[Huck BB62]

The six speed is also VERY expensive. The little H3's platform was avilability. Ok, so some of us wanted a V8, that's not too hard or expensive. If you added the six speed in there, the premium would be almost $5k! I'm not so sure that you'd get people chunkin' up over $45k for an H3.

The six speeds are wonderful, but the four with the overdrive and a low low range t-case works great and is STOUT. The six speed is complicated, very complicated, and expensive.

The H2 is a premium marquee. It can sustain the hit that's going to be incurred in that driveline.

As six speed production comes up, we may see one in the H3 but the cost is going to have to come down.

As far as the Touareg vs. the H3. You're serious? The Touareg is a car that can kinda go offroad. If it's done frequently, you'd better lube up those weather seals with silicone because I've read numerous accounts of the things creaking and flexing like an old RV when they're used that way. The ground clearance, hell, ALL the offroad capabilities are a compromise compared to the H3. I've driven a Touareg, it's ok but it's tight, very tight. On the road, they handle very well. I think offroad it's about 30% of what an H3 is.

The H3, it's slanted towards offroad. It's hell bent for stout. There's none of that flexing doors thing going on when it's crossed up. It's ground clearance, approach and breakover angles make the Touareg look like, well, the CAR that it is. That's why it's so heavy. It handles the road reasonably well. It's about 60% of what a Touareg is on the road. With the new V8, I'd place it much higher than that, more like 80%. If you did something silly like lowered the H3 and put street tires on it with the V8, I bet it'd surprise you (BUT THAT AIN'T HAPPENING!)

So I guess it depends on what you want. For the extra BIG bucks that the six speed would cost on the H3 (it's a longer, bigger sumbitch too, maybe it'll be on the '09 H3SUT) I can row the console shifter.

'Sides, we may own an '08 H2 and have the best of both worlds.