First showcased in April this year, Volkswagen is now gearing up to launch the Taigun GT Edge Trail Edition in India tomorrow. It’s part of the special edition variants Volkswagen had announced for both the Taigun and Virtus line-up, and our dealer sources have indicated a premium of about Rs 30,000 for the Trail Edition over the GT trim that it will be based on.
The Taigun Trail Edition is only a cosmetic job with the intent of keeping the model fresh in the face of renewed competition and will likely be limited in numbers.
- Taigun Trail Edition to be based on second-from-top GT trim
- Gets special decals roof rails for a more rugged look
- To only be offered with the 1.5 TSI turbo-petrol
Volkswagen Taigun GT Edge Trail Edition exterior, interior
The Taigun GT Edge Trail Edition will get special decals on the rear fenders, doors, and C-pillar, and a functional roof rail for a more outdoorsy vibe. It also brings new, blacked-out 17-inch alloy wheels, a red finish for the brake calipers, and a ‘Trail’ badge on the tailgate. The Trail Edition is likely to be offered in the Carbon Steel Grey, Deep Black Pearl, and Candy White exterior shades.
On the inside, the only updates will be to the seat upholstery – it will have black leatherette upholstery with red contrast stitching and the word ‘Trail’ embossed onto the seats. It could also come with metal foot pedals that are currently offered on the GT Plus trim.
Based on the GT trim, it will carry over the equipment list unchanged. That means it will come with features like a 10-inch touchscreen, wireless phone connectivity and charging, automatic headlamps, reversing camera, and TPMS, among others. It, however, will miss out on ventilated and powered front seats, a sunroof, cruise control, a fully digital instrument cluster, full LED headlamps, and six airbags that are offered on the higher-spec GT Plus trim.
Volkswagen Taigun GT Edge Trail Edition powertrain
Under the hood, the Taigun GT Trail Edition only gets the 150hp, 250Nm, 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine and will likely be offered with both 6-speed manual and 7-speed DCT gearboxes.
Volkswagen had previously also showcased a Sport Edition of the Taigun, which, as the name suggests, came with sporty cosmetic enhancements. Expect this special edition model to also launch in the coming months.
Linger in Champagne
Once it’s time to head north, book a Trainline e-ticket for the TGV high-speed train to Reims, just 45 minutes away (with WiFi on board). Reims (pronounced very French, more like Rh-ahn-se) is one of France’s “Top French Cities,” meaning it’s one of the country’s most shining examples of French joie de vivre. At the Reims train station, pick up a rental car (definitely book in advance if you need an automatic transmission rental). The Champagne region is not easy to get around if you’re carless, and taxis aren’t readily available either if you don’t want to drive (because, you know, booze). Arrange the services of iGoVE, a brand new chauffeur company that’ll shuttle you around Champagne in an eco-friendly Tesla. Do take time to visit the more than 800-year-old Reims Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where French kings were crowned from 1027 to 1825.
Your Champagne home base is Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, a 49-room property that just opened this summer. Located in Champillon, Royal Champagne is almost perfectly split between Reims and Epernay, the two major cities in the area where many of your tours and tastings will take place–that is if you can leave the site. The Relais & Chateaux hotel is so accommodating that you’ll find it difficult to leave its dreamy parameters. Spend time with the property sommelier to try some of the 200-plus bottles of Champagne stocked at the bar or study the rolling vineyards of the Montagne de Reims from the comfort of the outdoor infinity pool. Royal Champagne brought in Jean-Denis Rieubland, formerly the chef of a two-Michelin star restaurant in Nice, to helm the hotel’s dining program that includes Le Royal, a fine dining restaurant decorated with portraits of the most important women in Napoleon Bonaparte’s life.
