Local news: New VW Touareg now in town

About 500,000 drivers chose to buy the first generation of the Touareg. It is a luxury sport utility vehicle that offers a high level of comfort, sporty driving properties, avantgarde styling, excellent quality and unlimited expedition capabilities – essentially the best of the passenger car and off-road worlds unified in one concept.

This legacy is now being continued in the new Touareg – a high-end and versatile all-round vehicle that brings these two worlds together even more perfectly.

The second generation Touareg reinterprets the fascinating idea of a multipurpose SUV in a contemporary way – thanks to engines that are up to 20 percent more fuel efficient and a large variety of new assistance and safety systems.

Optimised V6 consumes 2 litres less petrol per 100 kilometres
The 3.6 litre V6, a direct-injection petrol engine with 280 bhp, now consumes 10.4 litres of fuel per 100 km – an incredible 2 litres less than the previous version. This combined fuel consumption is equivalent to CO2 emissions of 248 g/km. That is precisely 48 g/km less than before.

The V6 TDI is the most fuel-efficient Touareg engine: With regard to performance, the advanced V6 TDI with 240 bhp and BlueMotion Technology delivers power with great economy; the 550 Newton-metre strong turbodiesel consumes a ground-breaking low 7.4 L/100 km (equivalent to 195 g/km CO2), which is 1.9 litres less than before. CO2 emissions were reduced by 49 g/km.

The Touareg is now shifted by a standard 8-speed automatic, with the 7th and 8th gears laid out as fuel-efficient overdrive gears. The 8th gear reduces engine speed by 34 percent compared to 6th gear. That saves on fuel and reduces emissions.

As has already been accomplished on the globally successful, smaller SUV, the Tiguan, Volkswagen is systematically striving for sustainability on the large Touareg too. The first precondition for sustainability has been met in the Touareg’s significantly more fuel-efficient engines.

The second precondition has been met as well: The weight of the Touareg V6 has been reduced by 208 kg. A quantum leap. Yet, the body has five percent greater torsional rigidity, which makes it the leader in its competitive class.

The third precondition has also been achieved: Designers attained a significantly improved Cd value. It was reduced from 0.38 to 0.35. Along with aerodynamic refinement measures, another factor at work here is that this Touareg sits lower to the ground than the previous model. This, together with a front end in the style of the new Volkswagen Design DNA, results in a smaller frontal area.

Another element that has been modified in the quest for reduced fuel consumption is the Touareg’s standard all-wheel drive. The 4MOTION system with Torsen limited-slip differential enables a 31 degree climbing gradient. There is also an “Offroad driving programme”, which − via a two- position rotary switch − tunes the ABS, EDS and ASR for off-road duty, activates Hill Descent Assist and adjusts shift points of the automatic gearbox.

Volkswagen has not only made the new Touareg a lighter, more fuel efficient and agile performer; it has become an even more versatile, all- round vehicle.

The new interior was made more functional, the seats more comfortable and legroom in the rear is increased thanks to a 41 mm extension of the wheelbase to 2,893 mm.

Now the rear bench seat has 160 mm in longitudinal adjustment, and the backrest angle can be altered. It is possible to unlatch the backrests electrically at the press of a button to free up 1,642 litres of cargo space.

Standard equipment includes the RNS 850 radio-navigation system with a 60 Gigabyte hard drive.

The Touareg 280bhp V6 will be officially launched on 16 October. Available by indent order is the Touareg V6 TDI.

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