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In the first quarter of 2003, Volkswagen is adding the innovative Touran Compact Van to its programme. Europe’s largest automobile manufacturer now offers a further attractive van model line in addition to the Sharan. 53 years ago, Volkswagen introduced its very first “van”: the Type 22, much loved throughout the world as the “VW Bus” and now regarded as the precursor of today’s multi-purpose vehicles.

The Touran, which has five or, as an optional extra, seven seats, is a complete new development: body, interior, running gear and many elements of the driveline. Among the most significant features of this new Volkswagen, which is 4.39 metres long, 1.79 metres wide and 1.65 metres high, are its variable interior concept and the exceptional amount of space it offers. The interior has been designed for flexible use and also to incorporate all the safety features needed by modern owners with demanding mobility requirements. This makes the Touran an ideal choice as a highly versatile form of family, leisure and business transport.

New-generation running gear for maximum agility and active safety; ultra-modern MacPherson front suspension, innovative multi-link suspension at the rear

The new Volkswagen owes its exceptional agility and safety in all operating situations, with a satisfying sense of direct contact with the road, to its entirely new running gear with MacPherson front suspension featuring triangulated lower wishbones and wheel location by spring and shock absorber struts at the front, and an entirely new four-link suspension layout at the rear for even better handling quality. The new rear suspension consists effectively of three lateral control arms and one trailing arm for each wheel, a new layout that ensures maximum dynamic stability and ride quality. The Touran’s running gear sets new standards of agility in this vehicle category.

Electro-mechanical power steering is a standard feature that saves fuel and avoids unwanted driveline feedback; the degree of power assistance depends on road speed

For the first time in this vehicle segment, electro-mechanical power steering is used. Compared with conventional power-assisted steering systems, it consumes less energy and therefore saves 0.15 of a litre of fuel per 100 kilometres; the degree of power assistance always depends on road speed, and is easier to match to the car’s handling characteristics than other systems. Another interesting feature is that unwanted feedback from the driveline can be effectively eliminated, but the steering retains its direct feeling of contact with the road.

Three equipment and trim specifications for the Touran, which will be launched with a choice of two TDI diesel engines and one FSI direct petrol injection engine, all of them complying with EU 4 exhaust emission legislation and qualifying on certain markets for exemption from road tax

The new Van model will be offered for sale in three equipment and trim versions: Touran, Touran Trendline and Touran Highline; it will reach the showrooms initially with a choice of three FSI and TDI engines that are both dynamic and economical. The FSI direct petrol injection unit develops 85 kW (115 bhp), the TDI engines are rated at 74 kW (100 bhp) and 100 kW (136 bhp). The 2.0-litre, 136-bhp TDI is a new development with four valves per cylinder: it develops the impressive maximum torque of 320 Nm between engine speeds of 1,750 and 2,500 rpm. All Touran engines comply with the EU 4 exhaust emission limits and may therefore qualify for road tax concessions, as for example on the German market. Further engine options will be offered in the course of the year.

FSI and TDI-engined versions have a six-speed gearbox as standard equipment; the new automatic transmission also has six forward ratios

A unique feature in this market segment until now: all FSI- and TDI-engined Tourans have a six-speed gearbox as standard equipment. As an optional extra to be available at a later date, TDI-engined versions will be offered with the new, innovative direct-shift gearbox (DSG), which also has six forward ratios. It combines the advantages of automatic transmission with the agility and economy of a manual-shift gearbox in an entirely new, fascinating form. This new direct-shift gearbox was first introduced in the Golf R32 with its powerful 177 kW (241 bhp) engine. The Touran with FSI engine can also be obtained with a new six-speed automatic transmission rated for maximum refinement. Apart from the New Beetle Convertible it is the only car in the world to have a six-speed automatic transmission installed transversely.

Safety first: six airbags, lap-and-shoulder belts at all seats, active front head restraints, Isofix children’s seat mountings, ESP and Brake Assistant

The body is laser-welded, which contributes to its particularly rigid construction and gives the Touran a high standard of passive safety. Head-level side airbags protect the occupants of the first and second rows of seats and there are also front and front-seat side airbags and active head restraints for both front seats to give the Touran a truly comprehensive occupant protection system that sets new standards in this category. Lap-and-shoulder seat belts at all seven seats are a standard safety feature. The Touran has disc brakes all round, with ventilated discs at the front, ESP, a brake assistant function and ABS, so that its active safety level is also high.

