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Boasting the latest assistance systems, some of them appearing for the first time in a Volkswagen, the Touareg also offers the option of the new Innovision Cockpit which comprises an intuitive digital operating, information, communication and entertainment unit that can be fully personalised.

The 2018 Touareg is the latest milestone in the largest product offensive in Volkswagen’s brand history. The global SUV range, led by the new car, now consists of the new T-Roc, the Tiguan, the new Tiguan Allspace, the new Atlas (USA) and its new sister model Teramont (China).

Meanwhile the T-Cross compact SUV – shown in concept form as the T-Cross Breeze – is also due to make its global debut in 2018. A zero emission model has already been decided upon, too, in the shape of the I.D. CROZZ – the first fully electric SUV from Volkswagen. It will be launched in 2020.

Debuting with efficient and potent V6 turbocharged engines the Touareg comes with an eight-speed automatic Tiptronic gearbox and 4MOTION all-wheel drive. In the UK, the car will initially be offered with a 286 PS 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel unit or, from the autumn, a 231 PS version of the same engine. A 340 PS 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged petrol engine will be available to order in the UK in late 2018, with deliveries of that powertrain beginning in 2019.

In addition a plug-in hybrid drive with a system power of 367 PS is first planned for introduction in China. The exact launch date of the Touareg with plug-in hybrid drive in Europe has yet to be set.

With a torque peak of up to 600 Nm, the 286 PS 3.0 V6 TDI also showcases the new Touareg’s extensive towing capacity. Capable of hauling braked trailer weights of up to 3.5 tonnes, the new car also boasts the latest iteration of Volkswagen’s handy Trailer Assist technology to facilitate simple slow-speed manoeuvring.

The 3.0 V6 TDI with 286 PS (2,967 cc) generates its punchy torque peak of 600 Nm from only 2,250 rpm, and offers 42.8 mpg* on the combined cycle. 0-62 mph takes 6.1 seconds, and the Touareg’s top speed is 146 mph.

The new third generation Touareg is equipped with permanent all-wheel drive (4MOTION) mated to an eight-gear automatic Tiptronic gearbox with ‘shift by wire’ functionality.

A centre differential lock with asymmetric dynamic torque distribution acts as a transfer box for the flow of forces between the front and rear axle. A maximum of 70 per cent of the drive force reaches the front axle and up to 80 per cent can be sent to the rear axle.

Offered here in three comprehensively specified trims: SEL, R-Line and new R-Line Tech, the five-seat Touareg sits on the Volkswagen Group’s modular longitudinal matrix (MLB).

Wider and longer than before, the luxurious new SUV’s dimensions are 4,878 mm long (+77 mm); 2,193 mm wide (including wing mirrors, +44 mm) and 1,702 mm high (-7 mm). Together these create significantly more dynamic proportions and, allied to all-new styling, endow the Touareg with an imposing yet lithe style.

The five-door, five-seat Touareg offers a 1,051 mm load length and maximum load capacity of 810 litres (seats up) or 1,800 litres (seats down). Kerb weight is 2,070 kg for the launch car.

Technology made simple

One of the many technical innovations in the new Touareg is the option of the Innovision Cockpit. The 12-inch digital instrument cluster – Active Info Display – merges with the 15-inch TFT touchscreen of the new Discover Premium infotainment system to form a new digital operating, information, communication and entertainment unit.

The Innovision Cockpit is the control centre of a new era – an interactive interface in which the information and settings of all essential comfort, assist and infotainment systems converge in one simple-to-use matrix.

Thanks to a separate eSIM mobile data connection, the new SUV is also “always on”. Indeed, never before has a Volkswagen interior of this type been digitalised and extensively linked to the vehicle functions and outside world to such an extent.

More broadly, today’s Touareg features a new generation of assistance, driving dynamics and comfort systems includes technologies such as Night Vision (thermal imaging camera); Traffic Jam and Roadwork Lane Assist (partly automated steering and lane departure warning up to 37 mph, acceleration and braking); Front Cross Traffic Assist (responds to traffic crossing in front of the Touareg); active all-wheel steering; and a new roll stabilisation system with electromechanically controlled anti-roll bars.

Comfort, space and grace

New technology aligns with conventional premium car values of space and cosseting comfort inside the new Touareg, too. The car’s optional electrically adjustable front seats, for instance, offer a new, pneumatic massage function with no fewer than eight programs available. The intensity of the massage functions can be continuously adjusted via individual air cushions.

The car’s flexibility is demonstrated by the flexible rear seat system. The position of the rear seats can be shifted by 160 mm fore/aft to create more space in the rear if required. Meanwhile the angle adjustment of the rear seat backrests is also variable in three stages, and by up to 21 degrees.

