Volkswagen teases next Touareg

Volkswagen has given us a glimpse of how its third-generation flagship Touareg will look ahead of its official launch on March 23.

Releasing a single sketch of the side profile of the big SUV, it's clear the German Range Rover-rival will borrow design cues from the Arteon and stay true to the T-Prime Concept GTE that was unwrapped at the 2016 Beijing motor show.

Sharing its platform, electronic architecture and some powertrains with the Audi Q7, the next Touareg will be a huge technological leap forward over the current car.

Thanks to the MLB evo platform the VW SUV will be available with the Volkswagen Group's latest air suspension, four-wheel steering, active-roll stabilisation and semi-autonomous cruise control tech.

Likely to be far more spacious than the out-going Touareg, the third big SUV will share the concept's dimensions and be 200mm longer with a wheelbase stretched by 100mm.

Under the bonnet the SUV will be offered with V6 and V8 engines and a development of the T-Prime concept's petrol-electric plug-hybrid.

That means it is could match the concept's combination of a 185kW/370Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol and a 100kW/350Nm.

Together, the hybrid powertrain pumps out 280kW/700Nm and, despite having a kerbweight thought to exceed 2000kg, VW claimed the T-Prime could hit 100km/h in six seconds.

Better still the German car maker says, despite its size, the T-Prime could travel up to 50km on pure-electric power only and average 2.7L/100km.

Inside, the next Touareg will come with a full digital instrument panel and giant 15-inch infotainment.

Conventional interior switches, meanwhile, will be banished for touchscreens and touch-sensitive panels.

Even the traditional transmission selector could be history if the concept is any indication, with the VW getting an elegant glass dial in its place.

Gesture and voice control will also feature heavily in the cabin that's set to offer fit and finish on par with the Audi Q7.

Volkswagen has declared the Touareg a resounding sales success, with more than a million sold in the first two generations.

Expect the flagship Volkswagen SUV to be teased again more than once in the build up to its March 23 launch.