Highly adaptable in use and carefully planned down to the smallest detail, the interior of the five-seat (seven seats are optional) Touran is ideal for everyone who needs plenty of space for leisure or business activities or has to carry up to seven people. Three seat rows can be provided, but the interior layout remains highly versatile and thus caters for a wide variety of different uses. Another bonus feature of the new Volkswagen Van is that the standard equipment and trim specification is unusually generous, including for instance a radio with CD player and central locking operated by radio remote control.

Touran - Interior

The Touran’s front seats, indeed all the seats in this new Van, are notable for their excellent ergonomics. The seats are of completely new design, with relaxed travel and a sense of space assured by a seated position slightly higher than in a conventional car (631 millimetres) and with 1,020 millimetres of headroom. For front passenger protection, the standard safety equipment includes active head restraints, front, side and front-seat head-level airbags. The airbag system for the front passenger can be de-activated at a key-operated switch in the glove box if a “reboard” child’s seat is installed on the front passenger’s seat. When it is de-activated, an easily visible warning light comes on between the central ventilation outlets.

The abundant storage space provided for the driver and front passenger are evidence of the Touran’s practical design. There are storage compartments under both front seats and also (if the Trendline specification or higher is chosen) a drawer for larger items. A further compartment with flap to conceal the contents is provided on top of the fascia, and a large roof-level console with three compartments provides even more extra storage space.

Under the armrest on the centre console, between the front seats, there is another storage compartment that is also lockable. It is easy to reach, as are the storage bins in the doors, which are large enough to hold a 1-litre bottle or a road atlas. A further compartment under the radio console, two cup holders next to the handbrake lever and the glove box, which can be cooled by the air conditioning system if this is fitted are further evidence of the effort that has gone into making the front-seat area of the Touran highly practical for everyday use.

All the main interior equipment and trim elements - from the driver’s area to the door trims and controls - are of new design. None the less, the principal control elements are of familiar pattern, using well-proven detail design features that permit intuitive operation without any rethinking on the driver’s part - a principle which, like the highly functional control layout, is typical of the Volkswagen approach.

The heating, ventilation and air conditioning are a further example of this: for the optional two-zone Climatronic automatic air conditioning, with separate temperature and ventilation controls for the driver and front passenger, a totally new control system was developed. It is self-explanatory in its layout and, in a similar way to the familiar light switch, can be operated intuitively.

The Touran’s interior, part II: the second row of seats; these three seats can be removed, folded, slid forward and back and repositioned sideways - a far better solution than the conventional rear bench seat

The three seats in the second row, arranged side by side and each weighing less than 16 kilograms, can be easily slid forward or back and also repositioned sideways, folded up or even removed completely. The high seated position (676 millimetres) makes every journey comfortable and pleasant for occupants of all statures; headroom at these seats is 989 millimetres.

The designers’ attention to detail will be equally evident to passengers riding on the second row of seats. Pockets and folding tables including cup holders are provided (from Trendline upwards) on the front seat backs. The centre seat can also be used as a table and there are storage compartments in the floor ahead of the seats and large-size door bins (here too, capable of holding 1-litre bottles). Even if the kids bring most of their toys along, the Touran will accommodate them without problems.

The owners of those toys are also provided with a high degree of protection when they travel in the Touran. There are head-level airbags for the second-row seat occupants as well, and all three seats have lap-and-shoulder belts and head restraints. The two outer seats are additionally equipped with permanently attached Isofix mountings for a suitable child’s seat. The raised seated position not only provides an excellent view but also makes it easier for parents to secure their children with the seat belts. Touran occupants both large and small will be glad to find a special cup holder at the rear end of the centre console; it is capable of holding even a large bottle securely.

The Touran’s interior, part III: the optional third row of individual seats folds down into the floor; here too there are numerous storage compartments, and the seats have lap-and-shoulder belts

A third row of seats is an optional extra for the Touran. These two seats, which are also suitable for adults, can be retracted separately into the floor in a few simple movements if not needed.

