Volkswagen: Touareg News
The sizzle in the Steak
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 71,436
Likes: 1,877
From: Southern California
VW reveals 2011 Touareg
VW unveiled what it is calling the most technically innovative VW in the brand’s existence. VW attributes this claim to the new range of more fuel efficient engines, as well as its lower weight and a myriad of new occupant assistance and safety systems.
The outgoing VW Touareg was often referred to as a hulking brute because of its sheer size and (some would say) excessive weight. Coupled with the outgoing model’s V10, the Touareg was everything a hulking brute of an SUV could be.
Lighter, more aerodynamic and more fuel efficient
For 2011 VW had a different vision for the off-road capable SUV – VW envisioned a more modern vehicle that made use of lighter weight, more aerodynamic and fuel efficient design. To achieve this, VW shaved 208 kilograms off of the base version, while increasing torsional rigidity by 5 percent – maintaining its spot as a class leader. To achieve the fuel economy numbers customers are demanding, VW put them gave special attention to the Cd value of the vehicle, and reduced its aerodynamic drag. VW also lowered the stance slightly, which also improves fuel economy and road handling. The final step was to make an eight-speed automatic transmission standard with all engines – a market segment first.
The base engine for the new Touareg will be a 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel resulting in 238 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to the new eight-speed automatic transmission, VW says this will achieve a very respectable 38.1 mpg on the European cycle (Imperial gallons).
Next in line is a 4.2-liter V8 TDi with a healthy 337 hp and a whopping 590 lb-ft of torque – still achieving 31 mpg on the combined cycle. This engine replaces the now discontinued V10 that previously was the range-topping engine. Although no V10, this V8 is no slouch either – reporting a zero-to-62 sprint in just six seconds flat, and capable of 155 mph computer-governed top speed.
VW will also be offering a hybrid offering that makes use of a supercharged 3.3-liter V6 that produces 329 hp, mated to a 46 hp electric motor. Peak output is 375 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque, with zero-to-62 in just 6.5 seconds while still offering 34.4 mpg. VW says this SUV will be capable of accelerating to 30 mph without any gasoline in pure EV mode.
VW keeps off-roaders in mind
With the switch to fuel efficient eight-speed transmissions and a lower stance, off-road enthusiasts may be feeling left out. To address this concern, VW is offering a “Terrain Tech Packet” which swaps the eight-speed for a lower geared six-speed automatic mated to a 3.0-liter TDi. This model, known as the “Escape,” has a more rugged transfer case designed for off-roading, and front and rear 100 percent locking differentials known as 4XMOTION. Driver’s retain a rotary control to switch between “On-Road,” “Off-Road,” and “Low” settings depending on the terrain being conquered.
The outgoing VW Touareg was often referred to as a hulking brute because of its sheer size and (some would say) excessive weight. Coupled with the outgoing model’s V10, the Touareg was everything a hulking brute of an SUV could be.
Lighter, more aerodynamic and more fuel efficient
For 2011 VW had a different vision for the off-road capable SUV – VW envisioned a more modern vehicle that made use of lighter weight, more aerodynamic and fuel efficient design. To achieve this, VW shaved 208 kilograms off of the base version, while increasing torsional rigidity by 5 percent – maintaining its spot as a class leader. To achieve the fuel economy numbers customers are demanding, VW put them gave special attention to the Cd value of the vehicle, and reduced its aerodynamic drag. VW also lowered the stance slightly, which also improves fuel economy and road handling. The final step was to make an eight-speed automatic transmission standard with all engines – a market segment first.
The base engine for the new Touareg will be a 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel resulting in 238 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to the new eight-speed automatic transmission, VW says this will achieve a very respectable 38.1 mpg on the European cycle (Imperial gallons).
Next in line is a 4.2-liter V8 TDi with a healthy 337 hp and a whopping 590 lb-ft of torque – still achieving 31 mpg on the combined cycle. This engine replaces the now discontinued V10 that previously was the range-topping engine. Although no V10, this V8 is no slouch either – reporting a zero-to-62 sprint in just six seconds flat, and capable of 155 mph computer-governed top speed.
VW will also be offering a hybrid offering that makes use of a supercharged 3.3-liter V6 that produces 329 hp, mated to a 46 hp electric motor. Peak output is 375 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque, with zero-to-62 in just 6.5 seconds while still offering 34.4 mpg. VW says this SUV will be capable of accelerating to 30 mph without any gasoline in pure EV mode.
