Volkswagen Advanced Activity Concept: New Taro?
Volkswagen used to have a pickup truck called the Volkswagen Taro back in 1989, which was essentially a badge engineered Toyota Hilux. The project was discontinued in 1996. Now Volkswagen is developing the second generation Volkswagen Taro, and it is expected to be unveiled at the end of 2009.
Volkswagen had exhibited a pickup truck concept in the early 2000s called the Volkswagen Advanced Activity Concept. It looks pretty much like the Touareg but with a pickup body form. It had an adjustable air suspension which at its highest point allows for 390mm of ground clearance, and at its lowest, 280mm.
The original Taro used a 2.4 liter Toyota diesel engine but the Volkswagen AAC used the big twin turbodiesel direct injection V10 also found in the Touareg, mated to a 6-speed Tiptronic auto and a permanent all-wheel drive system.
More photos after the jump.
January 30, 2008 @ 7:55 pm
yea first to comment. Nice Suicide Door the front look like a touareg. Is That a golf stick in front of the gear?
January 30, 2008 @ 8:00 pm
look like goft stick endeed…second wuuuaaaaa
January 30, 2008 @ 8:09 pm
Huh…this must be a luxury pickup truck… Volkswagen really serious on all types of vehicles….Great design….
January 30, 2008 @ 8:10 pm
Omigosh that is so cool~!
January 30, 2008 @ 8:18 pm
Whoaah!! I’d love to try this tough looking machine. Will bring it for a deep forest fishing trip.
January 30, 2008 @ 8:42 pm
This is MyviKiller here.
January 30, 2008 @ 8:43 pm
Beautiful pick up, but won’t be able to see its production though.
January 30, 2008 @ 9:03 pm
VW is goin into pickup market ?
imagine we get cheaper VW cars(pick up)
haha !!!
January 30, 2008 @ 9:04 pm
nice! but the name remind me one of ultraman character…hehe. peace!
January 30, 2008 @ 9:23 pm
I have 3 feet of snow, with more on the way!!!!! I need that truck now!!!!!!!
January 30, 2008 @ 10:18 pm
I think they need to push the rear wheel a little bit foward. BTW very interesting pickup
January 30, 2008 @ 10:19 pm
Volkswagen Taro… Remember the comedy sitcom “Mind Your Language”? The Japanese student named Taro Nagazumi who always say “ah-so”! Hehe
January 30, 2008 @ 10:48 pm
too luxurious to be thrashed away in off-road adventure!!
January 30, 2008 @ 11:10 pm
air suspension means the rear suspension is not of leaf spring type right?
January 30, 2008 @ 11:14 pm
looks like this is meant for the US market. The rear looks weird, almost like the mustang rear.
January 30, 2008 @ 11:43 pm
Damn cun man….
January 31, 2008 @ 1:12 am
looks awesome…specially with VW’s V10 diesel !
January 31, 2008 @ 8:34 am
will ppl buy this car and run on dirty off road ?? or climb a hill can damage this very expensive VW car ?? only the rich ppl affort …
January 31, 2008 @ 9:13 am
Voruksvagen taro, bakayarou, rhyme kan? hahaha\
Anyways, this is just a concept.
January 31, 2008 @ 10:01 am
Wow… smooth and muscular! Looks even better than the Toyota concept! Too bad we won’t get it here. Actually, even if they do, I doubt anyone will buy one here. Only crazy Americans will splurge so much on a pickup!
January 31, 2008 @ 11:13 am
its only a concept interior, production models will never look like that.
but its definitely one for the US market.
armandd, practically all modern SUV/pickup/4wd trucks today do not use leaf springs anymore but coil ones. 4×4’s like the range rover have been using fully independent air suspension for many years now.
January 31, 2008 @ 12:54 pm
will said the car look v. american style “bimp daddy”.
January 31, 2008 @ 1:06 pm
wahlaueh…
i like the front look but not from rear… may b backlights design not suite my taste…
From the photo, i am pretty sure back seats rest will have very straight angle which not comfortable for rear passengers in long distance travel….
February 1, 2008 @ 1:06 am
not bad, at least not boring to look at……
February 1, 2008 @ 1:43 am
why the taillight nvt changing one…feel broed with VW taillight