Chicago 2008 preview: Volkswagen Routan leaks out
Click above for high-res gallery of the Volkswagen Routan.
Well, thanks to the German pub Autobild you can now see the collaborative efforts of Chrysler and Volkswagen in the form of the VW Routan. Unfortunately, the V-Dub van hardly harkens back to the time of the mini-bus, as everything between the A- and D-pillar is a dead ringer for the Chrysler/Dodge on which it's built. The new front fascia is attractive enough, with swooping headlamps, well-proportioned air dams and a chrome grille fitted with the VW logo, while the rear benefits from a similar tail lamp design as seen on the Touareg and Golf.
Power comes courtesy of a 3.6-liter V6, with 197 hp and 230 lb.-ft. of torque routed through a six-speed automatic transmission. Buyers can upgrade what's under the hood with a 4.0-liter V6 producing 251 hp and 259 lb.-ft. of torque. Traction control and ESP will be standard, along with dual power sliding doors, power windows and thirteen (13!) cupholders. Some of the options include a touch screen nav with a 20 gig hard-drive, power lift gate and a rear seat entertainment system with two, nine-inch screens.
Volkswagen plans to price the base Routan below the $25,000 mark and sales are expected to begin later this year.
Gallery: Volkswagen Routan
(Via Autoblog.)
