Volkswagen Touareg V8 confirmed for Oz

The 2021 Volkswagen Touareg V8 has been confirmed for Australian release by the end of this year.

Powered by a 310kW/900Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo diesel V8, making it Volkswagen’s most powerful production SUV, the first eight-cylinder version of the new Touareg is claimed to hit 100km/h in just 4.9 seconds.

The Volkswagen Touareg flagship – at least until the ballistic Touareg R arrives – will touch down in the fourth quarter of this year with an estimated price tag of nearly $140,000 plus on-road costs.

That could see it eclipse the V10-powered Volkswagen Touareg R50 , which set the previous high water mark for Volkswagen in terms of pricing and power when it was last offered in Australia in 2010.

If it does indeed land at around $140K, the most powerful Touareg will cost roughly $60,000 more than the entry V6 Touareg 190 TDI.

However, the V8 diesel Touareg will undercut other large German flagship luxury SUVs – like the Audi SQ7, BMW M50d and Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 – by $20,000 or more in Australia.

And Volkswagen says the yet-to-be-confirmed price tag of the Touareg V8 TDI will be matched by an extensive standard equipment list.

“Even fully loaded, the Touareg V8 will undercut the starting price of its rivals to be the best value proposition in the premium large SUV segment,” said Volkswagen Australia managing director Michael Bartsch.

“Luxury SUV performance of the Touareg V8’s calibre won’t be found elsewhere for less than $160,000. Nothing will approach the value of the Touareg’s standard equipment for very much under $180,000 at the most competitive.”

The Volkswagen Touareg V8 TDI foregoes the electric compressor and 48-volt electrical system used in its twin under the skin, the 320kW/900 Audi SQ7, yet will offer similar straight-line acceleration and efficiency, according to Volkswagen Australia.

“[The Touareg V8 TDI] is capable of reaching 100km/h from standing in 4.9 seconds – 0.1 behind the Australian-specification Golf R performance hatchback. Combined fuel use according to WLTP criteria is 7.4L/100km,” said Volkswagen in a press release.

“Volkswagen’s take on the V8 TDI eschews an electric compressor for the use of two sequential turbochargers and the ability to switch the four-valve cylinder-heads to three valves at low revs.

“Until 2200rpm the twin-turbo V8 diesel slides the camshaft to close one of the exhaust valves, so all of the gases are directed at one propeller wheel. This assistance results in spinning up the variable-geometry turbocharger and providing full power with exceptional smoothness and rapidity as it revs to 5000rpm.”

Volkswagen Australia said supplies of the Touareg V8 will be limited and drew comparisons between it and the previous Touareg V10.

“The genuine car lover will discern that the true value of this most special Touareg is to be found in a cachet that time will only enhance,” Bartsch said.

The V8 TDI is set to crown the Touareg range for the foreseeable future, with uncertainty over whether Australia will get the plug-in hybrid Touareg R set to be offered in Europe.

The US-specification Volkswagen Atlas is also on Volkswagen Australia’s wish list, however, isn’t likely to be offered here any time soon.

“We would love to have that; the fundamental problem is we don’t have right-hand drive,” Bartsch said.