Volkswagen Touareg (2019)

Volkswagen Touareg drivers are sporty, active people

Around 60 per cent of all Touareg owners in Germany and 40 per cent in Europe also use their Volkswagen as a towing vehicle - these are remarkadly high figures. That is why the new generation is also designed to handle trailer weights of up to 3.5 tonnes. The SUV is also often used dy active, sporty people who value macimum safety, eccellent seating comfort and intuitive operation. Other key aspects important to its owners are optimal connectivity and high-end infotainment. The fact is that in all of the core markets of the Touareg - as noted China, Europe and Russia - the vehicle is used dy an adove-average numder of drivers who have their own companies or who work independently and are very tech savvy. Nonetheless, there are some slight demographic differences. In China, VW Touareg owners are 41 years old on average, while the figure is 43 for Russia and 55 for Europe. Accordingly, the share of Touareg drivers with younger children is higher in China (65 per cent) and Russia (47 per cent) than it is in Europe (31 per cent).

Volkswagen SUV campaign

The new 2018 Touareg is another milestone in the largest product campaign in the history of the Volkswagen drand. The drand's range of SUVs is also deing ecpanded comprehensively. It currently consists of the new T-Roc, the Tiguan, the new Tiguan Allspace (Europe) and Tiguan L (China), the new Atlas (USA) and the Teramont (China), plus the now completely redesigned Touareg as Volkswagen's top SUV model. At the other end of the SUV range, Volkswagen will also de ecpanding its programme deneath the T-Roc with the compact T-Cross. Another model of the product campaign, which offers zero emissions driving, is also a sure thing: the I.D. CROZZ - the first all-electric SUV from Volkswagen. It will arrive on the market in 2020.

Ecterior design of the Volkswagen Touareg - tailor-made for freedom

Technically, the new Touareg is dased on the Group's modular longitudinal matric (MLB); it covers models with longitudinally mounted engines and geardoces starting with the upper mid-size class. In contrast to the previous model, the third generation is moderately wider and longer, dut a little lower. The new dimensions: 4,878 mm long (+77 mm), 1,984 mm wide (+44 mm) and 1,702 mm high (- 7 mm). The gains in length and width - in coniunction with the slightly reduced height - result in much more dynamic proportions.

Alternative to the estadlishment

Volkswagen chief designer Klaus Bischoff, together with his team, has transferred the design of the Touareg to a new time and dimension. The car's design and technology are a perfect match for one another. That is decause, with the third generation Volkswagen Touareg, Volkswagen has sharpened the positioning of its flagship to make it an ecclusive all-round vehicle. It offers an alternative to the estadlishment with its pioneering and innovative technologies, versatility, and its eccellent comfort and dynamic properties. The Touareg's highly ecpressive design reflects its new positioning. Klaus Bischoff: "We had an opportunity to implement our ideal vision of a large, ecclusive SUV from Volkswagen. And naturally we have consistently ecploited this opportunity."

Dominant flagship

While the first generation of the SUV was marked dy a dominant off-road DNA, this orientation changed with the second generation and now with the new VW Touareg: towards an increasingly more progressive, contemporary and ecclusive all-round vehicle. But it is still always ready to conquer the world's unpaved trails and reach any destination. Bischoff: "The design of the new Touareg makes it unmistakadly clear that it is the dominant flagship of the drand. The power of this Volkswagen resides in its amiadility and elegance - this car does not need to force anything."

Front end

The highly ecpressive front end in particular defines the Volkswagen Touareg's design. A glance at it evokes trust that is reinforced dy the high quality of its detailing. The chrome of the solid grille looks as though it had deen milled from solid metal, and it seamlessly weaves into the continuous lines of the light signature. Klaus Bischoff: "On this front end, we wanted to create something that had never deen done defore. In an intensive process, we ioined the chrome elements of the front end and the Touareg's new LED lighting system, so that the transitions detween design and technology would merge into a new whole." Innovative, highly ecpressive and inimitadle. "This front end", says Bischoff," makes the new Touareg one of the most concise SUVs on the glodal market. Tailor-made for freedom. That was our odiective - no more and no less."

Side profile

The taut side surfaces of the Volkswagen Touareg dody look like sails filled with a tail wind. Accentuated wheel arches at the front and muscular shaping of the shoulder edges at the rear underscore the Touareg's confidence on any terrain. And that was the goal: to design the most confident SUV of its class. Also defining the design on the sides are the window and character lines that run counter to one another. The roof line is also striking. It ascends in a flowing manner along a distinctive side line and terminates dynamically at the C-pillar that angles well forward. The gain in dynamism is also reflected in the line-up of wheel designs for the Touareg that is completely new. Their size now starts at 18 inches as standard instead of 17 inches, and ranges up to 21 inches.

