Volkswagen Touareg gets new 3.0-litre V6 petrol

Volkswagen has expanded the Touareg line-up with the addition of a new 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine. The powertrain sits at the top of SUVs range, priced from £52,635, with first deliveries expected in April.

The Touareg’s new turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol produces 335bhp and 450Nm of torque, which is 53bhp more than the old range-topping V6 TDI. Power is fed to all four wheels via an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission, providing a 0–62mph sprint of 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 155mph.

• New 2019 Volkswagen Touareg review

Economy for the new V6 is poorer than its diesel equivalent, with claimed figures of 31.7mpg and 203g/km of CO2 versus 34.9mpg and 173g/km of CO2 respectively.

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Like the diesel models, three trim levels will be available for the Touareg V6 TSI. Base-spec SEL models come as standard with 19-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and tail lights, adaptive cruise control, a seven-inch touchscreen display, satellite navigation, bluetooth connectivity and a wide range of driver assistance technology.

Mid-range R-Line models start from £56,135. Like the rest of Volkswagen’s R-Line models, the Touareg gets a sportier look with a revised bumpers, new side-skirts, a glass panoramic roof and 20-inch wheels. A reversing camera is added to the specification, but the display remains the same size at at seven inches.

Range-topping R-Line Tech models are priced from £59,235, coming as standard with ‘ergoComfort’ leather seats and Volkswagen’s latest ‘Innovision’ infotainment system, consisting of a huge 15-inch display alongside a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel.

Other new tech includes active rear-wheel steering, designed to aid cornering stability, and new air-suspension system, which can raise the Touareg’s ride height by 70mm to improve off-road ability. Both systems are borrowed from the Audi Q7 and Bentley Bentayga, and both will be available as optional extras.

Volkswagen is also offering a new off-road pack as a further option for the the Touareg, adding extra driving modes, underbody protection and a larger fuel tank. To complement the new package, Volkswagen has also increased the SUVs maximum wading depth from 490mm to 570mm.

The German manufacturer claims that around 40 percent of European Touareg owners use their cars as towing vehicles. This new model has been developed and tested accordingly, having been tested to tow up to 3.5 tonnes via a new retractable tow bar, even with the new V6 petrol engine. 

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