VW keeps off-roaders in mind
With the switch to fuel efficient eight-speed transmissions and a lower stance, off-road enthusiasts may be feeling left out. To address this concern, VW is offering a “Terrain Tech Packet” which swaps the eight-speed for a lower geared six-speed automatic mated to a 3.0-liter TDi. This model, known as the “Escape,” has a more rugged transfer case designed for off-roading, and front and rear 100 percent locking differentials known as 4XMOTION. Driver’s retain a rotary control to switch between “On-Road,” “Off-Road,” and “Low” settings depending on the terrain being conquered.
The sizzle in the Steak
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 71,436
Likes: 1,877
From: Southern California
^^ It dropped nearly 500 lbs!!
It looks great inside and out....and the transmission and engine choices
Wow! I thought it was gonna suck...but they hit a homerun here.
It looks great inside and out....and the transmission and engine choices
Wow! I thought it was gonna suck...but they hit a homerun here.
Fahrvergnügen'd
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,494
Likes: 1,569
From: Maryland
Oh man I love this thing ... Forget a Cayenne ... This was always my favorite of the VW/Audi/Porsche trio. It's even better now. Wow. 
I hope we get those diesels here ... That would be amazing to see a Touareg getting 30mpg.
I hope we get those diesels here ... That would be amazing to see a Touareg getting 30mpg.
fap fap fap
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,239
Likes: 7
From: Kirkland
Welcome to Olliewood
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,322
Likes: 63
From: CT/EU
Fahrvergnügen'd
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,494
Likes: 1,569
From: Maryland
Juuuust a bit out of my price range.
*edit* Turns out they killed the V10 TDi and have the 3.0TDi in it now. 225hp and 409lb-ft of torque.
$56k the way I'd want it spec'd out.
Last edited by charliemike; Feb 10, 2010 at 09:38 PM.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,751
Likes: 69
Three Wheelin'
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,751
Likes: 69
Three Wheelin'
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,751
Likes: 69
_____ like a rabbit
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 8,594
Likes: 12
From: Edgewater, Chicago, IL
375 hp and 428 ft-lbs of torque, 0-to-62 in 6.5 seconds, it weighs about 5k lbs and still returns 34.4 mpg? Finally, a hybrid i would buy.... I hope you're listening toyota....
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 4,068
Likes: 111
From: NYC
success all around.
unfortunately, the NA sales figures will remain low due to spoiled mommies who refuse to choose VW when they are offered with a 60k SUV allowance. its really a crying shame. moms dont want to get caught driving the same type of car as their daughters 16th bday jetta present. it really takes am EU demographic to truly appreciate this car for what it is.
unfortunately, the NA sales figures will remain low due to spoiled mommies who refuse to choose VW when they are offered with a 60k SUV allowance. its really a crying shame. moms dont want to get caught driving the same type of car as their daughters 16th bday jetta present. it really takes am EU demographic to truly appreciate this car for what it is.
Last edited by ThermonMermon; Feb 11, 2010 at 10:31 PM.
AZ Community Team
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 19,084
Likes: 4,756
From: Maryland
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 14,432
Likes: 637
From: Orlando, Fl
I didn't see the news mention if they reduced the size of the thing to cut all that weight. VW/Audi products were on the heavy side - I assume this diet will trickle down to other models.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,751
Likes: 69
configured the vw tuareg 2011
Yesterday for fun I configured on the www.vw.de the new Tuareg...
the first one, 3.0TDi, full options.... got 74.000 euro!!
the Hybrid one, BASE PRICE naked, is... 73.500 euro!!!
H O L Y S H I T...
this thing is more expensive than an X5 4.8...
in the Tuareg even the steering wheel is optional: ))))
the first one, 3.0TDi, full options.... got 74.000 euro!!
the Hybrid one, BASE PRICE naked, is... 73.500 euro!!!
