Autoblog

2012 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid [w/video]

Michael Harley — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Crossover, Volkswagen, New Car Reviews

Polished Utility Impresses, Just Not At The Pump

With its subtle badging out of sight, and from a distance greater than 30 feet, Volkswagen's flagship Touareg Hybrid can hardly be differentiated from its entry-level Touareg V6 sibling. But pop the hood or take it for a quick spin, and the gasoline-electric utility quickly reveals itself as one of the most complex vehicles ever to grace the German automaker's showroom.

Predictably, there is always downside to such technical wizardry. Comprehensive development and revolutionary components, including a large nickel metal-hydride battery pack, don't come cheap. As a result, the Touareg Hybrid is the most expensive vehicle in today's Volkswagen lineup, with a base price eclipsing the standard Audi Q7, BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz M-Class and even the Porsche Cayenne.

So why would someone spend more than $60,000 to put this particular Volkswagen in his or her driveway? To answer that question and to learn more about the automaker's flagship softroader, we spent a full week with it.

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2012 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Dec 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #270

Dan Roth — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:50:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, Etc., Technology, Honda, Hyundai, Porsche, Subaru, Volkswagen, Fisker

Porsche Macan, Fisker finances, DOT guidelines

Episode #270 of the Autoblog Podcast is here with Chris, Dan, and Autoblog Executive Editor Chris Paukert. Topics include the announcement of the Porsche Macan, the state of Fisker's finances, the DOT proposal for distracted driving guidelines, and in-dash smartphone integration tech. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #270:

In the Autoblog Garage
2012 Subaru Legacy 3.6R
2012 Honda Civic CNG
2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
2012 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid

Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Chris Paukert

Runtime: 01:18:08

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Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #270

Autoblog Podcast #270 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid to start at $60,565

Autoblog Staff — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Hybrid, Crossover, Volkswagen

2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

After putting the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid through the wringer (meaning: we assessed it for our first drive), we dubbed it, "a Porsche Cayenne Hybrid for the people." Why'd we compare it to a Porsche? Well, the Touareg Hybrid shares its supercharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, eight-speed automatic transmission and its all-wheel-drive system with the Porsche model, so comparisons between the two should be expected. However, the Cayenne Hybrid, with a base price of $67,700, is too expensive for our tastes, and we'd venture to guess that it's priced beyond the reach of many American buyers as well.

No problem, this would be where the Touareg Hybrid steps in. Or so we thought. We anticipated that VW's hybrid would be the bargain of the two, and therefore, bring the goods of the Cayenne Hybrid to "the people." We were expecting the hybrid model to command a premium north of the $44,350 price tag on the current TDI Touareg, but how far north remained unknown until now. Volkswagen has revealed the Touareg's base price, and it's a whopping $60,565, plus $820 in destination fees. With a wallet-crunching MSRP like that, the 20 miles per gallon city, 25 mpg highway Touareg Hybrid will likely struggle to appeal to "the people." We'll stop short of calling the Touareg Hybrid a failure, but with Porsche's version priced within spitting distance, we're struggling to think of any reason why buyers should opt for the VW. If it were our coin on the line, we'd go with the less pricey Touareg TDI.

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid: First Drive

Photos copyright (C)2010 Zach Bowman / AOL

[Source: Kicking Tires]

2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid to start at $60,565 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Nov 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid

Zach Bowman — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Technology, Volkswagen, First Drives, Luxury

A Porsche Cayenne Hybrid For The People

2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

Fuel economy is a funny thing. In Europe, better efficiency has always boiled down to two simple concepts: diesel fuel and turbos. But like the 35-year-old who won't drink tequila because of a bad experience in college, American buyers' stomachs start turning whenever manufacturers talk about oil-burners - clean or otherwise. That's a problem for carmakers like Volkswagen. You see, the company can build an arsenal of clean diesel vehicles that have no problem turning out excellent fuel-economy numbers without the weight, complexity or burden of lugging around a partially electric drivetrain, but that doesn't mean Americans will buy them. Nope. On this side of the pond, fuel efficiency translates into just one word: hybrid.

And that's exactly why Volkswagen has taken to electrifying its beefy 2011 Touareg, the very first production hybrid in the company's history. Volkswagen has made no secret of the fact that it plans to be the world's number one automaker, and that part of its plan for global domination involves broadening its appeal in the still-juicy American market. If you were wondering exactly what that meant for the company's lineup on our side of the world, wonder no more. We're living in the future, and it's a place stocked with a blazingly-quick, fully capable and quasi-efficient SUV from Germany with love.

