The Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI — the first turbo-diesel light-duty vehicle in the U.S. market with a particulate filter — is now available in showrooms. The engine uses ultra low-sulfur fuel and meets strict emission requirements in all 50 states.
The five-liter, ten-cylinder engine boasts 310 horsepower at 3,750 revolutions per minute and offers impressive pulling power with 553 lbs-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm. The diesel engine consumes up to 30 percent less fuel than traditional gasoline engines.
The Touareg V10 TDI is available starting at $67,750. Standard equipment includes six-disc CD changer, navigation system, Park Distance Control, keyless access, power height-adjustable telescoping steering column with memory, power height-adjustable front seat belts with memory, four-zone climate control (Climatronic), heatable rear seats and silver roof rack and rails. Today’s launch was for a 2006 model, but the engine will also be offered with the facelifted 2007 Volkswagen Touareg.



10/19, 10:34 AM
posted by:
mbftw
553 lb-ft of torque??? *drool*
10/19, 10:48 AM
posted by:
Fatstrat
Thats a stump puller.
Nice rig but $70k is a lot of money for a passat interior, unless it’s changed from the previous version.
10/19, 10:52 AM
posted by:
mertzen
Cool, now chop that block in half and offer it in VW’s for normal people.
10/19, 10:54 AM
posted by:
davidg1977
That’s a lot of dough for a VW… Isn’t this the problem they had with the Phaeton? Why wouldn’t they do this in the Q7 instead and try to drive margin on that nameplate?
I like VW’s (actually the ones of three years ago more than those today) but why wouldn’t they leave the premium buyers to Audi and keep VW as a stepping stone to their other brands?
10/19, 11:07 AM
posted by:
YourNameHere
my mom had a T-Reg it was a really really nice car. very quite. awesome highway ride. she traded in for a bug. I remeber when the 1st V10 TDI t-reg was out, my dealer coudlnt even get on ein long enough for my dad to go test drive it. i dont thihnk they will have a problem selling it.
10/19, 11:29 AM
posted by:
tailg8r
davidg1977 – this is not a problem at all. when we had our v10s we couldn’t keep them on the lot to save our lives. we were putting in as many orders as we could to vw to keep them coming. people absolutely loved them once they drove it. I thought driving one of those was more impressive than a z06 or viper. plus they are putting a 12 in the q7. just gotta share the love my friend
10/19, 11:39 AM
posted by:
snork
I personally love the design of the Toureg and the V10 TDI is definitely impressive. My only objection is $67k for a VW with one of the lowest reliability ratings of any vehicle. For that much scratch it should be a tank with no fussy gremlins. I know 2 people that loved their Touregs, but both unloaded them after only 2 years b/c it was in the shop more than their driveway.
10/19, 11:48 AM
posted by:
Torque
Not for nothing, but the salient feature of a diesel is its mileage. Perhaps the next post about a new diesel for the new, stricter market might include mileage figures.
10/19, 11:48 AM
posted by:
YourNameHere
my moms was very relaible she traded in only because there was no need for a big suv anymore.
10/19, 11:52 AM
posted by:
A4
this is one of the most badass SUVs out there right now, i love it. the only thing is, wasnt the previous V10 TDI about 10 grand cheaper than this? was it really that expensive to improve the engine?
10/19, 12:13 PM
posted by:
pirelli
Do people who buy a $68,000 car care about fuel economy?
10/19, 12:19 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
Like everyone else said, I love the engine but hate the price.
10/19, 12:49 PM
posted by:
Saracen
Passat interior? are you on crack?
if they drop a 4 liter TDI V8 in it and knock $10-15k off the sticker I’ll consider it..
10/19, 12:55 PM
posted by:
ehhh?
It is counter-productive. On the one hand you are getting fairly good milage — but that is for a v10 engine putting out over 300hp/500tq, and if a good mpg is an actual purchasing point then they would look for a VUE hybrid. This suv will only sell to those in the market for a high-output suv who like the massive torque and deseil engines. Whether or not that is a huge market (tailg8er says it is) will be the deciding factor.
10/19, 1:30 PM
posted by:
Foster
Yeah first of ALL THE V10 TDI IS NOT unreliable. second of all talk about paying alot of money for a pos. How about a Range Rover??
The only people in here who dont get it are to worried about image and not what there really buying that motor alone is worth 15k so think about how much it costs to build one the profit is not that much. Trust me I used to sell these. You know everone in here who doesnt think that its worth the money should go drive one. Then come back and tell us what you think.
