Spy Shots: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg spotted
by Jonathon Ramsey on May 22nd 2009 at 5:29PM 
Volkswagen is preparing its 2011 Touareg, and the company's most expensive expensive Stateside offering is slated to lose weight. Although the German automaker is reportedly aiming for a 600 pound drop, shedding 300 pounds is said to be more realistic, and the going speculation is that the mass will be taken out of the SUV's exceptional four-wheel-drive capability. In terms of its sheetmetal, the Touareg is being designed by Walter de'Silva, the pen behind the Audi Q7, TT, and A5 among other VW Group products.
Part of the diet challenge is that the SUV is also widely expected to gain a third row, going from a five-seater to a seven-seater, in part to distance itself from its newer, less-expensive Tiguan brethren.
If Car and Driver's sources are on their game, word is that the U.S. engine lineup won't change, but the European V10 diesel will be swapped out for the Audi V8 TDI (already employed in the Q7), and the W12 will go on hiatus, possibly to return in sunnier economic times. There will also be a hybrid in the offing, with the same supercharged 3.0-liter V6 setup seen in Porsche's Cayenne Hybrid.
[Source: Car and Driver]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
UrPQ32 5:38PM (5/22/2009)
so finally getting some new sheetmetal...that could be good. From the lines you can see, it looks more like a larger Tiguan now?
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zamafir 5:46PM (5/22/2009)
yup, smaller than the outgoing model, larger than the tiguan.
zamafir 5:38PM (5/22/2009)
V8 TDI would be nice, makes more sense, esp with less weight in the t'reg, than the V6.
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Kumar 8:21AM (5/23/2009)
I wonder if they'll find a few extra tdi engines sitting around for the Tiguan by the time this rolls out with another sweet diesel beast under the hood.
montoym 3:40PM (5/26/2009)
Well, the Europeans will enjoy it at least.
The V8 will replace the V10 which is still used in Europe. We'll continue on with the V6 TDI which already replaced the V10 for us.
VW GTi 5:40PM (5/22/2009)
Not bad. Looks a bit less portly than before. Give us a good mixture of TDi and Gasoline engines and it should be a winner. Just leave off the excessive use of chrome.
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Protzenegger 7:25PM (5/22/2009)
Agreed about the chrome. I actually think the back seems more rakish than the current model, which would = more sporty, but who knows. From what I can see, this is likely to be a handsome ride. Almost gives me hope about the next Cayenne.
Adam 5:50PM (5/22/2009)
It better retain its current offroad abilities.
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zamafir 6:11PM (5/22/2009)
I doubt it, from the brief under which you posted:
" the going speculation is that the mass will be taken out of the SUV's exceptional four-wheel-drive capability. "
Jon 6:15AM (5/23/2009)
"most expensive expensive"
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