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OUR CARSLOGBOOKVW TOUAREG LUXURY 3.0 V6 TDI>Odo reading at start/now1 204/3 637km>Distance covered2 433km>Fuel consumed219.32ℓ>Average fuel co nsumption11.1ℓ/100km>Service inter val15 000km>Service costCovered by5-year/100000kmservice plan>Total fuel costR2539.98>Running cost1.04c/kmMONTH 3VW TOUAREGLUXURY3.0 V6 TDI4MOTIONR-LINEMilkshakeruns some 450km long.ByCalvin FisherMilkshake runs some 450km long.What it’smeant forUps/downsConsummate cruiserComfor tableanywhere The fuelconsumption is n’tcomingdown quickenough More ‘defeatdevi ce’ allegations?Watch this space``````AH, YES THEturbodiesel powertrain.Before T, D and I beca me scarlet letters, theinitialism, especially when paired with a Euromarque was indeed a moniker for creamy,smooth performance. The pseudo-clean ecocredential s were merely a by-product of whatwas believed a super -efficient mill for ge ttingon with yourdaily drive insuper -economicalfashion. Mine then is the V6 one, not the inlin e-fourcyli nder currently under the spotlight fordefrauding the emissions watchdogs of theworld, although a recent accusation has nowbeen levelled at this engine too. But butteryperformance to complemen t its business su itaesthetic is perfectly unaffected, especially withthe eigh t-speed Tiptronic auto that Volkswagenhas enlisted for it. So it dawned on me that theperfect tribute drive existed, to Barrydale, apicturesque village on the R62.Specifically, Itook the 420km ro undtrip to a restaurant Ispotted there on a recent visit, aptly namedDiesel and Crème, itselfa love letter tomotorcars of all description. Go there for thefatigued enamel signage and the decadentdoub le-thick milkshakes. Stay there for theburgers. And the chips. And the onion rings.There are many ways to Barrydale from CapeTown, but I willonly entertain two. The firstroute (the ‘to’ bit) involves a mindless trun dlealong the N1 until you get to the Hu guenotTunnel. He re you have two moreoptions: takethe tunnel and unless you have something witha screaming V10 or 12 let the mind-numbingcontinue, or, ifyou enjoy twisted tarmac, takethe Du Toitskloof Pass, where yourV10 or 12won’t be wasted either. The Touareg is a ke enhandle r despite its enormousness so I opted forthe latter, before seeking out the fun-as-hellR60, then R62 which would take me toBarrydale. You’ve already heard ab out themilkshakes so I’lldive stra ight into the returndrive – essentially routetwo. It involvesreturning along the R62 for a couple of hundredmetres before veering leftwards along theR324, better known as the Tradouw Pass. Thisis polished asphalt; wide and winding,cambered and flowing with turns that openand close on you while it climbs the topographybefore dropping dramatically into the valleythat carries it onto the N2 for the return amblehomeward. Breath-takin g, and an exce llentshowcase of not just that creamy diesel V6, butalso the shrinks-around-y ou monocoquechassis. Sorry, but I’m ab out to say ‘car-like’.It is though, handling like a (really,really)pumped-up Golf, with increased levels ofpremium feel as well. This is a cleverlyengineered car with off-road ability inspadesshould you require it. I haven’t yet, but as soonas they make an exce llent enough milkshakeina gravel hut somewhere inthe Overber g wewillbe there.