H O L Y S H I T...
this thing is more expensive than an X5 4.8...
in the Tuareg even the steering wheel is optional: ))))
Moderator
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 29,869
Likes: 3,489
Damn, that looks like a home run. I love VAG. I also like Volkswagen-Audi products too... 
lame, I know. They've really stepped up their styling these days though. Not that there was a problem with it before, but it's a nice step in the right direction, unlike Hondacura 
I was initially uneasy about recommending this to my mom, after reading a few horror stories of 2004 models. Then I read stories of multiple-Touareg (still can't spell that right without double checking) owners who noted how their recent Touaregs were much more reliable that their last/first.
We'll see.... she probably doesn't like the idea of paying that much for VW. on a side note, I also really like that VAG is using diesels in their lineup. 3.0 V6 in an SUV of this size, with 38 mpg combined!
thanks to the 8-speed automatic taking advantage of that 400 lb/ft of torque... from a 3L V6!! You can pretty much only get that with a turbodiesel.
If I ever get a "practical" and economical daily driver, I'm going out of my way to make sure its a diesel. I've never really noticed, but I hope that diesel availability at gas stations is as popular as it should be.
as far as the X5 goes, or x35drive or whatever its called, especially, I like the styling but I've read a couple of articles where they said the new diesel X5s drove terribly, very unlike the 335d. Maybe this has been rectified, and maybe the Touareg diesel has a similar issue, who knows. But who cares.... just look at that thing!
lame, I know. They've really stepped up their styling these days though. Not that there was a problem with it before, but it's a nice step in the right direction, unlike Hondacura I was initially uneasy about recommending this to my mom, after reading a few horror stories of 2004 models. Then I read stories of multiple-Touareg (still can't spell that right without double checking) owners who noted how their recent Touaregs were much more reliable that their last/first.
We'll see.... she probably doesn't like the idea of paying that much for VW. on a side note, I also really like that VAG is using diesels in their lineup. 3.0 V6 in an SUV of this size, with 38 mpg combined!
thanks to the 8-speed automatic taking advantage of that 400 lb/ft of torque... from a 3L V6!! You can pretty much only get that with a turbodiesel.If I ever get a "practical" and economical daily driver, I'm going out of my way to make sure its a diesel. I've never really noticed, but I hope that diesel availability at gas stations is as popular as it should be.
Yesterday for fun I configured on the www.vw.de the new Tuareg...
the first one, 3.0TDi, full options.... got 74.000 euro!!
the Hybrid one, BASE PRICE naked, is... 73.500 euro!!!
H O L Y S H I T...
this thing is more expensive than an X5 4.8...
in the Tuareg even the steering wheel is optional: ))))
the first one, 3.0TDi, full options.... got 74.000 euro!!
the Hybrid one, BASE PRICE naked, is... 73.500 euro!!!
H O L Y S H I T...
this thing is more expensive than an X5 4.8...
in the Tuareg even the steering wheel is optional: ))))
I'm not a fan of SUV's at all, but if I needed to buy one, this would be on my list.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,751
Likes: 69
Test drive
More I look at this SUV and less I like it...
Autocar test drive
What is it?
This is the hybrid version of the new Volkswagen Touareg. It is the range's most intriguing model, even though it won't be the best-seller. It's the only petrol Touareg that'll make it to the UK, yet it has the lowest CO2 emissions and the highest power output of a range that also includes 3.0 V6 and 4.1 V8 diesels.
At the hybrid's heart is a 328bhp, supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine coupled to a 45bhp electric motor. They work in parallel so, like a Lexus RX450h, the engine can be uncoupled from the drive to shut down altogether.
Unlike the Lexus, which has an electric motor for the back axle, the Touareg's engine/motor combination both have a say in all four wheels, via an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a Haldex four-wheel drive system.
That new transmission contributes much to Touareg's headline-grabbing 200kg weight loss between generations. A heavier-duty option, called 4XMotion, is available on the V6 TDI only; it has a low ratio and a centre differential lock for serious off-road use.
Another big weight saving comes on steel-sprung versions, whose suspension is 47kg lighter than before. Optional air-sprung cars, like our test car, lose 20kg underneath. There's about the same as from the body itself, which is a significantly overhauled first-generation Touareg shell rather than an all-new architecture.
What's it like?
Inside, the Touareg is new and mostly decently appointed. A few interior surfaces on the lower – and a couple on the upper – part of the cabin are disappointingly brittle, but it's all efficiently laid out. Roominess is improved too. The rear seats slide and the boot is big, but there's no seven-seat option.
