2019 VW Touareg Details Emerge: Longer, Wider, Lighter, 7 Seats

We've heard through the grapevine that a torquetastic biturbodiesel V8 is in the offing, along with a massive 28-inch display inside the cabin.

By: Adrian Padeanu

Feb 14, 2018 at 2:14am ET

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Volkswagen dropped a teaser last week with the 2019 Touareg, but without revealing any details about the company’s all-new luxury SUV. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait for the model’s official reveal on March 23 in Beijing, China to learn about some of the oily bits as sources close to Wolfsburg have disclosed some juicy details about the hardware.

Update:

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For the first time ever, the Touareg is going to be available with seven seats, which likely indicates it will grow in size to make room inside the cabin for the two extra rear seats. In fact, the report suggests VW has stretched the posh SUV by approximately 60 millimeters (2.3 inches), which corroborated with the much-improved packaging brought by the MLB Evo platform, will translate into a more spacious cabin. Sharing the same underpinnings with the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, and the mighty Lamborghini Urus, the new Touareg is said to be 25 mm (nearly an inch) wider and that will also pay dividends in the amount of available room inside.

Gallery: 2019 VW Touareg teaser

The increased footprint won’t make the 2019 Touareg heavier than the outgoing model as the new platform will actually shave off approximately 65 kilograms (143 pounds) and allow the base models with the smaller engines to weigh less than two tons, starting at about 1,950 kg (4,300 lbs).

As far as the engines are concerned, the not-for-United-States Touareg will be available with a couple of 3.0-liter V6 gasoline and diesel units, along with a biturbo 4.0-liter V8 feeding on gasoline. Mild hybrid tech is expected to be implemented across the range, with the most interesting engine being a rumored V8 diesel featuring a couple of turbochargers for an undisclosed mountain-moving amount of torque. Further down the line, a plug-in hybrid derivative will likely be introduced.

Gallery: VW T-Prime Concept GTE

Previewed by the T-Prime Concept GTE pictured above, the new Touareg will bring some vast changes inside the cabin where there will allegedly be something dubbed as the “Innovision Cockpit” with a massive 28-inch-wide touchscreen featuring an elegant glass surface. Logic tells us this expansive display will be the result of merging the fully digital instrument cluster with the actual infotainment system to create a one-piece setup like we have seen in some concept cars.

Loaded with the latest tech, the 2019 Touareg is slated to receive rear-wheel steering, active anti-roll bars, and a fancy air suspension providing a silky smooth ride. Like the new Audi A8, the SUV will meet level 3 autonomy requirements, but it won’t be accessible right away since the legislation isn’t ready just yet.

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Although some are saying VW plans to move production to China, assembly of the revamped Touareg is expect to take place at the same facility in Bratislava, Slovakia’s capital.

Source: Motoring