Here are the first official photos of Volkswagen’s facelifted Touareg, already uncovered during hot weather testing by CAR Online.
A chrome effect grille surround and Eos-inspired headlights bring the luxury 4×4 in line with VW’s latest models, while at the rear, revised lights, bumper and exhaust pipes spruce up the Touareg. New safety gadgets are introduced. VW is claiming a world first with ABS-plus, which churns up wedges of gravel or sand off-road, bringing the 4×4 to a halt up to 20 percent earlier thanks to this snowplough effect. A blind spot camera, revised ESP and a new rollover camera also feature.
The UK engine line up and trim options remain the same, with the 3.6-litre V6 petrol and three TDI oil burners – 2.5, 3.0 V6 and 5.0 V10 – all available in ‘Touareg’, ‘SE’ or ‘Altitude’ trim. The 2.5-litre TDI comes as standard with a six-speed manual and optional Tiptronic automatic transmission. All other engines come with the auto ‘box as standard. US customers will be able to opt for a new 350bhp 4.2-litre V8, shared with its Audi Q7 sister car. Interior tweaks include redesigned seat backs and a top speaker system from Danish experts Dynaudio. The new Touareg goes on sale in late January 2007. Prices are yet to be confirmed but expect a marginal increase over the current model.