Continue reading...

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid: First Drive

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid

First Drive: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New York 2010: Second generation Volkswagen Touareg makes U.S. debut, Hybrid too

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Hybrid, SUV, Volkswagen, Off-Road

2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

Volkswagen has just unveiled its 2011 Touareg for the first time in the States, giving us Americans a chance to see the slimmed down SUV and its hybrid sibling that we first saw at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month. This second generation Touareg will still have a diesel option, but for those who like to feel even better about themselves while they gently crush wildflowers in the Arctic National Preserve, there's also a hybrid model offered for the first time in a VW SUV.

The hybrid model gets a 3.0-liter, supercharged, direct injection V6 gasoline engine paired with an electric motor and eight-speed automatic transmission that help it to a mileage rating of 21 miles per gallon city and 25 highway. That V6-plus-electric-motor combo also combines for 375 horsepower and 428 lbs.-ft. of torque, allowing a healthy towing capacity of up to 7,700 pounds. There's a full rundown of the details in the press release you'll find after the jump, and a gallery of live images from the show floor here at the 2010 New York Auto Show below.

Gallery: New York 2010: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid

[Source: Volkswagen]
Live photos by Frank Filipponio / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading New York 2010: Second generation Volkswagen Touareg makes U.S. debut, Hybrid too

New York 2010: Second generation Volkswagen Touareg makes U.S. debut, Hybrid too originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #168 - Geneva Eve

Dan Roth — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:10:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, Geneva Motor Show, Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Kia, Lamborghini, Lexus, Porsche, Suzuki, Volkswagen

Click above for the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes, RSS or listen now!

The Shunk, Nunez, Abuelsamid and Roth quartet reconvene for Episode #168 of the Autoblog Podcast with the Geneva Motor Show now underway. Our first order of business is a stop at the Autoblog Garage, occupied this week by the Suzuki Kizashi, Kia Sorento, BMW 750Li, and Cadillac SRX. Anticipating the massive auto show that's just about to start, we dive right in. Starting us off is the awesome electric-green Lamborghini 570-4 Superleggera. Jumping from Italian exotics to the ultimate SUV, we talk about the 2011 Porsche Cayenne before segueing cleanly into a discussion of the crack-pipe pricing for the Volkswagen Touareg hybrid. Before we leave the VW/Porsche sphere, we talk about how insanely cool the Porsche 918 Spyder concept car is. The Ford Focus station wagon is one of those things we'll see in Geneva, but likely not in the U.S., while the Lexus CT200h is making its way to the shores of North America. BMW's 5 Series Active Hybrid Concept keeps up the cavalcade of alternative propulsion by the big Swiss lake, and it's our last topic before calling it a night. Thanks for listening!

Direct fanmail to Podcast at Autoblog dot com, review the show in iTunes, fill out our survey or even leave us a voicemail on our Google Voice line 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763). Until next week, hit up Joystiq and Engadget when podcast loneliness sets in. Thanks for listening!

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #168 - Geneva Eve

Autoblog Podcast #168 - Geneva Eve originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen Touareg hybrid costs almost €23K more than diesel in Germany

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:01:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen, Diesel

2011 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

Volkswagen is apparently content to sell lots and lots of diesel Touaregs and sees no need to market the new hybrid model as a loss leader to get market share. While U.S. pricing for the 2011 Touareg has yet to be announced, the new configurator is up on VW's German retail site. On that side of the world, the Touareg will be available with either a 3.0-liter V6 or 4.2-liter V8 diesel in addition to the hybrid. The 3.0 starts at €50,700 (approx $68,400) which includes the hefty value added taxes paid in Europe, so it's not directly comparable to what we paid here.

Those that need extra acceleration and towing power can get the V8 TDI for €70,800. If you want that limited electric drive capability, you'll have to fork over a minimum of €73,500 (approx. $99,100) for the privilege. That's a premium of over $30,000. With our limited command of German, we're not sure how they match up on a comparably equipped basis, but it's obviously going to take several lifetimes of ownership to make that up in fuel savings over the V6 diesel.