Performance is brisk, but the engine needs to be worked surprisingly hard to give its best and the gearbox can be sluggish to respond in auto mode. It can be overriden and, given it's better that way and has eight speeds, it's a shame there aren't steering wheel paddles to assist.
Refinement is sound, the ride is above average and, unsurprisingly, there's nothing here for the enthusiast. The Touareg is a more agile road car than a Discovery but far less so than an X5.
Should I buy one?
That depends on whether you were attracted to the Touareg in the first place. Because even the hybrid powertrain and improved overall refinement don't add much to the equation. The technology and emissions have moved on, but the Touareg's overall ethos remains unchanged.
Autocar test drive
What is it?
This is the hybrid version of the new Volkswagen Touareg. It is the range's most intriguing model, even though it won't be the best-seller. It's the only petrol Touareg that'll make it to the UK, yet it has the lowest CO2 emissions and the highest power output of a range that also includes 3.0 V6 and 4.1 V8 diesels.
At the hybrid's heart is a 328bhp, supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine coupled to a 45bhp electric motor. They work in parallel so, like a Lexus RX450h, the engine can be uncoupled from the drive to shut down altogether.
Unlike the Lexus, which has an electric motor for the back axle, the Touareg's engine/motor combination both have a say in all four wheels, via an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a Haldex four-wheel drive system.
That new transmission contributes much to Touareg's headline-grabbing 200kg weight loss between generations. A heavier-duty option, called 4XMotion, is available on the V6 TDI only; it has a low ratio and a centre differential lock for serious off-road use.
Another big weight saving comes on steel-sprung versions, whose suspension is 47kg lighter than before. Optional air-sprung cars, like our test car, lose 20kg underneath. There's about the same as from the body itself, which is a significantly overhauled first-generation Touareg shell rather than an all-new architecture.
What's it like?
Inside, the Touareg is new and mostly decently appointed. A few interior surfaces on the lower – and a couple on the upper – part of the cabin are disappointingly brittle, but it's all efficiently laid out. Roominess is improved too. The rear seats slide and the boot is big, but there's no seven-seat option.
Performance is brisk, but the engine needs to be worked surprisingly hard to give its best and the gearbox can be sluggish to respond in auto mode. It can be overriden and, given it's better that way and has eight speeds, it's a shame there aren't steering wheel paddles to assist.
Refinement is sound, the ride is above average and, unsurprisingly, there's nothing here for the enthusiast. The Touareg is a more agile road car than a Discovery but far less so than an X5.
Should I buy one?
That depends on whether you were attracted to the Touareg in the first place. Because even the hybrid powertrain and improved overall refinement don't add much to the equation. The technology and emissions have moved on, but the Touareg's overall ethos remains unchanged.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 1,751
Likes: 69
Test drive
Insideline
As we remember, it probably happened about 2004 when Volkswagen had just introduced the U.S. to the Wolfsburg company's first SUV, the Touareg. We found ourselves crawling over the red rocks of Moab, Utah, and the Touareg really impressed us with its standard all-wheel-drive system, which had an off-road-ready dual-range transfer case.
But Volkswagen has always had trouble selling the Touareg in the U.S. Did you spend your childhood years dreaming of someday owning your very own Volkswagen-built Jeep or Volkswagen-built Land Rover? Neither did we.
So we have here the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, the second-generation Touareg. It's absolutely not intended for anything rougher than muddy, snowy dirt roads. The new Touareg will not even have dual-range off-road gearing.
The 2011 Volkswagen Touareg is more Main Street, more Fashion Island Mall. The look is conservative, and what could be more family-friendly than the new hybrid model that joins the V6- and V8-powered versions?
Good Ol' Dependable NiMH
We kept looking at the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid and then looking again. There was supposed to be a pack of nickel-metal hydride batteries here, like those heavy battery packs from a few years back that rendered many an electric dream fruitless. VW chose this Sanyo NiMH battery pack — weighing 145 pounds and mounted under the Touareg's cargo floor in a sturdy crash-protective cage — because NiMH is an energy source with which most consumers are familiar and is virtually 100 percent safe to be around. The choice also keeps costs down significantly.
