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...

FMI: www.volkswagen.com