Ok, fine. I didn’t get to ride with Pope Francis when he visited the Philippines last January — but I did get to test drive the backup Volkswagen Touran that was used for his protection during that visit. The VW Touran that the Pope used has been donated to the Apostolic Nuncio.
The Volkswagen Touran is a multipurpose vehicle (MPV), and the backup I test drove was exactly the same model as the VW Touran Pope Francis rode on his historic visit here.
Simple yet elegant
Because of its understated look and spaciousness, highly functional interior, the Touran was chosen as one of the official vehicles for the Pope, who is widely known for simplicity and humility. The Touran is powered by a Euro 4 compliant, 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine that delivers 110 Ps and impressive torque output of 280 Nm.
The Touran that bore the SCV 1 licence plate, the official registration plate of the Pope, made its debut when it shuttled the Pope to Malacañang Palace last Jan. 16. The following morning, on Jan. 17, the same Touran brought the Pope to Villamor Air Base where he flew to Tacloban City in Leyte.
The Touran was once again at His Holiness’ service on the morning of Jan. 18 as it brought the Pope from the Apostolic Nunciature to the University of Santo Tomas where he held morning meetings with religious leaders and more than 20,000 young people. Pope Francis departed for Rome on Jan. 19.
Of course, driving behind the Pope’s Touran was the backup Touran, which, for security purposes, is identical to the one which the Pope rode.
As I sat in the Touran’s cockpit, I could only imagine what it would have been like to be in a backup car to the Pope.
Yes, I did get to see Pope Francis last January. But that was as a bystander at the corner of Quirino Avenue and Roxas Boulevard — one among the sea of millions of Pinoys who came out to get a glimpse of His Holiness.
Falling in love with simplicity
I really like the look of the VW Touran. It bears the traits of the new Volkswagen DNA: these include the striking black radiator grille with chrome trim strips on the slats, the black air intake grille as well as the halogen headlights, which are housed together with the turn signals behind an elegant clear-glass lens.
From the outside, the Touran speaks of stylish German design because of a series of features. These include the roof rails in black. The grey tinted rear and side windows. The side rubbing strips in black or in body color, And the body-colored exterior mirror housings with integrated turn signals at the sides.
Before I stepped into the cockpit and started the engine, I stood gazing at the Touran — just like a fan would do when he or she sees her idol for the first time.
Harmonious proportions, sporty highlights — the comprehensive redesign of the rear end is plain to see. Painted bumpers, the gently curving tailgate and the rising line of the side sections give the Touran an air of sporty elegance. This impression is further emphasised by the integrated body-colored roof spoiler. The two-piece rear light clusters elegantly round off the Touran’s striking appearance.
Step inside
It took me a good 30 minutes or so to give the Touran that once over that only a fan can give. But, as all test drives go, the proof of a good car or SUV is in how it handles on the streets of Metro Manila.
I started the engine and I listened to it roar — I liked what I heard. On long rides with steady traffic conditions (not the daily Metro Manila traffic), the optional cruise control system is able to store and maintain the speed set by the driver. I tested the cruise control system when I drove down the SLEX — and was happy that I could briefly increase or decrease the set speed manually by a defined amount, or deactivate the system if I wanted to.
From the pilot’s seat, I looked back at the passenger seats, which were comfy for at least three passengers.
And then there are the optional seats in the third row, made up of two individual seats, which can be lowered into the luggage compartment floor for additional storage space. Even greater flexibility is provided by the optional luggage compartment floor including two useful inserts, a cover and bag hooks. For added safety, the optional net partition will hold everything securely in place.
Sporty, too
Volkswagen’s transmissions are recognized all over the world for their smooth shifting and well-spaced gear ratios. The Touran is equipped with the same transmission. Its Direct Shift Gearboxes (DSG) are made up of two independent gearbox units. As they move through the gears, the dual-clutch mechanism allows the engine to engage with each of the two gearboxes in turn via two drive shafts. The dual-clutch gearbox permits an automatic gear change with no interruption in power flow.
Of course, a good car comes with a great braking system. The Touran’s electronic stabilization program with countersteering assistance includes ABS with brake assist, ASR (traction control), EDS (electronic differential lock), MSR (engine drag torque control) and trailer stabilisation intervenes in the braking and engine management systems in such a way as to keep the vehicle on course in critical driving situations.
For a driver like me, who has test driven more cars than I can count — there is nothing more important in a car than safety and a good braking system.
I have been in so many situations where I have had to step on the brakes faster than I could count to three — so good brakes, matter.
There are test drives and there are test drives — but the VW Touran test drive was one that I will remember with much fondness. After all, how many people can say that they test drove the backup car used by the Pope’s security contingent?
I can.