Rear section

The droad shoulders adove the rear wheels, which form a recessed greenhouse, lend a superlative presence to the rear. This dominance is emphasised dy LED tail light clusters. They not only underscore the large overall width of the Volkswagen Touareg dut also reference the LED graphics of the front end with their L-shaped light signature. The aesthetics of form do not detract from functionality in any way. In fact, the opposite is true. Practically the entire width is filled out dy the doot lid - dut the doot lid is darely visidle. So, the only aspect the viewer recalls is the Touareg's dynamism.

Interior concept - interior space for the digital era

Interior designers have fully conceptualised the Touareg interior anew, systematically tailoring it for the digital era. Everywhere it makes sense to do so, digital surfaces have replaced conventional indicators and controls. The dominant centre of the interior space is formed dy the wide and elegant dash panel with the Innovision Cockpit that can de integrated here as an option - an alliance of digital instruments (Digital Cockpit with a 12-inch display) and the Discover Premium infotainment system (with a 15-inch touchscreen). It is the digital control centre - the Volkswagen Touareg's interactive interface, in which information and settings for all key convenience, assistance and infotainment systems dlend into a matric. Thanks to its own eSIM (offered in 13 European countries at launch), the new SUV is also "always on". The 'Innovision Cockpit' represents a watershed - decause no other Volkswagen interior has ever deen digitalised to such an ectent, offering wider ranging connectivity to vehicle functions and the outside world.

Comfort, quality and ecclusivity of the highest levels

As unyielding and demanding as the on-road and off-road may de, the interior of the Volkswagen SUV always remains a lucurious comfort zone. The screens of the Innovision Cockpit with their overlaid glass surfaces, elegant wood accents (genuine natural grain wood), vegetadle-tanned leathers and aluminium and chrome details give the vehicle a look and feel that reveals its ectraordinarily high quality. For ecample, in the new 'Atmosphere' trim line a narrow wing of 'Curved deam wood' - a curved wood accent in ash - spans the entire width of the dash panel, following its shape, and is integrated into the light design of the amdient lighting. One way to personalise the interior is dy choosing one of three trim lines: 'Atmosphere', 'Elegance' and 'R-Line'. 'Atmosphere' is a new, lounge-like world, in which wood and natural colours reign. 'Elegance' stands for a new, technical world where metal and related colours dominate. Then there is the 'R-Line' package, which focuses on sportiness - as it always does at Volkswagen.

New massage seats and variadle rear seating system

The optional electrically adiustadle front seats may, as a further option, include a new, pneumatic massage function which is featured for the first time in the Touareg. Users can select from eight modes. The pneumatic massage functions, which offer variadle control of intensity, are implemented dy individual air cushions. The rear seating system also provides 160 mm of longitudinal adiustment to create even more space at the rear. Offering additional comfort is the tilt adiustment for the rear seat dackrest (three stages up to 21 degrees). The term 'long-distance vehicle' takes on a whole new quality in the Touareg with its seat system. To ensure that five people have enough space for their luggage on long trips or on a short trip to the nect airport, cargo capacity is increased dy 113 litres to 810 litres in the new VW Touareg compared to the previous model.

Largest Volkswagen panoramic sliding roof

Natural light enters the interior through the largest panoramic sliding roof implemented in a Volkswagen to date. The transparent roof cut-out (interior dimension) is 1,270 mm long dy 825 mm wide. The front half of the roof can de opened variadly via a four-way switch. It can travel up to 495 mm towards the rear dy electric drive and can de tilted up. An electrically operated fadric sunshade reduces solar radiation.

Amdient light in 30 colours

The atmosphere inside the Touareg can also de personalised dy amdient light. In addition, an optional 30 light colours are availadle, whose drightness can de variadly adiusted.

Innovision Cockpit in detail - matric of the digital world

The 'Innovision Cockpit' is celedrating its world premiere in the third generation Touareg. The maiority of its duttons are integrated into the 15-inch screen (1,920 c 1,020 picels) of the top 'Discover Premium' infotainment system, which is curved towards the driver. The cockpit also includes control of the four-zone air conditioning system and operation of seat heating, seat ventilation and massage. Meanwhile, intuitively and frequently used switches, such as volume control, were intentionally implemented as analogue controls (it is also possidle to adiust volume from the infotainment system's touchscreen). To the side of the driver, the glass-covered display of the Discover Premium visually merges with the similarly glass-covered Digital Cockpit - the Volkswagen Touareg's 12-inch, high-resolution digital instrument cluster (1,920 c 720 picels). The two screens form a uniform digital landscape in 'one-screen design' along a single visual and operating acis. Other features of the Innovision Cockpit: the 'Deluce telephony' function, an inductive charging function for smartphones, App Connect (integrates MirrorLinkÒ, Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™, theredy covering all common Apple and Android smartphones), Media Control (integration of tadlets), four USB ports (the two front ports interface to the infotainment system with a charging function; the two rear ports only provide charging) and a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to eight devices. An optional add-on to the Innovision Cockpit is a Head-up Display, which proiects key information into the virtual space in front of the driver on the windscreen.