Natural light comes in through the optionally available panoramic sliding roof – the largest yet offered by Volkswagen. The transparent roof section is 1,270 mm long and 825 mm wide (inner dimensions), and the front half can be continuously opened and electrically moved back by almost half a metre (495 mm) and raised.

Meanwhile night driving is now more pleasant than ever thanks to a newly developed optional LED ambient light system. Using the ambient light, the atmosphere on board the Touareg can be personalised via 30 different light colours whose brightness can be adjusted.

Welcoming the arrival of the new Touareg to Volkswagen Retailers nationwide Alison Jones, Director of Volkswagen UK, said: “The new Touareg signals yet another important development in Volkswagen’s growing SUV line-up.

“Our suite of new models, headed by Touareg, arrives on the market as SUV sales continue to accelerate in the UK and I’m confident our new flagship model will make a big impact here.”

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

It started with simulations. “Before we actually assembled the I.D. R Pikes Peak, we used computers to analyse a multitude of different configurations,” says Willy Rampf, technical advisor to the project and a man with a wealth of Formula 1 experience, recalling the start of the development of the car for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. “It was clear to us that we would not have time to build multiple test vehicles. We had to get it right at the first attempt.”

The trials focused on finding the optimal compromise between performance and weight. Both factors are even more dependent on each other in an electric car like the I.D. R Pikes Peak than in a racing car with a conventional combustion engine. The simple rule of thumb is: The greater the performance, the heavier the batteries required. However, every single gram is unwanted weight – particularly at a hill climb. On Pikes Peak, the cars must overcome a difference in altitude of more than 1,400 metres – from the start at 2,862 to the finish line at 4,302 metres above sea level.

Romain Dumas, at the wheel of the I.D. R Pikes Peak, will also be faced with a series of hairpin turns, where a heavy car would be a disadvantage when braking and accelerating out of corners.

As such, the Volkswagen Motorsport engineers decided on the following strategy: The I.D. R Pikes Peak was to be as light as possible, while still maintaining a very high level of performance. The framework for this strategy was provided by the regulations for the most famous hill climb in the world, which literally offer virtually limitless freedom in the “Unlimited” class.

Being given the proverbial blank sheet of paper and told to develop a new racing car from scratch is a dream for any engineer. “To develop a car solely for this 20-kilometre hill climb is a very special task. There were virtually no bounds to the innovation shown by the engineers,” says François-Xavier Demaison, Technical Director at Volkswagen Motorsport.

“Simulation played a major role in achieving the low weight of the car,” explains Rampf. For example, computers were used to design chassis parts in such a way that they are able to cope with the anticipated loads without any problems, and without appearing oversized – or overweight. However, the development team almost completely dispensed with the standard but extremely expensive materials commonly used in top-class motor racing, such as titanium. “The chassis, wheel suspensions and safety structure of the I.D. R Pikes Peak are almost completely made of steel and aluminium,” says Demaison.

Despite this, and whilst still generating a top performance of 500 kW (680 PS), the car, complete with driver, weighs less than 1,100 kilograms – a lightweight compared to previous record-breaking cars in the Pikes Peak category for electric cars. The relatively low performance allowed the battery blocks for the I.D. R Pikes Peak to be made so compact that they could be positioned next to and behind the driver, thus ensuring perfect weight distribution. They provide the energy for an electric engine on both the front and rear axles, while torque distribution is managed electronically.

The I.D. R Pikes Peak’s chassis and aerodynamic components are made of an extremely light carbon fibre/Kevlar composite. One of the tasks faced during the design phase was to integrate design elements from the I.D. family – Volkswagen’s future range of fully-electric vehicles – in the exterior of the Pikes Peak racing car. “During this phase of development, we worked particularly closely with our Volkswagen colleagues in Wolfsburg,” recalls Willy Rampf.

The cockpit of the I.D. R Pikes Peak, a monocoque structure, is also made of ultra-light carbon fibre. The extent to which the engineers were willing to go to reduce weight is exemplified by the driver’s equipment.

Technology partner OMP made driver Dumas’ fire-resistant race overall, as well as the seat padding and six-point harness, from particularly light material. Even the sponsors’ logos are printed onto the overall, to save the weight of conventional patches.

