Codprawn, I am surprised you don't think that the Touareg and Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland are at least in a similar ball park, price-wise. The base price of both cars is remarkably similar, although I agree that you need to pay quite a bit extra on the Touareg for all the bells and whistles.
I don't really intend to do much "off-roading" with the car, as it was to be first and foremost a launch vehicle that also afforded an acceptable degree of comfort. Curiously, I've read at least one report that suggests the other models are possibly better off-roaders than the V10, although I am not really sure why.
Over the last few days, things have changed. I have been diagnosed with a major neck problem that will make RIB-ing generally unwise (and painful) and has caused me to cancel my trip to Lymington on 3rd September to order my new Scorpion, which was to have been called "Quick One".
As you will appreciate I am pretty sick about this and hope that I may still get out on the odd RIB on my "better" days. But not for a while yet.
In the meantime, I shall still get the Touareg, which - I have to admit - now ranks above above the Jaguar S-Type as my favourite car. Incidentally, there will be a 225bhp diesel version coming out in 2-3 months, so it should be worth waiting for and will presumably take advantage of many of the clever technical enhancements to diesel engines over the last 4-5 years.
I shall continue to participate in RIBnet and will keep my SIB, which was tender to the last power boat (sports cruiser) that I owned for 14 years - the SIB is a lot newer than that! At least I haven't lost anything, if I am unable to use it.
Kind regards,
Chris.
