Teaser sketches of 2019 VW Touareg show sharper, more muscular form

Later next month, Volkswagen plans to finally reveal the third generation or 2019 model year Touareg at Beijing, China. This is actually earlier than the initial plan, which was to debut the car in April. A couple of months ago, we saw spy shots of the SUV without its camouflage, which suggest that these are probably what we should expect from the production model. And now, the automaker published a single sketch that looks pretty much like the vehicle we saw in the spy shots.

The automaker’s goal for the 2019 Touareg is for it to have a more expressive design with an “unmistakeable appearance” that also has a strong character, according to Klaus Bischoff, Head of Volkswagen Design.

According to Volkswagen, their plan for the Touareg is for it to be the automaker’s flagship product in terms of design, while offering cutting edge technology. Though the automaker does not share a lot of details regarding these systems, the sensors we see on the spy shots indicate that it will have a sophisticated suite of driver assistance aids. The automaker promises that the SUV will be boasting the largest digital instrument display in its class as well, and this will be called the Innovision Cockpit. The Touareg is supposed to highlight new features that we have never used before, with its new type of infotainment system.

Moreover, we noticed that this third-generation Touareg was given a more chiseled appearance, getting some of its design elements from the Atlas SUV. We also noticed on the spy shots that the new grille sort of blends in with the head lights, creating a more unified look. The exterior seems to also be dressed in a generous amount of chrome and polished metal trim around the exterior, which results to a shiny effect. When looking at it from the side, the large windows are complemented by slim pillars, hinting at an airy cabin. Lastly, the rear end has a smooth and simple sculpting with horizontally arrayed LED taillights.

This model will sit on the same platform as models like the Porsche Cayenne, Audi Q7, Bentley Bentayga, and Lamborghini Urus - and that is Volkswagen’s MLB Evo platform, which they could mount the 3.0 TDI engine on.

The updated underpinnings will allow the curb weight to fall, even if the SUV’s footprint grows slightly. As of now, the automaker has not shared details regarding the model’s powertrain, but rumours suggest that the possibility of a high performance R trim in a future range-topping variant is big, with an Audi-sourced 2.5 liter turbocharged five-cylinder.

Another thing that Volkswagen gave us a hint of is the use of rear wheel steering on the third generation Touareg.

PRESS RELEASE

Leading the Way – the new Volkswagen Touareg

The Volkswagen flagship: the brand's statement on design, technology and dynamic handling
A success story: around one million Touareg sales in the first two vehicle generations
World premiere: on 23 March 2018 in Beijing
First look at the completely new developed Touareg.

Volkswagen is kicking off the new automotive year with the world premiere of the new Touareg. The brand's flagship is the next milestone in the largest model campaign by Volkswagen. Standing at the top of the model range, the Touareg shows all of the brand's power with its expressive design, innovative technologies and dynamic handling properties. The world premiere of the top vehicle will take place in China, the world's strongest growing SUV market and the company's largest individual market.

Standing at the top of the Volkswagen model range, the Touareg makes the brand's standards clear. The highly expressive design by Klaus Bischoff, Head of Volkswagen Design, and his team give it an unmistakable appearance that is strong in character. A phalanx of innovative assistance systems give it a maximum degree of safety and comfort. One of the largest digital cockpits in its class, the Innovision Cockpit, opens up a new type of infotainment environment. Its connectivity makes it a driving internet node. The drive train, air suspension, rear-wheel steering and roll stabilisation all ensure a safe and dynamic driving experience.

With the new Touareg, Volkswagen is continuing the success story of this model series in a third generation. Like its predecessors, it will satisfy the rigorous standards of the premium automotive class and its customers. The exclusive SUV C-segment is currently one of the fastest growing segments in global automotive markets and is expected to double its volume by the year 2023 in China, for example.

The Touareg has demonstrated its performance power and driving capabilities impressively, in around one million units, ever since the model series launched in 2002 –on-road, off-road and on rally trails around the world. Highlights include wins in the Dakar Rally events in the years
2009-2011.

Volkswagen is revealing the new Touareg and the entire range of its technical capabilities and comprehensive features for the first time in a world premiere on 23 March 2018 in Beijing.

Source: VW