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg

[Source: Volkswagen]

Volkswagen Touareg hybrid costs almost €23K more than diesel in Germany originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 26 Feb 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Officially Official: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg [w/videos]

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:16:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Volkswagen, Diesel

2011 Volkswagen Touareg - Click above for high-res image gallery

We weren't expecting to see the new second generation Volkswagen Touareg until the beginning of March at the Geneva Motor Show, but VW rolled out its big SUV at an event in Munich earlier today. The basic shape and proportions of the exterior haven't changed much, but the body sides are now more sculpted than before, making it a bit more planted and - dare we say - sporty. At the front the Touareg has picked up the new horizontal VW family face that debuted on the latest Golf and Polo, finally discarding the more vertical and heavily chromed fascia of the original.

Fuel efficiency was of paramount importance in the redesign, and weight reduction plays an a key role. The original Touareg was always porky for its size, so VW put the 'ute on a diet and the new base Touareg is now nearly 460 pounds lighter than its predecessor. Of course, a weight loss program only gets you so far, so the powertrains needed an upgrade too.

The new Touareg brings with it Volkswagen's first ever mass produced hybrid drivetrain. The hybrid combines the VW Group's supercharged and direct injected 3.0-liter V6 with an electric motor and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Touareg hybrid gets a combined rating of 28.6 mpg (U.S.) on the EU cycle, a number that will probably be closer to 24-25 when it arrives Stateside. The diesel powered TDI does even better now with a rating of 31.8 mpg (U.S.). The Touareg is also available with a normally aspirated 3.6-liter gasoline V6 and for the first time the awesome 335 horsepower 4.2-liter TDI V8. Even the diesel V8 is rated at 25.8 mpg (U.S.). Unfortunately Americans won't be able to get that powerplant.

All the engines are mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard equipment, a first for the class. Overall the new Touareg is about 20% more efficient than before and 80% more handsome. See for yourself in the gallery below and hit the jump for the press release and three videos of the all-new Touareg.

Gallery: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Officially Official: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg [w/videos]

Officially Official: 2011 Volkswagen Touareg [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva Preview: Autocar samples the new Porsche Cayenne Hybrid

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Porsche, Volkswagen

The second-generation Porsche Cayenne is set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March along with its cousin, the Volkswagen Touareg. Both SUVs will mark the debut of a new hybrid drive system co-developed by the two brands, and both the revised Cayenne and Touareg will enter production some time this spring.

The SUVs will reportedly be using a version of the supercharged 3.0-liter TFSI V6 found in the Audi S4, with 325 horsepower and 324 pound-feet of torque. The crew at Autocar had a chance to ride along in a near-production Cayenne S hybrid recently and determined that the new machine could be a serious challenger to the new Mercedes-Benz ML450 hybrid as well as the class-leading Lexus RX450h. According to the Brit pub, the Porsche hybrid felt nearly as quick as the V8-powered Cayenne S, although the vehicle wasn't instrumented. The Porsche was a later stage prototype than a Touareg Hybrid that VW has been showing for some time and it appears the engineers have refined the engine's on-off transition, making the hybrid experience almost seamless. Expect all the details in two month's time.

[Source: Autocar]

Geneva Preview: Autocar samples the new Porsche Cayenne Hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid with supercharged V6 joining BlueMotion offerings

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, SUV, Green, Volkswagen

Click above for a gallery of the Volkswagen Touareg BlueMotion Hybrid

Volkswagen is set to launch a Touareg BlueMotion Hybrid in 2010. The new machine will be the first real production hybrid from the German company and will join the automaker's expanding BlueMotionTechnologies lineup. In addition to the Touareg headliner, VW has announced a diesel-powered Passat BlueMotion, a Passat BlueTDI that's able to achieve 2014 Euro-6 emissions regulations today, and a natural gas-fueled Passat TSI EcoFuel.

The Touareg BlueMotion Hybrid will feature a supercharged 3.0L TSI V6 engine that's shared with the Audi S4 along with a new 8-speed automatic transmission. While many would likely be awfully pleased just to see that drivetrain in the Touareg, the big news is what's sandwiched between them, namely, a 38 kW electric motor that gets power from a 288-volt nickel-metal hydride battery pack.

A similar hybrid system is expected to make an appearance in the upcoming Porsche Panamera and offers up 374 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels in this application. That's enough to push the bricklike Touareg to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 6.8 seconds and, perhaps more importantly, deliver a European combined rating of 26.1 mpg (U.S.). That's an improvement of 25% over the normal Touareg, though it will surely come with a price tag to match. See all the details after the break.

Gallery: Volkswagen Touareg BlueMotion Hybrid

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid with supercharged V6 joining BlueMotion offerings

Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid with supercharged V6 joining BlueMotion offerings originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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