10/19, 1:53 PM
posted by:
Renton
Nice car. Very nice.
10/19, 2:08 PM
posted by:
Z06ified
I love the vehicle, but that price is way too high. I would rather have one of the new Mercedes ML320 CDL diesels or R320 CDL diesels for about $45k. Not as fast or powerful, but just as luxurious, with better warranty and better customer service/dealer treatment, and better mileage.
I own a diesel Suburban now (the last year they made them), and I didn’t buy it to be fast. I bought it for the mileage, longevity, and torque while towing. While I always like things fast, I would rather have better fuel economy with a diesel in a vehicle like this. IMO, SUV’s shouldn’t be fast. I drive my Z06 when I want to go fast.
10/19, 3:06 PM
posted by:
BAMF
woah, Foster, take it easy dude…. you just said “porsh” twice. do you know what a car is?
Hey so, V10 with only 310hp? The torque numbers are great, but I wouldn’t pay 70Gs for 310 hp… i could get that out of a lot of other cars for that price. If its a V10, it should have more than 400hp, IMHO
10/19, 4:29 PM
posted by:
Fatstrat
All I know is i drove them back to back and the interior was identical, same color, same switching, same radio/upholstery etc..etc…
Not knocking it, its not a bad interior, just wondering if it shouldnt be upgraded for the extra ching.
10/19, 5:31 PM
posted by:
Hidden_Hunter
I agree with Fatstrat, I went for a test drive in one and the interior wasn’t something you’d call especially nice (car costs about AUD$150K here) and it’s interior is below in quality compared to Holden’s costing half the price.
10/19, 6:22 PM
posted by:
BAMF
I understand you guys wanting an upgraded interior for the extra price, but uh… how exactly do you propose they improve it?
10/19, 7:16 PM
posted by:
Random Jerk
553 lbs-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm is farm equipment.
10/20, 10:45 AM
posted by:
Fatstrat
Gee BAMF, how does one improve an interior from a $35k car to a $70k car? I guess start by not using the same components that are in the $35k car, at least you create the perception that it’s different. I am not knocking the Passat et al, its an ok car with an ok interior for an ok price. The Touareg is more than an ok car for a pretty high price, expecially for VW. The interior sould reflect it. Thats all I am saying. Disagree if you want.
10/20, 12:44 PM
posted by:
bepsf
How bout a V6 TDI Diesel? It would still crank out 300lb/ft torque, get lots better mileage, and could be sold for 15-20K less – and still tow your Airstream Safari!
10/20, 1:29 PM
posted by:
Fatstrat
Ok bepsf! I just bought VW corp and made you my new president in charge of power plants!
10/20, 11:22 PM
posted by:
Foster
There is no helping alot of you in here. Its more money becasue of the V10 TDI yes it has more stuff standard but its mostly the engine. Its cost alot more than the V8 that also has about the sam Hp less Torgue.
Let me ask you this
If the inside was nicer would you pay more money??
You are just being like this becasue you have a hard time thinking VW and 70k in at the same time. And I understand but its worth it.
Look at BMW 525 530 550 All the same inside different motors. but people dont complaine about it when they spend 68g’s on a 550 instead of 45 for a 525, becasue it says BMW
10/21, 2:27 AM
posted by:
WonbyOne
I would interject that, having owned all three (525/530/550) that the 525 interior is worthy of the 550 price. It is excellent and quite a bargain really. Also being familiar with the Passat/Touareg I concur, the interiors are quite similar, but the difference is, the Passat interior does not achieve the level of a $70k car IMHO whereas the 525 interior does.
I think it is probably obvious to most of the posters here that the bulk of the increased price is due to the engine.
It is probably within the bounds of VW’s profit margine on the car to ’spice up’ the interior bits a tad without having to cut 2 cylinders from the Veyhron to make payroll.
Just my opinion.
10/22, 10:39 PM
posted by:
LamborghiniZ
Yeah it comes loaded with every option basically, and yeah it has a V10 with huge torque, and yeahhh it gets better mileage, but its $70,000. Despite all of the figures up there, the stats, the standard equipment, that’s the one single thing that sticks out in my head: $70,000.
Sorry, but I think I’ll take a Range Rover, or perhaps a Range Rover Sport Supercharged, or a Mercedes Benz G500, or an Audi Q7, or a Mercedes Benz GL450, or…
10/22, 10:44 PM
posted by:
LamborghiniZ
And I’m also confused by Foster here, he claims to have sold cars before, sold VW’s no less, and yet he can’t spell “Porsche” correctly. Something seems amiss..