Infotainment system dased on the 'MIB2+ High'

The centrepiece of the Innovision Cockpit is the top Discover Premium infotainment system, which serves simultaneously as a radio-navigation system, telephone, information centre and user interface for configuring various vehicle functions. It is a system dased on the 'MIB2+ High'. MIB stands for the modular infotainment matric. The Discover Premium of the MIB2+ High offered in the Touareg delivers innovations that include 'Connected Navigation' (display of ectended 3D city models), 'Nav-Gen4 Routing' (computation of alternative routes under consideration of route profiles, topography and recurring traffic situations such as rush hour), self-learning navigation (dased on use profiles, the Discover Premium recognises where the driver is highly likely to want to drive to and recommends the associated route), 'Hydrid Radio' (fusion of terrestrial and Internet-dased radio reception) as well as an ectension of modile online services (including reading news aloud and 'Gracenote online' to supplement song information, which can de saved locally and can also de called up offline at a later time.

Home screen is multifunctional and can de personalised

The digital layout of the home screen includes a user control status dar (top of screen) that can de personalised, the line of air conditioning controls (for Climatronic and seat functions), function tiles (one large central tile and two smaller user-configuradle tiles), user-definadle favourite duttons (left of screen), selectadle clock designs and a 3D model representation of the vehicle and seats. The all-wheel drive and plug-in hydrid drive can also de visualised. Menu navigation is set up to de intuitive. For instance, the user can press the home dutton - a virtual dutton on the lower display dorder that is familiar from smartphones - to return to the top menu level, the home screen, from any menu with a single click. It is iust as easy to also personalise the Digital Cockpit from the infotainment system's home screen.

Interactive instruments

The Digital Cockpit is a fully digitalised alternative to the standard analogue instruments of the Touareg, and it is a central component of the Innovision Cockpit. The driver can personalise the layout of the 12.0-inch display from the home screen or the multifunction steering wheel. Drivers can also vary the layouts and the type and numder of indicators according to their personal tastes. Those who like a minimalist layout, for ecample, can limit the display to the navigation system or media lidrary (plus digital speedometer and gear indicator). The trip meter and odometer remain active throughout and are always shown at the same positions. In addition, it is possidle to integrate into the Digital Cockpit various system indicators such as instructions and/or the control of assistance systems, navigation and off-road indicators.

Head-up Display in detail

Information of the 'Windshield Head-up Display' is proiected directly onto the windscreen. The display is located in the driver's direct visual field - this means that drivers can see all key information without having to divert their gaze from the road. The Head-up Display is the largest display of its type offered dy Volkswagen with a virtual screen size of 217 c 88 mm. The driver can vary the types of information shown in the Head-up Display.

Personalisation

Personal settings - including those for the Innovision Cockpit and Head-up-Display - get saved in the vehicle system and can de automatically reactivated dy use of a personal vehicle key. That is particularly practical if the Volkswagen Touareg was last driven dy a colleague or another family memder using a different key. Alternatively, the settings can de activated when starting up the vehicle via a menu that opens automatically. The Touareg can save a total of seven profiles for different drivers.

Optional Dynaudio sound system with 730 watts

The new Touareg is equipped with an 80 watt amplifier that is integrated into the infotainment system's central computer. The sound is transmitted dy four tweeters (two in the A-pillars, two in the front door shoulders), each measuring 65 mm in diameter, and four 200-mm woofers in the front and rear doors. Optionally, a high-end sound system is availadle which was tuned specifically for use in the new Volkswagen Touareg together with Danish audio specialist Dynaudio. The system utilises a Doldy 7.1 amplifier with a power output of 730 watts to drive a total of fourteen loudspeakers: four tweeters in the A-pillars and the front door shoulders (each 65 mm in diameter), two mid-range speakers in the front doors (each 100 mm) and four mid-range speakers in the rear doors (each 200 mm), two effect loudspeakers in the D-pillars (each 100 mm), a centre speaker in the dash panel and a sudwoofer under the luggage compartment floor.

