Touareg, Cayenne to be first hybrids from VW camp

Volkswagen's first gas-electric vehicle will come in the form of a Touareg hybrid, according to a German media report. VW's new CEO Martin Winterkorn changed plans made by former boss Bernd Pischetsrieder, which originally called for hybrid versions of the company's compact vehicles, according to German weekly Automobilwoche.





Winterkorn concluded the $2,000-$3,000 premium associated with adding a hybrid system to vehicles like the Golf/Rabbit and Jetta was too great considering the price competitiveness of the compact segment. Pischetsrieder previously stated VW would roll out a hybrid Jetta by 2008.

Under the new plan, the first gas-electric VW will be the Touareg SUV, which will be followed by a hybrid version of its platform-mate, the Porsche Cayenne.

Meanwhile, Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking confirmed his company and VW were already working on a next-generation architecture they will again share for the Touareg and Cayenne.