Hofele Design VW Touareg Dakar 20.10 Special Edition

As we speak, Volkswagen is competing in the 2010 Dakar Rally across South America with the purpose-built Race Touareg and to honor the event, Hofele Design announced the launch of a special package for the road-going VW Touareg SUV. Named "Dakar 20.10", the package consists of a body kit with a new blacked out grille, and stainless steel underbody protection and side steps.

Also part of the German tuner's kit are a set of 20-inch "Prado" alloy wheels in silver with a stainless steel lip that are wrapped in tires size 265/40 20. Hofele Design did not announce pricing for the limited edition package.

Want to Learn About VW at the 2010 Dakar Rally ? There's an App For That Too

In anticipation of the 2010 Dakar Rally that leads through Argentina and Chile from 2 to 16 January 2010, Volkswagen has launched a new iPhone application for the event. Named "Volkswagen Rally mobile – 2010 Dakar", the free of charge app will send news, results, videos and background information on the German firm's five factory-prepped and -fielded Race Touaregs directly to the user's iPhone display.

"Volkswagen has always stood for innovations in motorsport," said the German automaker's motorsport director, Kris Nissen.

"The iPhone application for the Volkswagen's involvement in the Dakar is unique in the world of rally racing to date as well and offers users of the cult mobile the chance to stay informed about current Dakar events around the clock."

Those of you interested can download the application directly from Apple's online store at www.volkswagen-motorsport.com/dakar_iPhone

Wobbly Roof Spoiler Prompts Recall of 14,000+ VW Touareg SUVs

Volkswagen's U.S. division has issued a recall notice on 14,416 Touareg SUVs from the 2007-2009 model year. According to the National Highway Traffic Administration, on these particular models, the fastening struts on the roof spoiler may crack, causing the spoiler to become loose and quite possibly, fall off from the vehicle without any warning at all. The German automaker said that its dealers will install reinforcement wedges to the roof edge spoiler on the affected models free of charge.

VW Releases 'Greener' Touareg BlueMotion with 225HP V6 Diesel

Blue is Volkswagen's way of saying green with the automaker applying its ecological brand to the most efficient and economical models in each range. The latest BlueMotion model is based on the Touareg SUV and is equipped with a more efficient but less powerful version of the standard car's 3.0-litre V6 TDI common rail diesel engine which develops 225HP and 550Nm (405-lbs/ft) of torque, and drives through a six-speed automatic tiptronic gearbox.

Like all BlueMotion models in the Volkswagen range, the Touareg features a number of modifications to improve fuel efficiency including revised aerodynamics, an optimized engine with a more efficient alternator, low rolling resistance tires and a 25mm lower ride height to reduce drag.

Altogether, these revisions help the Touareg BlueMotion boost fuel economy from 30.4mpg UK (23.3mpg US or 9.2lt/100km) to 34.0mpg UK (28.3mpg US or 8.3lt/100km) while cutting down CO2 emissions from 244 g/km to 219 g/km.

improved fuel efficiency and, well below the tax threshold of less than 225 g/km. Prices for the most efficient version of Volkswagen's luxury off-road vehicle start at £34,150 on the road RRP for the entry level model and rise to £37,545 for the SE.

Performance-wise, the Touareg BlueMotion is a tad slower than its standard 3.0 TDI counterpart with a 0 to 62 mph (100km/h) time of 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 126mph or 203km/h (vs 8.0 sec and 207km/h respectively).

Prices for the BlueMotion version of Volkswagen's luxury off-roader start in the UK at £34,150 for the entry level model and rise to £37,545 for the SE. The first examples are scheduled to arrive in showrooms in September.

VW Touareg Supercharged V6 Hybrid 374HP with 26mpg - Production Starts in 2010

Volkswagen has published the first photos and details of the Touareg Hybrid prototype that previews a production version that will be unveiled in 2010. Unlike the Porsche Cayenne Hybrid that featured a normally aspirated 3.6-liter V6 FSI, the Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid makes use of VW's new supercharged 3.0-liter V6 TSI petrol unit that produces 333HP and is combined with a 38 kW / 52HP electric motor that is installed between the V6 TSI and a newly developed 8-speed automatic transmission.

The electric motor is powered by nickel metal-hydride battery that is charged through regenerative braking and is located under the luggage compartment. The vehicle can operate on the electric motor alone at speeds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph). In this case the V6 TSI is turned off, and it is disconnected from the transmission by a disengagement clutch allowing the Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid to operate with zero emissions.

When the driver requires maximum torque and power, the V6 TSI engine and the electric motor operate together (by kickdown or gearshift selector in "S" position) for a combined output of 374HP and a maximum torque of 550 Nm. In this case, the Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid prototype accelerates to 100 km/h in just 6.8 seconds. In terms of towing capacity, the hybrid version of the Touareg can haul up to 3.5 metric tons or 7,000 pounds.

Volkswagen states that the hybrid system of the Touareg was not designed to deliver pure sports car performance but to offer low emissions and fuel consumption values. According to the firm's preliminary figures, the Touareg Hybrid achieves an average fuel consumption of less than 9.0 lt / 100 km (+26.1 mpg US) with CO2 emissions less than 210 g/km.

The German carmaker claims that compared to a conventional SUV of the same size, the hybrid concept yields fuel savings of more than 25 percent in city driving and 17 percent in combined city, highway and freeway driving.

Detroit Show: VW Touareg Lux Limited Edition

In parallel to the U.S. debut of the Touareg V6 TDI, Volkswagen also introduced a new special edition model of its high-end SUV at the Detroit Show that will only be available in the States. Offered with the new 225HP V6 TDI and two gasoline engines, the 280HP V6 FSI and the 350HP V8 FSI, the "Lux Limited" gets a styling package that includes side skirts and customized front and rear aprons complemented by a set of 20-inch alloy wheels.

VW offers the Touareg "Lux Limited" in five exterior colors: "Biscay blue", "Black magic pearl effect", "Campanella white", "Galapagos gray" and the "Biscay blue" color which is new to the product lineup. Inside, the special edition model features a two-tone leather interior combined with special interior accents based on the particular color variant.

Ahoy! VW Touareg “North Sails” Study

Just in time for summer, VW has unveiled a one-off study inspired from the world of sailing boats. Created in cooperation with North Sails, the Touareg study will be shown to the public for the first time at the “Travemünder Woche” which is the second largest annual sailboat race in Germany. “North Sails” decals aside, the one-off Touareg is distinguished on the outside by the sea-blue colored turning lights and reflectors, the 19-inch alloy wheels and the pin stripes on the lower part of the doors. -Continued

Inside, the Touareg North Sails study boasts illuminated teak wood flooring, white leather seats and door inserts with aqua color stitching, a special bike (don't ask why) and a set of binoculars in case you get carried away in sea. Fortunately, VW has no intention of putting the Touareg study into production.