VW has released their latest SUV ‘Volkswagen Touareg BlueMotion’ in the UK. Touted as the company’s most fuel efficient SUV, the car is powered by a 3.0-liter V6 TDI common rail diesel engine that generates 225 PS and 550 Nm of torque and offers a 30.4 mpg fuel consumption. The engine itself is mated to a six-speed automatic tiptronic gearbox. 0 to 62 mph can be reached in just 8.5 seconds with a top speed of 126 mph. Price starts at 34,150 GBP upwards. [Zercustoms]
Volkswagen is set to launch a Touareg BlueMotion Hybrid in 2010. Like General Motors and Chrysler, VW is applying hybrid technology to one of its thirstiest vehicles, allowing it to get substantially better fuel efficiency while maintaining its SUV capabilities. The Touareg hybrid starts off with the new 333 hp supercharged 3.0L TSI V6 from the recently-announced Audi S4. A 38 kW electric motor is sandwiched between the engine and the all-new 8-speed automatic transmission. When the nickel metal hydride battery has sufficient charge, the total output from the powertrain is 374 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque, enough to push the Touareg to 62 mph in 6.8 seconds. VW claims the hybrid delivers a 25 percent overall boost in fuel efficiency, with a combined rating of 26.1 mpg (U.S.), slightly better than the 25.3 mpg (U.S.) achieved by the 3.0L TDI Touareg on the same European test cycle. [Autoblog]