Under battery power, the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid can reach 31 mph before dipping into the 329-horsepower supercharged V6 engine up front. But the distance it can run thus is only 1.25 miles. So, is there a point? Jochen Bohle, VW project manager in charge of Touareg Hybrid powertrain development, says, "Really, the key — practically speaking — is not running on just the battery power for extended periods. Nobody actually ever does this on any normal drive cycle day to day, so its importance was not that great."
Really, it's a truly hard-core launch that only a Koenigsegg or Pagani or a Ferrari FXX can approach.
In the end, this first hybrid effort with the Touareg (and 2011 Porsche Cayenne) is a test bed, and it is meant to feature secure technologies that don't inconvenience the normal internal-combustion perspective of its buyers. No plugging in is needed, and there's enough power and torque to accelerate this 4,938-pound utility vehicle to 60 mph in just 6.3 seconds and make the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg V8 FSI 4.2 blush in shame. The hybrid has the same 7,716-pound towing capacity as all Touareg models, not something of which the 2010 Lexus RX 450h can boast.
Different Targets Nowadays
The first-generation BMW X5 and Land Rover Discovery (LR3) are no longer the immediate competition for the Touareg family, which has been built on the VW Group's PL72 platform. Today, we're talking the Acura MDX as the bull's-eye here, followed by the GMC Acadia, then the BMW X5 and Infiniti FX. For the Touareg Hybrid, most VW engineers stare at the Lexus RX 450h or Mercedes ML450 Hybrid.
Just looking on paper, the second-generation Touareg (and Cayenne) kind of crushes the Lexus and Mercedes. Although U.S. pricing has yet to be released, the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid is much cheaper in Europe than its Japanese and German rivals.
Both the Lexus and Mercedes have two-mode split systems, vastly less towing capacity, less ready power and torque, and a less smooth transition between internal combustion and electric motoring. The Touareg Hybrid with its parallel system feels utterly natural, whether you're accelerating from a stop or coasting at speed.
Living With It
As on all upper-crust products from the VW Group these days, the Touareg is very quiet as we tool around the streets of Florence or hit the open autostrada for some 85-mph cruising. The onboard systems and satellite navigation are intuitive to use through the VW's touchscreen interface. The on-screen monitoring of the hybrid system is not too different from the best we've seen in other premium hybrids.
There's a useful increase in room, as front headroom has increased 2.3 inches and shoulder room has grown 2.2 inches. Now the rear seats also can slide forward and back in a 6.3-inch range, while the seatbacks can adjust to three separate inclinations. Overall cargo room suffers from the hybrid adaptation, of course, with 15.3 cubic feet available behind the second-row seat and 55 cubic feet available overall.
Though it's bigger on the inside, the second-generation Touareg is just 1.6 inches longer overall, with a wheelbase that's 1.5 inches longer, while it stands 0.7 inch taller. Aerodynamically the Touareg is slightly sleeker, with a 0.36 Cd versus the previous 0.38 Cd. The 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid also comes standard with 18-inch Goodyear Eagle F1 low-resistance summer tires, 255/55R18s front and rear.
What a Lightweight
The new Touareg has all-wheel drive with a Torsen-style center differential, but it definitely benefits weightwise from the deletion of the low-range gearset and off-road rear diff. In addition, some 154 pounds have been removed from the chassis alone through shrewd metallic moves, particularly in aluminum used for the two axles.
Touareg for Touareg, this new, second-generation beast has dropped between 450 and 520 pounds. Despite all of the added heft of the hybrid systems in the Touareg Hybrid, it weighs just 4,938 pounds, some 148 pounds less than the first-generation, V6-powered Touareg.
Even the Aisin eight-speed automatic transmission weighs less than the previous six-speed automatic. The fuel tank has also been reduced in volume from 26.4 gallons to now 22.5, although improved fuel economy maintains cruising range.
Hybrid Drive(-ing)
All the powertrain engineering packed into the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid largely goes unnoticed, even though there is always a lot going on.
If you lift off the throttle on a downhill while cruising, the clutch between the Bosch electric motor and the supercharged V6 uncouples, bringing the engine to a halt at any speed up to 100 mph. At restart moments, the electric motor acts as the starter motor, so the action is quick. In prototypes, this moment was a bit clunky, says engineer Bohle, "and the final four to five months were spent both on the software and on managing to get the two clutch packs either side of the integrated electric motor to spin at the same and correct speed before restarting the engine on throttle."
