VW has finally
pulled the wraps off the all-new, third-generation Touareg during a special
event in Beijing, China. The new VW Touareg adopts a sleeker styling, moving
away from the off-road character of its predecessors. Despite being built on
the same MLB architecture used by the Porsche Cayenne, VW claims that the only
exterior part the new Touareg shares with the Porsche is the front windscreen.
VW’s new flagship SUV now measures 4878 mm long, 77 mm
more than the outgoing model. Width is now 1984 mm (+44 mm) and height is 1702 mm
(-7 mm). The new platform and body also helps in making the new Touareg 106 kg
lighter than its predecessor.
Perhaps the most impressive feature of the new
Touareg is its interior, which VW calls Innovision Cockpit. The dashboard now
features a 15-inch touchscreen display merged under a single glass surface
with a 12-inch digital instrument cluster. Some switches and knobs are retained
for the frequently used functions, but otherwise it’s all screen.
The chassis features active roll bars for better
ride quality and better dynamics on the road, while VW also offer an air
suspension as an option. The all-wheel drive system comes with a lockable
center differential and five standard drive modes, with the optional off-road
package adding a further four driving modes, while rear-wheel steering is
standard.
The engine range will include petrol, diesel and
eventually plug-in hybrid powertrains, all mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The sole petrol available at launch is a 3.0-liter V6 with 335 hp and 332 lb-ft
of torque.
Diesel engines include a 3.0-liter V6 offered in
228 hp and 282 hp versions, with VW to add a range-topping 4.0-liter V8 that
produces 417 hp and 664 lb-ft of peak torque. A plug-in hybrid powertrain with
362 hp and 58 km of EV range will arrive in late 2019 in China, with
VW not announcing a debut date for Europe just yet. The new VW Touareg also
features new LED Matrix headlights, traffic jam assist, lane keep assist,
autonomous emergency braking, a night vision camera and more safety and driver
assist systems.
Sales of the all-new, third-generation Touareg in
Europe are expected to start this summer, with prices expected to be increased
due to the significant boost in on-board technologies and more premium market
placement.
However, the company
doesn’t plan to offer its new full-size SUV in North America, so customers will
have to make do with the Atlas that’ll soon get a sportier-looking, 5-seat
version that will be unveiled next week at the 2018 New York Auto Show.
