Facelifted Touareg Revealed Days Before Paris

In the days leading up to the Paris Motor Show, Volkswagen released photos and information about the new Touareg. Don't expect major changes for this iteration, however, as it retains many design cues from the previous generation. At the front, the Touareg finally receives Volkswagen's corporate grille and Eos-style teardrop headlights. Intakes at the lower corners of the bumper are now traversed by metallic strips which provides for a cleaner look. At the back, the Touareg receives new taillights, spoiler, bumper, and exhaust. Other little details including foglights and sideview mirrors have been revised. Inside, the Touareg remains more or less the same as the previous one. The multifunction display on the instument panel now offers a higher resolution display than before. The Touareg also receives a ten-speaker, 620 watt Dynaudio system. A rollover sensor joins the standard faire of safety equipment available on the Touareg.

Technologically speaking, the Touareg remains advanced, but now it's more so with ABSplus, which is capable of reducing breaking distance by 20%. Another highlight is the Touareg's Adaptive Cruise Control, which is able to not only slowdown and speed up as traffic permits, but can now make a complete stop. Also, the Touareg can now monitor activity at the front, sides, and rear with Front Scan and Side Scan, which prepares to activate the brake as a preventative measure to a collision.

There are a number of petrol and diesel engines for the Touareg's hood. A new V8 FSI is now available for the Touareg making 350 hp. The V6 produces 280 hp and the W12 outputs 450. There are three diesel engines available, including the V10 that outputs 313 hp.

The whole world will see this facelifted Touareg in the sheetmetal at the Paris Auto Show in a few days but Europeans will be able to drive it a month or two after that. North Americans can expect to see this newly revised Touareg in showrooms sometime in the Spring of next year.

More photos and detailed press release after the jump.








Press Release
Source: Volkswagen AG.

World premiere of the new Touareg in Paris

New front section, new V8 direct injection gasoline-powered engine and high-end safety

World first ABSplus reduces terrain braking distance by up to 20 percent

Wolfsburg / Paris, 22 September 2006 - Volkswagen is presenting in Paris the world premiere of a new generation of the Touareg luxury class SUV. The market launch of the new version of the top-seller will take place at the end of November 2006. The Touareg, equipped with over 2,300 redesigned parts, looks different from its predecessor with a completely modified front section with crest radiator grill, distinctive headlights and much more. In addition, a substantial amount of new and sometimes unique technical developments are being employed. The Touareg will also be available as the first Volkswagen with an eight cylinder direct injection gasoline-powered engine (V8 FSI, 257 kW / 350 hp).

ABSplus. ABSplus, developed and patented by Volkswagen, is a world first: The standard equipment system shortens the braking distance of the Touareg by up to 20% on loose driving surfaces. Before now SUVs became unstable when braking hard on surfaces such as gravel or sand and steerability and stopping distance were significantly impaired. This is where ABSplus comes in: Thanks to an innovative traction control system the Touareg pushes parts of the surface material in front of the temporarily locked-up wheels. This creates a type of braking wedge. The result: Braking action is greatly increased without impacting steerability and the stopping distance is correspondingly reduced.

ACC. No less innovative than ABSplus is Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with a new follow-to-stop feature. The radar-based distance control automatically slows down and accelerates the vehicle within a previously defined range of speed depending on traffic conditions. The system now employed in the Touareg for the first time slows the car down to a complete stop. Also new: the stopping distance control (Front Scan) integrated into the ACC system. Ahead of certain situations it "arms" the brakes as a preventative measure.

Side Scan. Another assistant system in the new Touareg generation, being introduced for the first time in a Volkswagen, is the lane changing assistant (Side Scan). This system monitors the area next to and behind the Touareg and a control lamp in the exterior mirrors warns of a possible risk of collision when changing lanes.

ESP innovations. New features have been added to the ESP electronic stabilization program. In detail these include a now hydraulic instead of pneumatic brake assistant (optimal operational reliability), preventative brake pressure build-up when the gas pedal is released suddenly, Active Rollover Protection (ARP) to increase stability, rain brake support (windshield wiper effect for wet road surfaces), fading brake support (additional pressure build-up optimizes constant braking) and understeer control logic (improves turning behavior when understeering).

