India-bound Volkswagen Touareg to be unveiled in China tomorrow

Volkswagen will unveil the new generation Touareg SUV tomorrow in China, the German carmaker’s biggest market. The Touareg will enter into its third generation now and Volkswagen says that the new flagship SUV will embody everything the brand stands for. Here is everything we know so far about the flagship Volkswagen SUV.

The new-gen Touareg will be based on the new MLB platform which underpins the other flagship SUVs under the VW Group umbrella such as the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and also the Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus. The VW flagship SUV will shave off almost 100 kilograms owing to the new platform. It is even expected to grow in size for increased cabin space and cargo capacity. 

Volkswagen’s new design language for SUVs will be seen on the new gen Touareg. The undisguised spy shots and teaser reveals boxy yet stylish Arteon-style headlights with LEDs integrating into the horizontally louvred grille. There are sharp body creases besides the stylishly raked D-pillar. More of a Tiguan-like styling is expected at the back with LED tail lights and visible exhaust tips. 

On the inside, the teaser images showcase a massive 15-inch infotainment system dominating the revamped dashboard. The instrument cluster is all digital too as is the trend these days with a lot of customisation options. There are elegant materials with all the creature comfort, safety features, driver’s aids and ambient lighting to make the Touareg’s cabin worthy of the flagship title as well. It will also be festooned with many first-in-class features. 

Under the hood will be a choice of a petrol and a diesel engine both of which will be a V6 producing 340bhp and 286bhp respectively. A turbodiesel V8 is expected to join the range later along with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. An all-wheel steering might also be offered with the SUV alongside the air-suspensions.

Although the Touareg moniker is not the biggest SUV in the Volkswagen range of  high-riding vehicles, it sure has been a flagship since its introduction in 2002. The new one will be built in Bratislava facility in Slovakia alongside its siblings like the Q7 and Cayenne. After its reveal in China, it will go on sale in international markets across Europe and America. Volkswagen India might also bring the new Touareg to our shores sometime next year as a CBU flagship.