  i'm
sure it could be done.  after all, comparing bubba's chevy to a VW
off the lot is completely apples to oranges.

>I personally don't like any SUV/Hybrid/multipurpose vehicle because then
>you have a vehicle that isn't as good as it could be in any situation.

	but at least they tend to be better with emissions.

>If you want a street vehicle to perform off road as well then you will
>have to give up something from the street end of it, whether it is
>speed, aerodynamics, lightweight, etc.  If you have a good off road
>vehicle that you want to be good on the street as well, you will have to
>give up something from the off road side - agility, low gearing, big
>tires, durability, etc.  I would rather have a car designed for the
>street (88 5ktqa) and a separate vehicle for off road (64 Landrover
>project in progress)

	makes sense.  i do this with my bikes, and will probably pick up
a van soonish for work (ideally diesel 4x4, but ha!)

-- 
  Rocky Mullin              |
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