Happenings

New Volkswagen Touareg

BY Keegan Gan

A luxury class SUV redefined, the Touareg offers a high level of comfort, sporty driving properties and excellent quality in a passenger car on and off-road.

Successor to the first Touareg which was launched in Singapore back in 2002, the all-new second generation Touareg is set to continue that legacy of being an even better high-end and versatile all-round vehicle, combining the best of both worlds in a passenger car and an off-roader.

Compared to the first generation Touareg, the new Touareg has its dimensions increased in both length and width as well as a lower centre of gravity. And that's not all, for the new Touareg despite its increase in size is now a lighter machine for better power to weight ratio (208 kg lighter) due to targeted body modifications, material selection and a lighter weight power train. And even though the new Touareg is now a lighter machine, its body has a five percent greater torsional rigidity (24,800 Nm/°), making it the leader in its class.

In terms of design, the new Touareg has made dynamic strides in its looks. The team led by Volkswagen design head Klaus Bischoff has given the new Touareg a significantly more elegant appearance based on the new Volkswagen Design DNA but yet at the same time retaining its sporty nature as an off-roader. This applies to the car's new horizontally aligned front end with its distinctive headlights (bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights) as well as its rear which is typical of the Touareg and its unmistakable night-time rear light design and leaner, athletic body. All these add up to an SUV that has a long lasting and impressionable visual effect, giving the car a timeless design.

Interior wise, the new Touareg reflects absolute perfection in the details just like its exterior, with maximum comfort and safety. With its extended wheelbase, an allowance is made for a substantially roomier design of the rear and boot areas as compared to the previous model. Also, the basic layout of the Touareg combines a remarkable clarity of lines, timeless elegance, a high level of functionality and superior material quality. The soft, leather-like instrument panel surfaces produced in Slush technology and the chrome or aluminium trim redefines state of the art in this class. A particular charm is created by the interplay of SUV-typical ruggedness and the ambience of a luxury vehicle.

In terms of utility, the Touareg’s maximum cargo capacity ranges from 580 to 1,642 litres (to ceiling height) depending on positioning and adjustment of the rear bench seat, which is a significant increase compared to the previous model (555 and 1,570 litres). In addition, the variable cargo space floor creates a continuously level loading surface. The cargo space width is also improved on with an increase of 190 millimetres to 1,350 millimetres.

Powering the new Touareg as standard is a 280 bhp 3.6 litre direct injection petrol engine with a standard 8-speed automatic and an all-wheel drive 4MOTION system with Torsen limited-slip differential. Apart from being more powerful, the new Touareg is also more fuel efficient. At 10.4 L/100 km, the V6 consumes an incredible two litres less than the previous version. This combined fuel consumption is equivalent to CO2 emissions of 248 g/km which is 48 g/km less than before. The smooth-running engine develops a maximum torque of 360 Nm, which is constantly available between 3,000 and 4,000 rpm and guarantees superior high-torque performance. The power of the 24-valve engine peaks at 6,200 rpm. As an option, the Touareg can also be specified with an advanced V6 TDI engine which produces 240 bhp at 4,000 rpm and a strong 550 Nm of torque from 2,000 rpm. The Touareg V6 was officially launched on 16 October 2010 and available by indent order is the Touareg V6 TDI.