Here too, the occupants naturally benefit from lap-and-shoulder seat belts and head restraints that can be pulled out as far as necessary. If the seats in the third row are to be stowed below floor level, the head restraints are first removed and can be kept clean and safe in a separate compartment in the load-area floor.

Depending on the chosen equipment and trim specification, the Touran provides up to 39 different storage spaces, shelves and compartments. In addition to those for occupants of the first two rows of seats, there are additional ones for the use of those occupying the third seat row: lockable compartments in the side-panel trims, cup holders, a storage compartment in the side of the load area and another in its floor. Even the Touran’s warning triangle has its own separate compartment in the tailgate trim, so that it is always easy to reach even if the Touran is fully loaded.

The Touran’s interior, part IV: the load area, which has a capacity of 695 litres in the 5-seat version or up to 1,989 litres with the seats folded

The load area is adaptable and highly efficient. With the Touran’s ‘classic’ five-seat layout in use, it can accept up to 695 litres of luggage; the maximum payload is more than 660 kilograms. Even when used as a seven-seater, the Touran provides 121 litres of load-carrying capacity. By taking out all the second-row seats and lowering those in the third row, the maximum load-capacity becomes 1,913 litres or, in the case of the 5-seater with the second row of seats removed, 1,989 litres.

Net and bag hooks on the right side panel and an easily operated load-area cover (Trendline and upwards) complete the picture of a new compact van developed without compromise to be suitable for every aspect of day-to-day driving.

Auto 5000 GmbH - The new “factory within a factory”

- The new “factory within a factory” will create 3,500 new jobs
- Employees can obtain Chamber of Commerce certificates as qualified automobile production workers
- Project 5000 x 5000 - a fine example of regional job security in Germany

The production scheme developed for the Touran at a new plant in Wolfsburg is as progressive as the new model itself. Auto 5000 GmbH, the company set up for this purpose, is creating 3,500 jobs there. Before actual production starts, the new employees will have received nine months of specific training to qualify them as general automobile production workers. After this they will be integrated into an innovative production, sales, marketing, logistics and quality assurance concept - all measures aimed at giving a permanent boost to Volkswagen AG’s ability to compete.

792 new employees at Auto 5000 GmbH are already actively engaged on the Touran’s series production launch. A further 1,569 are currently undergoing initial training for their future tasks.

Project 5000 x 5000 - a fine example of how to safeguard job security in Germany

The new production lines for the Touran and the work scheme that is to be adopted can be regarded as an outstanding example of how jobs can be secured at regional locations in Germany. Volkswagen AG’s subsidiary, Auto 5000 GmbH, is intended to demonstrate that it is still possible to build motor vehicles competitively to the highest quality standards in Germany, despite the high prevailing cost levels.

Remaining competitive with production facilities abroad is the absolute guiding principle. For it to be achieved, all the business processes associated with the production and sale of the vehicles must be optimised. Innovative concepts help to avoid unnecessary expense and reduce costs quite considerably. Volkswagen AG’s Auto 5000 GmbH company has concluded a negotiated pay settlement for the project which enables one of the most innovative working hours and payment schemes ever drawn up in the automobile industry to be put into effect. This pilot project envisages transferring responsibility for the programmed volumes and the quality targets agreed in the various work areas directly to the employees, so that they exercise the highest possible level of personal responsibility at the actual point where the production work takes place.

Training for further qualifications as an escape from unemployment: Volkswagen and the Chamber of Commerce have developed a new “automobile production worker’s certificate”

In parallel with this work structure, enhancing employees’ qualifications is a fundamental element in the new work scheme. Every week, the employees of Auto 5000 GmbH attend three hours of training. For this purpose a cooperation agreement has been specially drawn up with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Lüneburg-Wolfsburg region of Germany. The aim is for every employee who completes two years of general training to receive a certificate. This will state the work and study processes in which Auto 5000 GmbH employees have participated and represent a new form of specialised qualification in the automobile industry.

