VW Touareg Exclusive pack announced

Volkswagen's PR team in Germany has revealed that a new premium grade variant is joining the Touareg range. Named the Touareg Exclusive, the new model is basically an option pack in fact, and can be ordered with any of the different drivetrain options on offer.

"That's produced by R GmbH, the new division that used to be known as Volkswagen Individual," said Karl Gehling, Volkswagen Australia's General Manager for Press and PR.

Gehling advised that VW hasn't looked at the Exclusive pack for Australia as yet.

"At this stage we haven't got any plans, but we haven't actually launched the [new] Touareg yet... we'll do that in the first half of next year... that's not to say we won't [offer Exclusive]..."

As reported previously by the Carsales Network, R GmbH is to Volkswagen what HSV is to Holden (leaving aside ownership issues), and like HSV, R GMbH supplies high-performance versions of the bog-standard cars built by the parent company. HSV no longer produces enhancement packs for Holdens, but plainly the Exclusive pack for the Touareg is analogous to that earlier concept. It's arguably an idea that could kick along profit for VW dealers offering dress-up gear and added comfort for the new cars being sold.

So what does the existence of the Exclusive pack mean for Volkswagen (and in Australia specifically)? Will VW Oz offer a bundle of different comfort and style packs named 'Exclusive', across the product range and not just for Touareg, we asked Gehling.

"We haven't decided what we'll do with those models," he answered. "Obviously we get the 'R' [high performance] models from R GmbH and we'll continue to offer those when they become available, but we haven't decided what we'll do with the 'Exclusive' denomination."

The 'danger' is that a Touareg with the Exclusive pack might pose a threat to sales of Audi's Q7, if the Touareg can offer the same level of comfort and convenience at a lower price. Whether Volkswagen in Australia would be concerned about that is open to debate.

It's clear from the specs that the Exclusive pack is more about comfort and cosmetic details than a performance upgrade. The basic components of the pack are: two-tone coordinated 'Nappa' leather trim, Olive Silk Gloss woodgrain trim, heated 12-way electrically adjustable front seats, a black headlining and stainless steel scuff plates.

Buyers can specify the 'cool' leather -- reducing the ill effects of direct sunlight -- in two different colour combinations: Pepper Beige/Titan Black or Dark Burgundy/Titan Black. The electrically-adjustable seats also feature pneumatic side bolsters for the backrests and four-way adjustment for the headrests.

Externally, the Touareg Exclusive can be identified by the 19-inch alloy wheels and the 'Chrome & Style' appearance pack, incorporating anodised silver roof rails. The 19-inch alloy wheels can be ordered in one of two designs, the default 'Salamanca' style, painted in Sterling Silver, or the Girona design at no extra cost. Volkswagen also offers an extra-cost upgrade to 20-inch Tarragona wheels.

In Europe, the Touareg Exclusive starts at €58,150, in the V6 TDI BlueMotion variant.

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...