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From The Sunday Times
July 8, 2007
VW Tiguan and Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG
JUST ANNOUNCED. . .
VW Tiguan
Price £19,000-£30,000 approx
On sale in UK February next year
What’s different? The Tiguan is VW’s belated but good-looking entry into the lucrative small SUV market. Using the underpinnings of the Golf, it will come with a 2 litre diesel engine with 140bhp, and a 150bhp 1.4 litre petrol motor. More options will be made available later next year. There will be three trim levels – S, SE and Sport – all with four-wheel drive
Why should I care? The Tiguan looks great, it’s priced to undercut substantially the Freelander 2 and the VW image should count for a lot at this point in the market. Don’t hope for much in the mud, though
Consider also Land Rover Freelander 2 £20,960-£34,095, BMW X3 £28,900-£38,665, Honda CR-V, £18,827-£24,717
JUST ANNOUNCED. . .
Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG
Price £55,000 approx
On sale in UK Summer 2008
What’s different? In the week that BMW launches the M3, Mercedes is trying to spoil the party by releasing details of its rival, the C 63 AMG, despite UK sales not starting for a year. Courtesy of its 6.2 litre V8 engine, power rises from the 367bhp of the old AMG C-class to 457bhp. By contrast the M3 has 420bhp. The package is completed by a new body kit, bespoke suspension and an automatic gearbox that blips the throttle on down-changes
Why should I care? Ten years ago, giving a small saloon more than 450bhp would have seemed insane but now it’s compulsory if Mercedes wants to keep up with the M3. The new C-class is highly capable and the engine works well in the larger Mercedes it’s already fitted to (albeit in 514bhp guise). The combination of the two should prove worth waiting for
Consider also BMW M3 £50,625, Audi RS4 £51,030, Vauxhall VXR8 £35,105