The 2018 Volkswagen Touareg has been caught on
camera undergoing road testing in Germany virtually undisguised, save for some
trick stickers to hide the details. The third-generation
Touareg will follow the design template of smaller
sibling Tiguan and the seven-seater Atlas aimed at the US market. The upcoming car will
get sharper styling and edges plus slimmer lights.
The Touareg will do battle with big SUVs such as
Volvo’s second-gen XC90, and reports mention a more premium interior with a
larger infotainment screen. What’s for sure is that it will have to be a few
steps up from the Tiguan’s cabin to compete in this
segment.
This big VW report to have a plug-in
hybrid variant likely to be related to the powerplant showcased on the T-Prime
Concept GTE from last year’s Beijing auto show. That big and handsome showcar
combined a 2.0 litre TSI engine with 248 hp/370 Nm with a 134 hp/350 Nm
electric motor integrated into an eight-speed auto transmission, which also has
an LSD built-in. Total system output is 375 hp and 700 Nm and all-electric
range is 50 km.
VW’s regular range of TSI and TDI engines
will sit below the PHEV, and 4Motion all-wheel-drive will be standard across
the board – the Touareg has always been decently capable off tarmac. Its
predicted that the production Touareg will be revealed late this year ahead of
deliveries in early 2018.
Cr : Paultan