But it's not all sleepy-hollow hybrid softness, kids. There's a style of launch control here called Power Start (which your VW dealer will perhaps not even know about). With your foot on the brake, start the engine, put the transmission lever in the Sport setting at bottom, release the brake and then just floor the accelerator. In this moment, all power supply sources are told to hook up and work together, and it's like someone swinging the business end of a sledgehammer into your chest when the electric motor and forward clutch snap into the V6's flywheel.
Really, it does a truly hard-core launch that only Koenigsegg or Pagani or a Ferrari FXX can approach. We repeated it several times and nothing broke, and the VW personnel were practically urging us on to try it again and again. All in the interests of science, you understand.
Tip of an Iceberg
The 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid and its sister 2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid will be the only models sold worldwide by the VW Group using this strictly parallel hybrid system with a NiMH battery pack. Everything that follows will use lithium-ion batteries developed by partnership between VW, Toshiba, Sanyo and BYD (the Chinese manufacturer).
A Volkswagen Golf Hybrid will soon arrive with a lithium-ion battery pack. VW has a plan for total world domination in the hybrid field by 2018, and part of the plan is to ensure that the VW Jetta and Passat models scheduled for assembly in VW's new plant in Tennessee get this hybrid technology from the start.
Now let's hope VW can start selling this Touareg SUV that we've always liked, although we'll have to see what the price is going to be.
As we remember, it probably happened about 2004 when Volkswagen had just introduced the U.S. to the Wolfsburg company's first SUV, the Touareg. We found ourselves crawling over the red rocks of Moab, Utah, and the Touareg really impressed us with its standard all-wheel-drive system, which had an off-road-ready dual-range transfer case.
But Volkswagen has always had trouble selling the Touareg in the U.S. Did you spend your childhood years dreaming of someday owning your very own Volkswagen-built Jeep or Volkswagen-built Land Rover? Neither did we.
So we have here the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid, the second-generation Touareg. It's absolutely not intended for anything rougher than muddy, snowy dirt roads. The new Touareg will not even have dual-range off-road gearing.
The 2011 Volkswagen Touareg is more Main Street, more Fashion Island Mall. The look is conservative, and what could be more family-friendly than the new hybrid model that joins the V6- and V8-powered versions?
Good Ol' Dependable NiMH
We kept looking at the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid and then looking again. There was supposed to be a pack of nickel-metal hydride batteries here, like those heavy battery packs from a few years back that rendered many an electric dream fruitless. VW chose this Sanyo NiMH battery pack — weighing 145 pounds and mounted under the Touareg's cargo floor in a sturdy crash-protective cage — because NiMH is an energy source with which most consumers are familiar and is virtually 100 percent safe to be around. The choice also keeps costs down significantly.
Under battery power, the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid can reach 31 mph before dipping into the 329-horsepower supercharged V6 engine up front. But the distance it can run thus is only 1.25 miles. So, is there a point? Jochen Bohle, VW project manager in charge of Touareg Hybrid powertrain development, says, "Really, the key — practically speaking — is not running on just the battery power for extended periods. Nobody actually ever does this on any normal drive cycle day to day, so its importance was not that great."
Really, it's a truly hard-core launch that only a Koenigsegg or Pagani or a Ferrari FXX can approach.
In the end, this first hybrid effort with the Touareg (and 2011 Porsche Cayenne) is a test bed, and it is meant to feature secure technologies that don't inconvenience the normal internal-combustion perspective of its buyers. No plugging in is needed, and there's enough power and torque to accelerate this 4,938-pound utility vehicle to 60 mph in just 6.3 seconds and make the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg V8 FSI 4.2 blush in shame. The hybrid has the same 7,716-pound towing capacity as all Touareg models, not something of which the 2010 Lexus RX 450h can boast.
Different Targets Nowadays
The first-generation BMW X5 and Land Rover Discovery (LR3) are no longer the immediate competition for the Touareg family, which has been built on the VW Group's PL72 platform. Today, we're talking the Acura MDX as the bull's-eye here, followed by the GMC Acadia, then the BMW X5 and Infiniti FX. For the Touareg Hybrid, most VW engineers stare at the Lexus RX 450h or Mercedes ML450 Hybrid.