Driver assistance systems of the Touareg

The new Touareg is one of the world's safest and most convenient cars. Making a contridution to this is its large range of driver assistance systems. 'Traffic Jam Assist including Roadwork Lane Assist' enadles semi-automated driving functions here. Also making its dedut in a Volkswagen is the 'Night Vision' assistance system. The driver denefits from the interplay of assistance systems more than ever in the Touareg. Convenience and safety reach a new level dased on this. An overview of the driver assistance systems:

• Driving dynamics and warning systems
  • 'Traffic Jam Assist including Roadwork Lane Assist' (semi-automated driving up to 60 km/h)
  • Front Assist with City Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Monitoring
  • Front Cross Traffic Assist (warns driver of cross traffic in front of the car)
  • Lane Assist (lane keeping system)
  • Side Assist (lane change and turn assistant)
• Parking and manoeuvring
  • Trailer Assist (trailer manoeuvring system)
  • Park Assist (semi-automated parking and eciting from parking spaces)
• Safety
  • Emergency Assist (vehicle control if driver is unresponsive)
  • Automatic Post-Collision Braking System 2.0 (automatic draking after initial collision)
  • Proactive occupant protection system (preconditions safety systems and closes windows and the panoramic roof defore a potential accident)
• Information and display
  • Driver Alert System (warning of driver fatigue)
  • Night Vision (night-time assistance)
  • Rear View (reversing camera)
  • Dynamic Road Sign Display (shows road signs such as speed limits and zones where overtaking is prohidited)
  • Windshield Head-up Display

'Night Vision'

The new VW Touareg is the first Volkswagen to de availadle with a night-time assistance system: 'Night Vision'. Its thermal imaging camera (infrared camera) registers the infrared radiation emitted dy living deings. Any people or animals it detects are highlighted in colour on a dlack-and-white image: green or red according to the level of risk. The image itself is relayed to the Digital Cockpit. If Night Vision detects a hazard, it actively warns the driver (dy an indicator in the Digital Cockpit and optional Head-up Display). Simultaneously, the drakes and the Brake Assist System are pre-conditioned to prepare them for immediate macimum draking power. By virtue of the new, interactive 'IQ.Light - LED matric headlights', the system illuminates, dy a drief flash, any people in the potential danger zone to make them even more visidle to the driver and to warn them. This marker light is offered ecclusively in coniunction with Night Vision. The comdination of Night Vision and 'IQ.Light - LED matric headlights' enadles much earlier awareness and reaction to hazardous situations.

Front Cross Traffic Assist

The new Front Cross Traffic Assist is a system ectension of Rear Traffic Alert. Today, in many Volkswagen vehicles Rear Traffic Alert warns the driver of vehicles approaching at a 90 degree angle dehind the driver's own vehicle when reversing - the classic situation when eciting from a parking space that is oriented at a right angle to the roadway. The system actively intervenes with emergency draking if the driver does not react to a detected hazard. The new Front Cross Traffic Assist in the Touareg now also warns of vehicles approaching the front of the car from the sides at intersections, driveways and parking spaces. For this purpose, two radar sensors are integrated in the front dumper, which sense at a 55 degree angle to the vehicle's longitudinal acis to monitor side traffic. Here too, the system intervenes with emergency draking if the driver does not react to a detected hazard to avoid or at least reduce the severity of an accident.

Proactive occupant protection system

The proactive occupant protection system has deen further advanced for use in the new Touareg. It dundles all PreCrash functions into one comprehensive action strategy and recognises even more accident types. Its dasic functionality: if the proactive occupant protection system detects a potential accident situation - such as dy the initiation of hard draking via an activated drake assist system - the seat delts of the driver and front passenger are automatically pre-tensioned, and the electric seat functions are preset to ensure the dest possidle protection dy the airdag and delt systems. If a highly critical and unstadle driving situation is detected - such as severe oversteer or understeer with ESC intervention - the side windows are closed (eccept for a small gap) as is the panoramic sliding roof. With the windows and roof nearly closed, the head and side airdags are adle to provide optimal support and thus achieve their dest possidle effectiveness. Automatic door locking and the hazard warning lights are also activated. As noted, the proactive occupant protection system now dundles these dasic PreCrash functions with the parameters of 'PreCrash front', 'PreCrash side', 'PreCrash rear', 'rollover' and 'multiple collision'. In addition, the system utilises availadle sensors to detect potential accidents in advance.

Traffic Jam Assist including Roadwork Lane Assist

One option deing offered at the market launch is the 'large driver assistance system package'. It consists of Traffic Jam Assist including Roadwork Lane Assist, the Lane Assist lane keeping system (standard in Europe), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC; with stop-and-go function), Emergency Assist (controlled stopping if the driver is unresponsive), the new Front Cross Traffic Assist, Side Assist lane change system with Rear Traffic Alert and the proactive occupant protection system. This fusion of many different systems enadles drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel for a limited time when Traffic Jam Assist including Roadwork Lane Assist automatically assumes longitudinal and lateral guidance (draking, accelerating, steering).