However, the lightweight perfectionists at Volkswagen Motorsport did have to give in on one point: The regulations of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb stipulate that each driver must wear a large event emblem, roughly 40 cm² in size, on their race overall. The plan was to have this logo printed on Dumas’ overall too. “That was rejected. According to the regulations, it has to be sewn on. The thread used for that weighs almost as much as the entire overall,” says Technical Director Demaison with a wink.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

“Future Electronic Engineer Program” (FEEP) launched with 100 young engineers
Participants are to be trained especially for work with the modular electrification toolkit (MEB)
Objective: excellent, trouble-free launch of 27 MEB models throughout the world

The Volkswagen brand is moving ahead with preparations for its major electric offensive and launching a comprehensive e-mobility competence program. Within the framework of the “Future Electronic Engineer Program” (FEEP), 100 young engineers and skilled workers throughout the world will be trained as top production experts. As start of production specialists, they will occupy future-oriented positions in planning, the pilot hall, the e-mobility model group, the pre-series center and electronics development. The first participants to complete the three-year program will support the run-up phase of the I.D. family, the new generation of full-electric vehicles based on the modular electrification toolkit (MEB) in Zwickau.

The new training program has been initiated by the Volkswagen brand pilot hall in Wolfsburg, which forms part of the Production and Logistics Board of Management division. Plants in China, Brazil, Argentina, the USA and Mexico are also participating in the program, which is supported by Volkswagen’s volunteering initiative and local universities. From June onwards, young specialists from Germany, China and the Americas will be participating in the program.

Oliver Wessel, Head of the Pilot Hall, who is responsible for the product creation process of all Volkswagen models together with his team, ensuring that series production of the models starts in the optimum way, aims to provide one of the most comprehensive specialist training schemes in the industry with the FEEP. “This year and next year, we will have to master about 80 starts of production. The vehicles have more digital intelligence on board than ever before. These are severe challenges. And the situation will become even more challenging with the MEB models. We need start of production specialists who can provide local support at our plants when the need arises and ensure a good start of production. We intend to implement outstanding volume production that meets our high quality requirements.”

The successful FEEP trainees will act as “midwives” for the new electric cars to be launched on the market as part of Volkswagen’s major electric offensive. Thomas Ulbrich, Member of the brand Board of Management responsible for E-Mobility, outlines the dimensions: “Within three years, Volkswagen will be starting production of a total of 27 electric car models for four brands in three regions of the world. At the Zwickau plant alone, models of three Group brands will roll off the production lines. In future, our MEB plants throughout the world will need young engineers who are thoroughly conversant with the requirements for production of the new vehicle architecture and also have considerable practical experience.”

Participants entering the program in fields such as vehicle informatics or data logistics will normally have completed a practically oriented course of studies. Initially, they will be provided with basic training on commissioning at the Volkswagen brand pilot hall in Wolfsburg and will work on current vehicle projects such as the first compact I.D. Following this stage, they will receive intensive seminars – for example during specialist training as programmers – and will work on projects with gradually increasing requirements. They will then complete an assignment to another country where they will work on starts of production and benefit from practically oriented support by highly qualified mentors and senior experts working on a volunteering basis.

Article source: www.volkswagen-media-services.com

Volkswagen experts want to simulate the chemical structure of batteries on quantum computers
They have already successfully modeled key molecules such as lithium-hydrogen and carbon chains on quantum computers
The objective is the “tailor-made battery”, a configurable chemical blueprint ready for production
Volkswagen is presenting quantum computing at CEBIT (June 12-15)

For the first time, Volkswagen experts have succeeded in simulating industrially relevant molecules using a quantum computer. This is especially important for the development of high-performance electric vehicle batteries. The experts have successfully simulated molecules such as lithium-hydrogen and carbon chains. Now they are working on more complex chemical compounds. In the long term, they want to simulate the chemical structure of a complete electric vehicle battery on a quantum computer. Their objective is to develop a “tailor-made battery”, a configurable chemical blueprint that is ready for production. Volkswagen is presenting its research work connected with quantum computing at the CEBIT technology show (Hanover, June 12-15).

Martin Hofmann, CIO of the Volkswagen Group, says: "We are focusing on the modernization of IT systems throughout the Group. The objective is to intensify the digitalization of work processes – to make them simpler, more secure and more efficient and to support new business models. This is why we are combining our core task with the introduction of specific key technologies for Volkswagen. These include the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, as well as quantum computing."

The objective is a “tailor-made battery”, a configurable blueprint
Using newly developed algorithms, the Volkswagen experts have laid the foundation for simulating and optimizing the chemical structure of high-performance electric vehicle batteries on a quantum computer. In the long term, such a quantum algorithm could simulate the chemical composition of a battery on the basis of different criteria such as weight reduction, maximum power density or cell assembly and provide a design which could be used directly for production. This would significantly accelerate the battery development process, which has been time-consuming and resource-intensive to date.

