VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG

VEHICLE - VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG
REGISTRATION - 7965
LOCATION - AL MANSOURA
DATE - 05.10.2008
THE PROUD OWNER/USER - NOT YET KNOWN

The Volkswagen Touareg is a mid-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 2003. It was the second Sport Utility Vehicle from the automaker, after the much older Volkswagen 181 "Kurierwagen".

The correct German pronounciation is Tou-a-reg, something like "too" plus a quick "ah" then the "reg". VW produced several commercials to enable North Americans in particular to pronouce the name which was predicted to be too difficult.

The Touareg was a joint project developed by Volkswagen and Porsche, who were also looking to add a luxury-type SUV to its lineup, as a cost-sharing initiative. The goal was to create an off-road vehicle that could handle like a sports car. The team, with over 300 people, was lead by Klaus-Gerhard Wolpert, and was based in Weissach im Tal, Germany. The result of the joint project is that the Porsche Cayenne shares the Touareg's Volkswagen Group 7L platform, although there are styling, equipment, and technical differences between the two vehicles.

The Volkswagen Touareg is built in Bratislava, Slovakia. The manufacturing plant shares production with Touareg-cousins, the Porsche Cayenne, and the Audi Q7. Due to the demand, and the exchange rates of euros against the US dollar, as well as different pricing and environmental policies in the USA, the V6 and V8 engine variants make up most of Volkswagen's American Touareg offering. However, a limited number of the V10 TDI diesel were available in the 2004 model year (before being pulled for environmental reasons). They were brought back to the United States for the 2006 as a "Tier I emissions concept (43 state emissions)"

The Touareg comes standard with four-wheel drive system. An automatic progressively locking center differential (with manual override), and a "low range" setting that can be activated with in-cabin controls. Options to make the vehicles more capable off-road include an available air suspension system which can raise the car's ride height on command, and an interior switch allowing the rear differential to be manually locked. At maximum ride height, the air suspension system gives 10.7 in of ground clearance.