In an increasingly digitised and technologically advanced world, the brand new third generation Volkswagen Touareg finds its place as the brand's new flagship model. With the international presentation held in Salzburg, Austria, the new Touareg, equipped with progressive technologies, advanced safety systems and enhanced driving dynamics, showcases the brand's latest technologies and its positioning for the future.

The third generation Touareg is wider and longer than its predecessor. An increase in external length leads to a significant increase in the luggage compartment volume from 697 to 810 litres. Despite the greater length and width, the body, manufactured from a mixed construction of 48 percent aluminium and 52 percent high-tech steels, is 106kg lighter than its predecessor.

The key highlights of the Touareg can be categorised into three key focuses - comfort, safety and dynamism.

Comfort

Key among the Touareg's technological innovations is the new 'Innovision Cockpit', which merges the 12.0-inch digital instrument display with the 15.0-inch TFT touchscreen featuring VW's top 'Discover Premium' infotainment system. The intuitively controlled and fully customisable 'Innovision Cockpit' features virtually no traditional buttons, except for key functions such as the volume control roller dial on the centre console. 

The 'Innovision Cockpit' is also adaptable and configurable to the driver's wishes, allowing an immediate and instinctive sense of familiarity and comfort in the driver seat. With a fully customisable tile-based interface, VW wants to make the cabin as personal as possible. The Touareg also features ergoComfort seats, which come equipped with a massage function. 


Safety

The Touareg also launches with the widest range of assist systems ever integrated in a VW. This includes technologies such as Night Vision, Lane Assist, Side Assist, Traffic Jam and Roadwork Lane Assist (allowing for partly autonomous driving), Front Cross Traffic Assist (which uses sensors to allow the car to see 80m in front), the 'IQ.Light - LED Matrix Headlight' and a head-up display projected directly on the windscreen.

Dynamism

The Touareg features Adaptive Chassis Control with active roll stabilisation, to offer the perfect balance on cruising comfort and cornering agility. Depending on the driving situation, electromechanical anti-roll bars on the front and rear axles will either decouple (for maximum comfort on highways) or stiffen (to control and mitigate body roll in corners). The adaptive air suspension also offers five different ride heights.

Active four-wheel steering is also found on the Touareg. Below 37km/h, the front and rear wheels turn in opposite directions, helping to reduce the turning circle to 11.2m (very close to the 11m turning circle of a Golf). At speeds above 37km/h, the front and rear wheels will steer in the same direction, offering greater cornering agility and stability.

The new Touareg is first launched with a 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine producing 282bhp and 600Nm of torque, paired to an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox. Subsequently, a 228bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel, a 335bhp 3.0-litre V6 petrol, as well as a 410bhp 4.0-litre V8 diesel engine (producing 900Nm of torque) will be added to the range. The Touareg is launced with three trim levels - Elegance, Atmosphere and R-Line.

The new Touareg will eventually make its way to Singapore and intitially be offered in two trim levels - expected to be a top-spec R-Line model as well as a more affordably specced model - and powered by a 3.0-litre V6 TSI petrol engine. The car is expected to arrive in Singapore early next year. There is no pricing presently available, but as an indication, the previous generation Touareg retailed in the $300,000 region.