Florian Neukart, Principle Scientist at Volkswagen’s CODE Lab in San Francisco, says: “We are working hard to develop the potential of quantum computers for Volkswagen. The simulation of electrochemical materials is an important project in this context. In this field, we are performing genuine pioneering work. We are convinced that commercially available quantum computers will open up previously unimaginable opportunities. We intend to acquire the specialist knowledge we need for this purpose now.”

On this project for the simulation of electrochemical materials, IT is co-operating closely with Volkswagen Group Research. The Volkswagen experts have already successfully simulated key molecules such as lithium-hydrogen and carbon chains, on a quantum computer. They are now working on more complex chemical compounds. In the experts’ opinion, they are only at the beginning of their development work.

Volkswagen and quantum computing
Highly specialized IT experts from Volkswagen, including data scientists, computer linguists and software engineers, are working together at the IT labs in San Francisco and Munich to develop the potential of quantum computers for applications which will be beneficial for the company. The main focus is on the programming of algorithms on quantum computers. These are subject to different laws than in the case of conventional computers.
In the field of quantum computing, the Volkswagen Group is cooperating with the technology partners Google and D-Wave, who provide the Volkswagen experts with access to their systems.

Article source: www.volkswagen-media-services.com

At first glance, it is clear to see that the I.D. R Pikes Peak has been developed for extreme conditions. The aerodynamic aspect of Volkswagen’s first fully-electric racing car is also uncompromisingly designed to tackle the most famous hill climb in the world. “The start line is located at an altitude of almost 2,900 metres, with the finish at 4,300 metres above sea level. The low air pressure up there means that the aerodynamic conditions are different to those at a racetrack on flat land,” explains François-Xavier Demaison, Technical Director at Volkswagen Motorsport and the man responsible for developing the I.D. R Pikes Peak as project manager. The relatively open regulations gave the engineers far more leeway, with which to design the chassis and rear wing of the I.D. R Pikes Peak, than in other racing disciplines.

During the winding 19.99-kilometre drive to the summit of Pikes Peak near Colorado Springs (USA), a top speed of around 240 km/h is reached – this is relatively low for a prototype like the I.D. R Pikes Peak, as it could theoretically do far more than this. “For this reason, we concentrated mainly on achieving optimal cornering speeds. The entire chassis is designed to generate as much downforce as possible, without causing too much aerodynamic drag,” says Demaison, summing up the task facing his team.

The most visually striking result of this strategy is the seemingly oversized rear wing on the I.D. R Pikes Peak. “The altitude on Pikes Peak means that the air we are driving through is on average 35 per cent thinner. As a result, we lose 35 per cent of our downforce compared to a racetrack at sea level. The huge rear wing allows us to compensate for some of this lost downforce,” explains Willy Rampf, technical consultant to the project and a man with years of Formula 1 experience. “The imaginative aerodynamic development means that we will still achieve maximum downforce greater than the weight of the car during the hill climb.”

Precision work in the Porsche wind tunnel

Volkswagen Motorsport used a scale mode (1:2) to test a host of different variants of the Pikes Peak racer in the wind tunnel. The final touches were then put to a full-size chassis in the Porsche development centre in Weissach. “It was greatly beneficial to be able to use resources from within the group,” confirms Demaison.

New components were often produced in quick time on a 3D printer. “We printed about 2,000 parts. In doing so, we saved a lot of time,” says Dr. Hervé Dechipre, who, as a CFD engineer at Volkswagen Motorsport, is responsible for the aerodynamics on the I.D. R Pikes Peak.

Little need to cool electric engines benefits aerodynamics

The electric engine on the I.D. R Pikes Peak does need to be cooled efficiently. However, the need for fresh air is far less than in the case of a combustion engine. Furthermore, it is not necessary to guide any intake air to the two electric engines, which together generate 500 kW (680 PS). This made it possible to reduce the size of the necessary inlet ports in the chassis, which are always a big drawback from an aerodynamic point of view. In contrast, the thin air at altitude has a negative effect on the efficiency of the cooling.

Simulation software provided by technology partner ANSYS is used to calculate the ideal compromise. “We could not manage this solely with the data from the wind tunnel, where it is not possible to recreate the thin air, for example,” says Demaison. “The simulation was a great help in determining the dimensions required for the cooling system.”

In the meantime, the findings from the development phase have been optimised in great detail in comprehensive tests. The first test run on the original route in the USA is planned for the end of May. Driver Romain Dumas and the Volkswagen Motorsport team then begin the final phase of their preparations for the “Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 2018” on 24 June. The goal is to break the record in the class for electric prototypes, which currently stands at 8:57.118 minutes.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

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