The car is being designed...

The car is being designed and engineered at Volkswagen"s headquarters in Wolfsburg. But, unlike its predecessor, the newcomer will be an exclusively VW affair. The agreement that gave birth to the original, which shared its parts and engines with a pair of near-identical rivals, including Ford"s Galaxy, has ended. Volkswagen currently has no plans to share the engineering with anyone else - even its sister company, SEAT, which was the other Sharan partner.

For now, the German manufacturer is concentrating on building a world-beating MPV for itself. Our spies report the vehicle will be bigger than the current machine, with a cabin length of around 2,900mm. That"s only 10cm shorter than VW"s popular Caravelle, a huge car that seats up to nine people.

Much emphasis is being placed on the design of the Sharan II, which features a rearward-sloping roof and lights inspired by the new Passat saloon. Inside, the MPV will offer seven seats in a layout of folding chairs that builds on the technology first seen in the practical, spacious Touran. Generous standard equipment is expected to include air-con and a hi-tech sat-nav set-up, complete with LCD screens and active traffic avoidance systems. The Sharan II is styled by a team working under Murat Gunak who, when he was at Peugeot, was responsible for the 206 CC. Our insider said: "The new Sharan will look more dynamic. More emotion is being put into its design."

It"s expected to share the Passat"s chassis, and engineers are keen to ensure that the new model has the same mechanical appeal. Entry-level examples will offer front-wheel drive, although the 4MOTION all-wheel-drive system will also be available, mated to VW"s DSG sequential gearbox. Range-topping cars are expected to offer VW"s new VR6 diesel - a 3.2-litre TDI unit developing 225bhp and offering massive in-gear acceleration.

A wide range of petrol engines will also be available, ranging from a base 115bhp 1.6 to a 200bhp 2.0-litre FSI turbo. Other oil-burners include the well established 105bhp 1.9-litre, plus variants of the more modern 2.0 TDI. A hot 170bhp version will use the motor set to appear in the Golf GT later this year.

However, sales are declining in the full-size MPV market, so the Sharan II will have to work hard to attract buyers. There"s already stiff competition from competent rivals such as the Renault Espace, while more daring machines - including Vauxhall"s forthcoming Future Large Vehicle (FLV), which we revealed in issue 871 - are on the way.

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03.04.2012