Just looking on paper, the second-generation Touareg (and Cayenne) kind of crushes the Lexus and Mercedes. Although U.S. pricing has yet to be released, the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid is much cheaper in Europe than its Japanese and German rivals.
Both the Lexus and Mercedes have two-mode split systems, vastly less towing capacity, less ready power and torque, and a less smooth transition between internal combustion and electric motoring. The Touareg Hybrid with its parallel system feels utterly natural, whether you're accelerating from a stop or coasting at speed.
Living With It
As on all upper-crust products from the VW Group these days, the Touareg is very quiet as we tool around the streets of Florence or hit the open autostrada for some 85-mph cruising. The onboard systems and satellite navigation are intuitive to use through the VW's touchscreen interface. The on-screen monitoring of the hybrid system is not too different from the best we've seen in other premium hybrids.
There's a useful increase in room, as front headroom has increased 2.3 inches and shoulder room has grown 2.2 inches. Now the rear seats also can slide forward and back in a 6.3-inch range, while the seatbacks can adjust to three separate inclinations. Overall cargo room suffers from the hybrid adaptation, of course, with 15.3 cubic feet available behind the second-row seat and 55 cubic feet available overall.
Though it's bigger on the inside, the second-generation Touareg is just 1.6 inches longer overall, with a wheelbase that's 1.5 inches longer, while it stands 0.7 inch taller. Aerodynamically the Touareg is slightly sleeker, with a 0.36 Cd versus the previous 0.38 Cd. The 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid also comes standard with 18-inch Goodyear Eagle F1 low-resistance summer tires, 255/55R18s front and rear.
What a Lightweight
The new Touareg has all-wheel drive with a Torsen-style center differential, but it definitely benefits weightwise from the deletion of the low-range gearset and off-road rear diff. In addition, some 154 pounds have been removed from the chassis alone through shrewd metallic moves, particularly in aluminum used for the two axles.
Touareg for Touareg, this new, second-generation beast has dropped between 450 and 520 pounds. Despite all of the added heft of the hybrid systems in the Touareg Hybrid, it weighs just 4,938 pounds, some 148 pounds less than the first-generation, V6-powered Touareg.
Even the Aisin eight-speed automatic transmission weighs less than the previous six-speed automatic. The fuel tank has also been reduced in volume from 26.4 gallons to now 22.5, although improved fuel economy maintains cruising range.
Hybrid Drive(-ing)
All the powertrain engineering packed into the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid largely goes unnoticed, even though there is always a lot going on.
If you lift off the throttle on a downhill while cruising, the clutch between the Bosch electric motor and the supercharged V6 uncouples, bringing the engine to a halt at any speed up to 100 mph. At restart moments, the electric motor acts as the starter motor, so the action is quick. In prototypes, this moment was a bit clunky, says engineer Bohle, "and the final four to five months were spent both on the software and on managing to get the two clutch packs either side of the integrated electric motor to spin at the same and correct speed before restarting the engine on throttle."
But it's not all sleepy-hollow hybrid softness, kids. There's a style of launch control here called Power Start (which your VW dealer will perhaps not even know about). With your foot on the brake, start the engine, put the transmission lever in the Sport setting at bottom, release the brake and then just floor the accelerator. In this moment, all power supply sources are told to hook up and work together, and it's like someone swinging the business end of a sledgehammer into your chest when the electric motor and forward clutch snap into the V6's flywheel.
Really, it does a truly hard-core launch that only Koenigsegg or Pagani or a Ferrari FXX can approach. We repeated it several times and nothing broke, and the VW personnel were practically urging us on to try it again and again. All in the interests of science, you understand.
Tip of an Iceberg
The 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid and its sister 2011 Porsche Cayenne Hybrid will be the only models sold worldwide by the VW Group using this strictly parallel hybrid system with a NiMH battery pack. Everything that follows will use lithium-ion batteries developed by partnership between VW, Toshiba, Sanyo and BYD (the Chinese manufacturer).
A Volkswagen Golf Hybrid will soon arrive with a lithium-ion battery pack. VW has a plan for total world domination in the hybrid field by 2018, and part of the plan is to ensure that the VW Jetta and Passat models scheduled for assembly in VW's new plant in Tennessee get this hybrid technology from the start.
Now let's hope VW can start selling this Touareg SUV that we've always liked, although we'll have to see what the price is going to be.