Mon, Nov 27, 2006
Bet Your Old Microbus Couldn't Do This...
If you ever owned that icon of the 1960s, a Volkswagen
Microbus... you may find it hard to imagine a vehicle with the VW
logo on the front could tow, well, anything. Especially not
something as big as a 747.
Volkswagen has changed a bit in 40 years, though, and is eager
to show it. To that end, the German manufacturer recently staged an
event using a new Volkswagen Touareg SUV, fitted with its new V-10
turbodiesel engine, hooked up to a former British Airways
747-200.
The nonflying aircraft -- which now sports mockup quad-inboard
turbofans, and dummy wing tanks in the place of its #1 and #4
engines -- recently saw duty in the James Bond flick "Casino
Royale."
The plane weighed just a bit more than the SUV's maximum tow
rating of 7,700 pounds... try 170 tons, including ballast to fill
in for the plane's missing engines. Except for more ballast added
to the Touareg -- to keep its wheels from spinning -- and a shorter
axle ratio, the SUV was bone-stock.
Starting from second gear with the 4x4's transfer case in 'Low',
the Touareg was able to move the jumbo jet about 500 feet, at a
speed of about 5 miles per hour. Perhaps even more impressively,
the SUV was then able to stop the jet using only its brakes... and
everyone lived to tell the tale.
"I was a bit disappointed we couldn't find something heavier to
tow as it was a bit too easy!" said test driver Uwe Krieghoff
afterwards. "If anyone could lend us a heavier aircraft then please
let us know."
Perhaps Airbus is willing to lend an A380 to that effort? After
all, they won't be going to customers for awhile...
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