Dr. Peter Hartz, Member of the Volkswagen AG Board of Management, sums up the overall concept in the following terms: “We want to increase what we refer to as ‘workholder value’. The tools we use are creative employment and payment processes, equality of opportunity and promotion of learning throughout the employee’s working life and in parallel with the tasks he or she performs. Integrating work and value creation, qualifications and communication makes every individual employee of Auto 5000 GmbH a businessperson with his or her own responsibilities and targets.”

Participation in the qualification program for the Chamber of Commerce’s automobile production worker certificate is voluntary and involves no extra effort or expense, since the qualification measures and the weekly three-hour training sessions scheduled by Auto 5000 GmbH satisfy the requirements for obtaining the certificate. Preconditions include the completion of vocational training or an equivalent qualification and at least two years of study and work for an automobile manufacturer. The training program for the automobile production worker’s certificate is concluded by an examination which the candidate must sit successfully.

A 35-hour working week and three hours of study: if all bonuses are included, pay exceeds the negotiated regional rates

The average working week has 35 hours, and the employees normally operate a three-shift system (early, late and night shifts). Depending on the output required from the new Wolfsburg “factory within a factory”, the working week can be extended to a maximum of 42 hours a week. The overtime worked in this way is credited to the employee’s time account and normally taken later as free time. In addition to the actual working hours, the negotiated agreement includes the three hours of training each week already mentioned above. Of these, the employee is credited with 1½ hours and the remainder represents his or her own career investment.

The name of the project - “5000 x 5000″ - is derived from the total number of employees (5,000 new recruits including 1,500 jobs at the Volkswagen plant in Hanover where the new Microbus will be built from 2005 onwards) and their basic pay (5,000 German Marks, equivalent to 2,301 Euro now that this new currency has been introduced). In addition, each employee receives a minimum annual bonus of 3,068 Euro, a personal performance bonus if the profit threshold is reached and a share of distributed profits depending on business results in the previous year.

Wolfsburg is the location of the automobile plant with the largest ground area in the world; a new “factory within the factory” is now being built here - the Auto 5000 GmbH

Auto 5000 GmbH is located at Volkswagen AG’s headquarters in Wolfsburg. On the existing site, in buildings 8, 9 and 10, a modern “factory within the factory” has been built, with new production equipment and technologies in the buildings previously used by Volkswagen.

The new company limits its activities to three core processes in industrial-scale motor vehicle manufacturing: building the body, painting and assembly. The remaining business areas support these core production activities and are performed either within the company or by external divisions. In addition, the company is to build up its own sales operation, with the aim of realising new ideas and concepts not only in production but also in the form of more intensive, direct contact with customers.

All Sales, Marketing, Technical, Logistics and Purchasing, Quality, Finance and Human Affairs processes were subjected to close scrutiny. In particular, the topic of internal communication and the introduction of new media runs like a thread through the organizational structure of the new Auto 5000 GmbH. There are good reasons for this: advanced technologies are essential if the efficiency and quality are to be increased in the automobile manufacturing industry - but these technologies cannot be introduced successfully unless the workforce undergoes ongoing training.

Three general managers for the new company: Thomas Ulbrich, Hans-Joachim Schreiner and Harald Schomburg run Auto 5000 GmbH in Wolfsburg

General management of the Auto 5000 GmbH company is in the hands of Thomas Ulbrich, Hans-Joachim Schreiner and Harald Schomburg. Thomas Ulbrich is responsible for technical matters and is the company’s spokesman. His area of responsibility includes automobile production with body construction, painting and assembly, quality assurance, logistics and materials management.

Hans-Jochim Schreiner is the commercial general manager, responsible for human affairs, finance and controlling, service processes, communication, workforce development and processes and industrial engineering. Harald Schomburg, the general manager for sales and marketing, is responsible for product strategy, price planning and product-related communication, in particular on the Internet, distribution and vehicle logistics and sales and product planning.

Related articles:

• The new Volkswagen Touran - the first facts
• First pictures of new Volkswagen Touran revealed before Paris Motor Show
• The Volkswagen Touran: first pictures and facts about the five to seven seat interior of the versatile compact van
• World premiere of the new Volkswagen Touran in Paris
• Volkswagen unveils new Tiguan compact 4×4 model

This entry was posted on Monday, January 13th, 2003 at 10:09 and is filed under Volkswagen. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.