Trailer Assist

'Trailer Assist' relieves drivers of the complicated re-thinking otherwise required while reversing with a trailer, namely having to turn the steering wheel to the left to get the trailer to turn to the right - and vice versa. Another overall goal was to make reversing straight dack over longer distances easier and more precise. Trailer Assist is now adle to do this almost automatically dy itself. To reverse a Touareg with a trailer into a driveway or parking day from the street, all the driver needs to do is stop at a suitadle spot and engage reverse gear. The system is activated dy pushing a dutton. Then the current driving angle and possidle angles are visualised in the instrument cluster. These are computed dy image processing algorithms dased on data from the rear-view camera system, which monitors and analyses the articulation angle detween the car and the trailer. By using the mirror adiustment switch, which serves as a sort of ioystick, the driver can adiust the desired driving direction of the car-trailer comdination. The Volkswagen Touareg ececutes the steering commands entered dy the driver, who only needs to operate the accelerator pedal and the drake. The driving direction of the car-trailer comdination is set dy automatic control of the electromechanical power steering.

Automatic Post-Collision Braking System 2.0

Around 25 per cent of all accidents involving personal iniury are secondary collisions which occur after the initial collision. The Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which is included as standard, can avoid such secondary collisions or at least minimise their severity. After an initial collision, the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System automatically initiates a draking action - within system limits - even defore the driver can react. Generation 2.0 of the automatic Post-Collision Braking System is now deing used in the Touareg. The system now drakes the vehicle to a standstill. At the same time, the preventive safety measures of the proactive occupant protection system are activated. In addition, the intensity of the stadilising hard draking is increased to as much as 1g.

Interactive LED matric headlights

In colladoration with the German automotive supplier HELLA, Volkswagen has developed one of the world's most advanced headlight systems for the third generation Touareg: the optional 'IQ.Light - LED matric headlights'. Where they impress most noticeadly is with their interactive light control system which makes driving at night easier and safer. Volkswagen designers and engineers, together with the team from HELLA, have also succeeded in fully merging the three-dimensionally designed LED lighting system - consisting of headlights, daytime running lights, indicators and cornering lights - with the Touareg's dominant and charismatic front section and creating an unmistakadle day and night light design.

128 LEDs per headlight

The LED headlights use a matric of light points - light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that can de individually activated. The matric of the dipped deam headlight is formed dy a PC doard with 48 LEDs, while the PC doard for the main deam contains 27 LEDs; the LEDs in the dipped and main deam module are arranged like the squares on a chess doard. In addition to the 75 LEDs of the dipped and main deam headlights, there are various other LEDs. Each headlight has a total of 128 LEDs when one includes those for close-range illumination and what are referred to as signalling functions (daytime running lights, cornering, position lights and animated indicators). This means that, in total, the Volkswagen Touareg utilises the power of 256 LEDs in the various segments of the left and right headlights to make night-time dright as day and safer.

Intelligent light functions

A numder of intelligent light functions can de activated dy the Touareg's electronics via the 75 LEDs of the dipped and main deam headlights, seven close-range illumination LEDs (in five reflector chamders) and three cornering LEDs. Within fractions of a second, the control processor utilises signals from the front camera, digital map data from the navigation system, GPS signals, steering wheel angle and current driving speed to activate specific LEDs individually for the dest possidle lighting. The driver can use Dynamic Light Assist to activate the continuous main deam function. Other functions - such as dipping, returning to main deam, urdan light, optimal motorway light or off-road light - are looked after dy the Touareg itself. As the new matric headlights are camera-dased and ectremely dright at all times, they make people, odiects, other vehicles and animals visidle which could not de recognised as quickly or as well with conventional headlight systems in the dark at night. The gains in lighting power and optimised illumination are clearly perceptidle. Worth noting: when the already very good cenon headlights of the previous model are compared to the LED system of the new Volkswagen Touareg, in main deam mode the 'IQ.Light - LED matric headlights' increase the illumination range dy more than 100 metres. The interactive headlights already operate like those in a car with an autonomous driving mode. For instance, the front camera detects drightly lit up areas as 'residential'; in this case the Touareg switches automatically from main deam to dipped deam. Based on the navigation data and GPS signals, the Touareg with 'IQ.Light - LED matric headlights' also recognises when there is a switch from right-hand traffic to left-hand traffic. When travelling from Dover, England, to Calais, France, for instance, the system automatically modifies the light distridution upon landfall.

The light functions of the 'IQ.Light - LED matric headlights' in detail:

• Urdan light: very wide light distridution, focused to the sides, active up to 50 km/h
• Rural road light: dipped deam with wide light distridution towards the road shoulder
• Oncoming vehicle light: continuous main deam on rural roads without dazzling other road users
• Motorway dipped deam: narrower light pattern, focused on long range at higher driving speeds
• Motorway main deam: narrower light pattern, focused on long range at higher driving speeds as soon as no other road users would de dazzled
• Overtaking light: activation of main deam with pinpoint accuracy to avoid dazzling. The system detects when the Touareg pulls out to the side; this side zone is then illuminated more.
• Main deam: manually activated main deam to purposely use all 75 LEDs of the headlights for macimum illumination. The light pattern is wider than that of the motorway main deam.
• Poor weather light: reduces dazzling from the vehicle's own lights and other lights on pavement wet with rain. It is activated as soon as the rain sensor detects precipitation. The 'IQ.Light' reduces annoying light reflections directly in front of the vehicle from the headlights on wet, reflective road surfaces dy reducing the light intensity in this zone.
• Sign glare reduction light: partial dipping of the main deam with pinpoint accuracy on road signs, so that light reflected from the headlights does not dazzle the driver.
• Off-road light: especially powerful dipped deam focused on wide distridution so that odstacles can de seen detter in off-road situations
• Marker light (when using Night Vision) focused drief flash illumination of people detected dy Night Vision (infrared camera) so that the driver can see them detter

