| #ffffff;" /> | | | | end of my Winehouse bashing I promise) Volkswagen |
| If I was a celebrity in the public eye, I’d make | | | | have a perfectly good reason for why they |
| sure I gave the public what they wanted. With the | | | | don’t build a competitor for a new sector of |
| media scrutinising every move a famous person | | | | the car market created by a rival car firm. This reason |
| makes, it’s vital you don’t step out of | | | | is quite simply because they want to release a good |
| line or rub anyone up the wrong way; else your career | | | | car, rather than a rush job. It happened with the Touran |
| will be crushed quicker than you can say | | | | which was launched to compete with Renault’s |
| “swearing on live TV”. Similarly with | | | | Scenic – a full seven years after the French |
| advertising and endorsements you don’t want | | | | manufacturer and now Volkswagen have caught up |
| to be turning up to your Volkswagen video shoot three | | | | with the Toyota RAV4 by launching their baby |
| hours late, or shaving your head the night before your | | | | off-roader the Tiguan, 13 years after their Japanese |
| hair product photo shoot. | | | | rival. |
| The above all seems obvious to me as I’m | | | | Crucially though is the Tiguan worth the wait? In short |
| sure it does to you which is why I’m incredulous | | | | let me summarise by saying their patient customers will |
| at the acts of some who have the world at their feet | | | | be over the moon. You see by arriving 13 years late to |
| and seem determined to throw it all away. Amy | | | | the party, Volkswagen have sized up what the |
| Winehouse is a towering example of what not to do | | | | competition has to offer and bettered them in nearly |
| with your god-given talent. Blessed with one of the | | | | every department. It’s chock-full of cutting edge |
| most distinctive jazz voices, actually scrub that, one of | | | | gadgetry as you’d expect from VW, with |
| the most distinctive voices of recent musical times; she | | | | everything from a self-parking system, to rear camera |
| consistently abuses it and herself with drugs, booze | | | | via a panoramic sunroof and finishing up with a |
| and cigarettes. Yes rock and roll is all about | | | | 30-gigabite in-car entertainment system. |
| over-indulgence but I bet even Keith Richards whilst | | | | The car can also tow 2.5 tons – more than any |
| snorting his dad’s ashes thought | | | | other in its class and looks elegant in doing so. It is |
| “Amy’s a bit out of control”. | | | | essentially a shrunken 4x4 so curves are not the order |
| Not content with abusing herself, Winehouse insists on | | | | of the day, but bold lines, and a mix of classy German |
| insulting her die-hard fans by going AWOL before gigs | | | | styling and workmanlike ground clearance and roof |
| or showing up horrendously late and giving a | | | | bars blend well. It is more than capable of doing the |
| shambolic-at-best performance. Yet despite all this her | | | | dirty jobs too, rather than just looking like it might want |
| album sales continue to soar, any tour dates are sold | | | | to one day. Other than its impressive towing |
| out and critics’ awards continue to flow. With all | | | | credentials, the taller front end coupled with all manner |
| this adulation, it’s easy to see why Amy | | | | of hill climb and descent options make the Tiguan a go |
| Winehouse the singer is happy to play second fiddle to | | | | anywhere vehicle. |
| Amy Winehouse the drug addict – why change | | | | If you, like the majority of 4x4 owners hate the sight |
| when the going is seemingly so good? | | | | of mud, the Tiguan is more than capable on the |
| Now I don’t want to compare Volkswagen to | | | | tarmac with little body roll and a clever four-wheel |
| Amy Winehouse but bear with me on this before you | | | | drive system that sends more power to the wheels |
| lynch me because I can see a similarity. Volkswagen | | | | that need it the most. With a range of engines on offer |
| have a long distinguished history of producing cars that | | | | - the most notable an environmentally friendly 2 litre |
| are well styled, reliable, good to drive and are cutting | | | | turbo diesel which will keep the tree huggers happy, |
| edge for the time. Due to this impressive curriculum | | | | the Tiguan is an economical option without losing much |
| vitae, it’s easy to understand why so many are | | | | in the way of performance. |
| devoted Volkswagen customers who refuse to | | | | The interior is to the usual high standard you’d |
| deviate from their beloved marque. Yet even with this | | | | expect from Volkswagen and completes what is a |
| large customer base, Volkswagen take their sweet | | | | very strong contender in the now cluttered small |
| time in delivering the type of car their customers are | | | | off-roader market. The wait then was definitely worth |
| crying out for – they don’t pander to the | | | | it, although quite whether 13 years of research has |
| whims of their fans. | | | | gone into the Tiguan is debatable. |
| Unlike our famous singer however (that’s the | | | | |