Thursday, November 08, 2007

Speculation: new Touareg due in 2010

Let's face it: the Touareg is due for a replacement. Sure, Volkswagen brought us the Touareg 2 that featured a facelifted exterior, but technically, it's still the same old Touareg 1. So, it's understandable then, that rendered images of the next Touareg are beginning to show up.

This latest one comes from Auto Express. Outside, it looks like an SUV version of the up!, though Auto Express's own report claims that the looks are more based on the Tiguan (which is strange because the Tiguan's looks is supposed to make it look like a small Touareg) Whatever it may be, I think this is pretty much close to what we can expect in 2010, which is when Auto Express seems to think it will hit the market.

Auto Express says that the new Touareg will benefit from the use of aluminum to save weight and that a 3.2L V6 and 4.2L V8 gasoline engines are available. As for diesel, Auto Express says that Volkswagen will be replacing the current V10 oil burner for smaller displacement engines such as a 2.7L and 3.0L V6 and a 4.0L V8 sourced from Audi. Unless the V8 can manage the performance numbers that the current V10 does, I perosnally don't think the V10 is completely dead. Although the smaller displacement engine options are a welcomed sight. By 2012, the new Touareg will also benefit from a hybrid system coupled to the 3.2L V6.

Remember, this is just speculation on something that is years away so take it with a grain of salt.

Source: Auto Express