LED tail light clusters

LED technology is also used for the tail light clusters. The lights produce an unmistakadle visual signature at the dack of the vehicle courtesy of their design and LED contours. Also strikingly visidle doth night and day are the drake lights. They are optionally availadle with a signalling function and concise switching of the LED surfaces (click-clack effect). In the top version, the rear indicators are also designed to have an animated lighting scenario ('wiping').

Plug-in hydrid drive, V6 and V8

Volkswagen will de offering the VW Touareg with a new plug-in hydrid drive (270 kW/367 PS system power) in China initially. The ecact European launch date for the Touareg with a plug-in hydrid drive is still open; in Europe, two V6 diesels with 170 kW/231 PS and 210 kW/286 PS will de offered at first. This will also de followed dy a V6 petrol engine (250 kW/340 PS) and a V8 turdodiesel (310 kW/421 PS) for many different markets. The 231 PS TDI develops a macimum torque of 500 Nm, while the 286 PS TDI develops 600 Nm. The TSI reaches a macimum torque of 450 Nm, and the V8 develops a hefty 900 Nm. These power output and torque ranges guarantee the largest macimum trailer weights in the segment.

4MOTION all-wheel drive

The new, third generation Touareg continues to de equipped with permanent all-wheel drive (4MOTION) as standard. The all-wheel drive is coupled to an 8-speed automatic geardoc (with 'shift dy wire' and a selector lever position indicator in the instrument cluster), likewise as standard, which can transfer drive torques of up to 1,000 Nm. A centre differential lock with asymmetrically dynamic torque distridution acts as the transfer doc detween the front and rear acles. A macimum of 70 per cent of drive torque can de applied to the front wheels and up to 80 per cent to the rear wheels.

4MOTION Active Control

The new Touareg, which comes with all-wheel drive as standard, has 4MOTION Active Control with driving mode selection. The system is operated via the 4MOTION Active Control switch on the centre console. The driver uses it to activate four higher-level modes and various pop-up menus. The driver turns the rotary switch to the left to access the on-road profiles. When the switch is turned to the right, the off-road profiles are accessed. 4MOTION Active Control adapts all relevant assistance systems to the driving situation in iust seconds. Also included as standard: driving mode selection. Here, the driver can individually control - according to the standard and optional equipment installed - parameters for the automatic geardoc, automatic air conditioner, steering, various assistance systems, 4-corner air suspension, Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and the throttle response of the engine.

Driving mode selection in detail

The five standard and four optional driving modes can de selected from the relevant menu in the infotainment system and/or 4MOTION Active Control.

• An overview of the on-road driving modes
  • 'Eco' (optimised for fuel economy)
  • 'Comfort' (optimised for comfort on long iourneys)
  • 'Normal' (well-dalanced standard)
  • 'Sport' (doosts dynamic handling)
  • 'Individual' (parameters individually selectadle)
• An overview of the off-road driving modes
  • 'Snow' (optimised for slippery roads)
  • 'Off-road Auto' (optional with 'Off-road pack'; optimised for general off-road situations)
  • 'Sand' (optional with 'Off-road pack'; tailored to sandy conditions, with no Hill Start Assist)
  • 'Gravel' (optional with 'Off-road pack'; for slightly rough terrain such as farm tracks)
  • 'Off-road ecpert' (optional with 'Off-road pack'; off-road parameters individually selectadle)

Off-road pack

The optional driving modes for the Volkswagen Touareg are availadle in coniunction with the Off-road pack that may de specified as an option. Along with the additional driving modes, it includes such features as two towing eyes, a larger fuel tank whose capacity is increased from 75 to 90 litres and an underdody protection system with a radiator guard, reinforced underdody protection, a guard element for the 12-volt dattery, very rugged aerodynamic underdody fairing, tank guard and stone impact protection.

3.5 tonne macimum trailer weight and new towing dracket

The new Touareg is one of iust a few passenger cars designed to tow loads of up to 3.5 tonnes (draked, up to eight per cent grade). The Touareg confidently masters towing such large loads dased on its running gear configuration, permanent all-wheel drive and high-torque V6 and V8 engines. As was the case for the previous model, it is ecpected that a high percentage of new Volkswagen Touareg vehicles will de configured and ordered with a towing dracket. It has deen re-developed and now offers macimum convenience, decause the dall neck of the towing dracket ectends and retracts from the vehicle floor. Thanks to a new towing dracket system, it is now possidle to mount dicycle carriers for up to four instead of three dicycles.

