Touareg - a misnomer if ever there was

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Thu 6 Jan 2005 16:29
Touareg - a misnomer if ever there was - THe Growler
Watching Star Sports tonight on the Dakar thing and all the VW's covered in pretty decals rolling over and shedding bits all over the formerly pristine sands of the Sahara. Hilarious. And so sublimely stupid. Those marketing pimples better revise their branding! Or produce a vehicle that lives up to its pretentious name.

Lots of head-scratching from the clever-clogs against the background of shared nods of wisdom from the true Touaregs, the Blue Men, neatly portrayed by clever camera work from Star. Bit like all those soccer weenies who crawl around in agony every time they get a slight knock on their little finger in case it prejudices their commission from those highly lucrative after-shave commercials for males of dubious personal orientation.

I was half hoping a VW Combi of hippies would pass serenely by (rear engine, weight over the back wheels) as in my days of yore (having of course stocked up on interesting cigarettes enroute in Fez) with nothing more than a few sacks for the drifts and a bit of effort to get through the sandy bits. I seem to remember making it from Essouira via the then Spanish Sahara to Mauritania with a lot less fuss and no support 30 years ago and we never considered it any special achievement, let alone the need for excruciatingly decorated vehicles and clothing.

Bah!
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Thu 6 Jan 2005 16:43
Touareg - a misnomer if ever there was - Altea Ego
Yes But, No But, Yes But, No But, Yes see, you were not doing it at 130mph plus like Colin McCrash and his ilk.

And the Toureg only manage 15 miles a day. (but that does include the tents, livestock, contraband, enough arms for a small army, hareem, and slaves.)
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Fri 7 Jan 2005 10:49
Touareg - a misnomer if ever there was - madux
I used to watch it religiously, but now I find the £100 Plymouth-Dakar version more interesting!
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Fri 7 Jan 2005 22:57
Touareg - a misnomer if ever there was - Morris Ox
Agreed. Shocking misrepresentation. They don't call it the Toerag for nothing, do they.

Actually, they don't call it the Toerag at all.

Sorry about that. What was I thinking of...
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Sat 8 Jan 2005 06:42
Touareg - a misnomer if ever there was - THe Growler
>>>>>> I used to watch it religiously, but now I find the £100 Plymouth-Dakar version more interesting!

Absolutely: that really IS achieving something. I enjoyed the tale of the 2 chaps with the Bedford ice cream van. Reminded me of my cousin and setting out from London to Nepal in a 90 quid 1959 Bedford CA van many years ago with not the faintest idea of what we were getting into, about GBP200 in T/C's and no insurance. Got there in 4 months with only one puncture. The madness of youth etc...
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Sat 8 Jan 2005 11:59
Touareg - a misnomer if ever there was - No Do$h
Sat at Dover on Boxing day on my way down to the alps. In the next line at the SeaFrance terminal was a very early lwb Pajero with a dirty great stuffed toy snake on the roof (it was so large it hung down to the rear bumper). Car was covered in Plymouth Dakar stickers and full of blokes trying to find space amongst the duvets, sleeping bags, assorted molegrips and gaffer tape essential for such an adventure.

Hope they make it.
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