Driving dynamics package with dynamic response. The Touareg masters tough off-road use and extreme tours and yet offers the comfort of a sedan and remarkable sportiness. Previously, this dynamic could be increased in terms of the chassis via an optional sport chassis for Touareg models with steel suspension. A sport chassis – with dynamic response in this case – is now also being added to the models with pneumatic shock suspension. "Driving dynamics package with dynamic response" adds a hard spring rate to the already existing "Sport" mode of the manually and automatically controllable pneumatic shock absorption system. This increase in dynamics and safety is achieved, among other things, via reinforced stabilizers, absorbers regulated by steering wheel movement, a modified pneumatic shock absorption system and new software. Driving comfort remains just as good in normal suspension mode as with models without sport chassis.

Rollover Sensor. In the area of passive safety a new rollover sensor for sensing vehicle yaw angle and yaw speeds is also being employed. It detects whether the vehicle is getting into a rollover situation. The data from the sensor flows together with the parameters detected by the acceleration sensors built into every Volkswagen into the airbag control unit. If in a comparison of the data the risk of a rollover is determined, the side and head/thorax airbags are automatically activated to lower the risk of injury.

Dynaudio sound system. High-end in the entertainment area, too: The Touareg is the first SUV in the world that can be equipped with a sound system from Danish hi-fi specialist Dynaudio. Main features: Distortion free hi-fidelity sound, ten high-end speakers, ten-channel amplifier and 620 Watt total output.

Instruments. A new multimeter for the multifunctional display enables a detailed and now multicolor presentation of information. The display has a clear layout and now shows navigation pictograms in 3D. In addition, new features such as Front Scan can be perfectly presented on the multifunctional display.

V8 FSI. The new Touareg offers another innovation in terms of drive technology: the first eight cylinder direct injection gasoline-powered engine from Volkswagen. The Touareg’s new V8 FSI achieves 257 kW / 350 hp and generates maximum torque of 440 Nm. The other two gasoline engines generate 206 kW / 280 hp (V6 FSI) and 331 kW / 450 hp (W12). In addition, there are three direct injection diesel-powered engines for the Touareg, all combined with a particle filter (DPF) as standard equipment. The TDIs have output of 128 kW / 174 hp (TDI), 165 kW / 225 hp (V6 TDI) and 230 kW / 313 hp (V10 TDI).

Front section design. The front section of the Touareg was completely redesigned. Except for the engine hood no part remained untouched. The new Touareg is immediately recognizable as the latest generation by the typical Volkswagen crest radiator grill in chrome design. Although always individually designed for each model, it has become an unmistakable stylistic feature of the brand. The second distinctive feature of the new generation Touareg are the organically shaped headlight casings (optionally bi-xenon with cornering and turning light). Similar to the latest Volkswagens such as the Eos, the lower area features a round curvature. A single glance at the headlights and the crest radiator grill makes it evident that the front bumper has also been completely redesigned. Elegant: a chrome-plated transverse web in the outer air intakes of the bumper. Illuminating during inclement weather: the round, protectively integrated fog lights. Aerodynamic: The exterior mirrors were also redesigned and now offer and even braver face to the wind.

Rear section design. Modifications to the rear section, too: There’s a new hatchback spoiler that improves aerodynamics. The rear and brake lights were technically modified and the optional tinted glass of the rear lights was improved. The designers also redesigned the lower area of the bumper and exhaust pipes for a more dynamic look.

Side section design. In silhouette it’s the new light alloy wheels and the aerodynamic mirrors that identify the latest generation of the Touareg. New colors are also available: "Atacama Grey Metallic", "Mountain Grey Metallic", "Artic Blue-Silver Metallic", "Silver Leaf Metallic", "Sierra Red Pearl Effect" and "Galapagos Anthracite Metallic".

Seating system. A basic and a "comfort" seating system is available for the Touareg. The "comfort" seating system was redesigned for the latest Touareg. The partially leather ("Cricket") and fully leather ("Nappa") seats are now not just distinguishable by leather, but also by design. Both are also distinguished from the unchanged basic seating system. In general, the back seat of all versions were redesigned. It weighs eight kilos less and when folded down now offers a level surface between backrest and cargo floor.