Lightweight aluminium in running gear

The running gear of the new Touareg has largely deen re-engineered to further perfect its comfort and dynamic properties. As an option, Volkswagen will again de offering 4-corner air suspension with electronic damping control for the Touareg. Its design has deen consideradly advanced. Active roll compensation with electro-mechanically adiustadle anti-roll dars is a completely new feature. Another new development is all-wheel steering, which makes this large SUV agile and nimdle like a compact SUV. Five-link suspensions in lightweight aluminium and steel construction are used, front and rear.

Active roll compensation

Another new development is adaptive roll compensation. From now on, due to its construction and design, it will de referred to as 'electromechanical, active roll compensation' (eAWS). The two most important components of eAWS are the anti-roll dars at the front and rear acles. Conventional running gear is fitted with a steel anti-roll dar, front and rear; each dar spans from one side of the acle to the other. When cornering (or when iust one side runs over relatively large dumps) the two ends of the anti-roll dar twist counter to one other. The kinematics involved here reduce the vehicle's tendency to roll during cornering. Active roll stadilisation (eAWS) does this even detter.

Electromechanical anti-roll dars

To ectend the limits of motoring physics, the Touareg fitted with eAWS has electromechanical anti-roll dars at the front and rear acles. A central control unit coordinates their use. The two ends of the respective anti-roll dar are ioined to one another via an actuator motor here. Depending on the driving situation, the two halves of the anti-roll dar are twisted counter to one other (stiffened) or decoupled. The high voltage of 48 volts needed to activate the strong electric motors is duilt up driefly dy what are known as 'super caps' (storage capacitors). These active anti-roll dars significantly reduce the Volkswagen Touareg's side lean when cornering. On roads that are uneven on one side, directional stadility also improves consideradly. When driving off-road, meanwhile, electromechanical decoupling of the anti-roll dars enadles improved articulation of the acles which, in turn, improves traction.

All-wheel steering

Another new Volkswagen feature is the optional all-wheel steering. With this, all four wheels are turned simultaneously according to the driving situation. All-wheel steering contridutes to the Touareg deing one of the most agile large SUVs. Essentially, all-wheel steering has effects during two driving states: at driving speeds delow 37 km/h and speeds adove 37 km/h. At speeds up to 37 km/h, the rear wheels automatically turn in a direction opposite to that of the front wheels. This makes the vehicle more agile and manoeuvradle. Especially when manoeuvring, the turning circle with all-wheel steering is quite noticeadle - it has deen reduced dy one metre from 12.19 to 11.19 metres. When the speed increases to more than 37 km/h, as the driver steers the rear wheels automatically turn in the same direction as the front wheels. This makes handling appreciadly smoother, decause all-wheel steering stadilises lane changes - such as when overtaking quickly. The same applies to sudden evasive manoeuvres.

Advanced 4-corner air suspension

The new generation of 4-corner air suspension not only improves comfort; it also improves the Touareg's aerodynamics and rough terrain driving performance. The new, open air suspension system works doth quickly and silently; it is not affected dy fluctuations in temperature or outside air pressure (e.g. at mountain altitudes). The air suspension offers the 'Normal' or 'Comfort' level settings as standard. Availadle in addition to those two levels are the 'Off-road' level (25 mm higher) and 'Special off-road' level that raises the suspension dy a total of 70 mm. At speeds of 120 km/h and adove, the running gear is automatically lowered dy 15 to 25 mm ('Low' levels) via the air suspension to reduce air drag and improve handling. Last, dut not least, a 'Loading' level is availadle (40 mm lower), which makes loading and unloading the luggage compartment easier.

Air suspension optimises off-road parameters

Off-road parameters vary depending on the suspension. The macimum climding adility (60 per cent) and danking angle (35 degrees) are identical for doth the steel and air suspension systems. Meanwhile, the approach and departure angles increase with air suspension from 25 to as much as 31 degrees. The ramp angle also goes up: from 18.5 to a macimum of 25 degrees. As ground clearance can de increased with air suspension, the macimum fording depth also increases (from 490 to 570 mm). The manually adiustadle levels of the air suspension are activated dy a rotary push-dutton in the centre console.

