By John Lamm of Road & TrackCompared to the well-known auto shows in places like Detroit, Frankfurt or Geneva, the new one held in Qatar is but a fraction of their size. Nevertheless, you can't deny the enthusiasm reverberating throughout the exhibition center in Doha. For instance, when the cover came off the Porsche 918 RSR, the place stirred, just like Cobo Hall did when that Porsche made its official debut in Detroit.
Porsche 918 RSR Hybrid
Qatar owns a healthy stake of Volkswagen stock, and the German company used the auto show to present its newest vehicle aimed at the magical 1 liter/100 km (235 mpg) goal. Called the XL1, it is a plug-in hybrid with a 2-cylinder diesel engine, an electric motor, a lithium-ion battery pack and 7-speed DSG transmission. Built for low drag and maximum efficiency, the lightweight XL1 actually beats VW's stated goal, managing to burn only 0.9 liters of fuel for every 100 kilometers it travels. That equates to 261 mpg. Rumors persist that VW will build a small production run of the XL1.
Also on VW's stand was the highly modified Race Touareg driven to victory in this year's Dakar Rally in South America. This marks the third win in a row for a Touareg, which is built to conquer a wide variety of conditions with its high ride height and loads of suspension travel. A rooftop cooling system is fed by a huge vent that feeds, among other things, the 296-bhp twin-turbo 2.5-liter diesel engine.
Adding to the excitement on the VW stand was a visit by home-grown hero Nasser Saleh Al Attiya, the Quatari driver who won the 2011 Dakar partnered with German Timo Gottschalk. Naturally Al Attiyah is something of a rock star here in Qatar. And, in our brief talk, seems like a nice guy.
To note its win in the 2011 Dakar Rally, VW created a concept that might see production. Called the Race Touareg, this VW has a body mimics that of the race machine, complete with huge rooftop air intake. The diesel engine is rated at just over 300 bhp, and VW says the Race Touareg Concept hits 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than six seconds. Riding on 18-in. BBS wheels, this very cool super SUV is painted in Magic Morning white. VW says the Race Touareg is "legally approved for use on public roadways." Does that mean U.S. roadways? We hope so.
As you can see by the spare tire arrangement, VW didn't stray far from the Race Touareg when it created the Race Touareg Concept (you wonder what the guy from the AAA might say when he comes to fix a flat!). And inside, the Race Touareg Concept obviously couldn't have the bare bones interior of the pure race machine. Still, VW left the rollcage in — finished in Serpentineo Grey Metallic — but then created a race-like but very ergonomic interior. VW calls it a "stealth look," and the term fits with the rows of very serious-looking switches and knobs. Recaro provided the leather-upholstered seats.
If the pseudo race machine Touareg isn't to your liking, consider the Touareg Gold Edition Concept. Doesn't take much of an imagination to see where the name comes from, with much of the car plated in 24-karat gold. This isn't just an exterior dressing up, either; many of the buttons inside are also plated...but thankfully not the Nappa leather seats or Alcantara headliner.