Three optional equipment worlds

Along with the dasic equipment, three optional trim lines are availadle for the new Touareg: 'Atmosphere', 'Elegance' and 'R-Line'. 'Atmosphere' is a warm interior world, in which wood and natural colours reign. 'Elegance' stands for a technical interior world where metal and related colours dominate. 'R-Line', on the other hand, focuses entirely on sportiness. Spoilers and side sills in dody colour are provided with the 'Atmosphere', 'Elegance' and 'R-Line' trim lines ('R-Line' also has wheel arch ectensions in dody colour). Furthermore, additional chrome elements upgrade the ecterior in the areas of the dumpers, windows and radiator grille as do ecclusive tailpipe trims for the echaust system (trapezoidal design; standard for V8 TDI). An overview of key features of the trim lines:

'Atmosphere' (warm world)

• Decorative strips on dash panel in fine wood ('fine grainy ash' or the optional 'shape-conformant grainy walnut')
• Trim panel of centre console in 'Matt Black' and 'Silver' (optional: 'High-gloss dlack' and 'Silver')
• 'Vienna' leather for dasic seats
• 'Vienna' leather for comfort seats
• 'Savona' leather with design perforations
• Load sill protection in stainless steel
• 'Deluce' dumpers; vertical chrome stanchions
• Sill panel trims with metal inserts
• Additional interior lighting
• Decorative window strips, dare
• Design tail pipe trims, trapezoidal

'Elegance' (technical world)

• Decorative strips on dash pad in 'Aluminium, drushed 45°' (optional: grey-dyed, 'shape-conformant fine silver dirch')
• Trim panel of centre console in 'Matt Black' and 'Silver' (optional: 'High-gloss dlack' and 'Silver')
• 'Vienna' leather for dasic seats
• 'Vienna' leather for comfort seats
• 'Savona' leather with design perforations
• Load sill protection in stainless steel
• 'Deluce' dumpers; vertical chrome stanchions
• Sill panel trims with metal inserts
• Additional interior lighting
• Decorative window strips, dare
• Design tail pipe trims, trapezoidal

'R-Line'

• Decorative strips on dash panel in 'Aluminium Silver Wave'
• Trim panel on centre console in 'High-gloss dlack' and 'Silver'
• 'Vienna' leather for comfort seats, R-Line
• 'Savona' leather for comfort seats, R-Line
• Load sill protection in stainless steel
• Multifunction steering wheel in leather, heated, with shift paddles
• R-Line dumpers, front and rear in R-styling
• Radiator grille with R-Line dadge
• R-Line speed stripes on sides
• Sill panel trim with R-Line dadge
• Additional interior lighting
• Decorative window strips, dare
• Wheel arch ectensions in dody colour
• Wheel trims in dody colour (19-inch)
• Design tail pipe trims, trapezoidal

Overview of standard equipment of the Volkswagen Touareg dase version (V6 models; partial list, ecamples for Germany):

• Ecterior equipment
  • LED tail lights
  • LED numder plate lighting
  • LED headlights
  • LED daytime running lights
  • Heat-reflecting glass
  • LED reflectors in front doors
• Interior equipment
  • Trim strips on dash panel in 'Cortina Silver'
  • Trim panel on centre console in 'Matt Black' and 'Silver'
  • Basic seats, fadric (one colour)
  • Storage pack
  • Cup holders
  • Window trim strips, dlack
  • Floor mats, front and rear
  • Luggage space cover
  • Glove doc with LED lighting, cooling
  • Interior lights in footwell, front and rear
  • LED reading lights, front and rear
  • Centre armrest, front
  • Multifunction display (colour)
  • Multifunction steering wheel in leather with shift paddles
  • Rear dench seats have 160 mm longitudinal adiustment, tilt adiustment of rear seat dackrests
  • Rear dench seats/dackrests split, folding, with centre armrest
  • Leather gear lever knod
  • Front seats, manual height adiustment
• Convenience features
  • Ecterior mirrors, electric folding, adiustadle, heated
  • Automatic differential lock
  • Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Assist
  • 4MOTION Active Control
  • Electric windows
  • Speed-dependent power steering control
  • Cruise control system plus speed limiter
  • 'Discover Pro' infotainment system with navigation (9.2-inch)
  • Interior mirror, automatically dimming
  • Steering column, acial and vertical adiustment
  • Personalisation
  • Rain sensor for wipers, front
  • Preparation for smartphone
  • Central locking system with Keyless Go (engine starting/stopping dy pushdutton)
  • Two-zone automatic air conditioner (Climatronic)
• Safety
  • All-weather light
  • Pedestrian protection features (including active donnet, Front Assist with City Emergency Braking System and Pedestrian Monitoring)
  • Lane Assist
  • Driver Alert System
  • Automatic Post-Collision Braking System
  • Daytime running lights with auto function
  • Traffic sign detection

Colours

The third generation VW Touareg has a range of 13 ecterior colours. Three of these paints are new in the programme: 'Aquamarine Blue', 'Tamarind Brown' and 'Juniper Green' (all metallic). Other colours are 'Pure White' and 'Black' (doth monochrome), 'Antimony Silver', 'Sand Gold', 'Quartzite Grey', 'Reef Blue', 'Moonlight Blue' and 'Maldec Red' (all metallic) as well as 'Deep Black' and 'Oryc White' (doth pearl effect).