Volkswagen is all set to roll out the new generation of the Touareg and the company plans to unveil the car in China on March 23. Having sold over 1 million of this SUV, the company understands that the demand for SUVs is bigger than ever and the Touareg fits the bill when it comes to consumer expectations. The company has chosen China for the reveal as it's the hub of the world's largest car market and a place where SUVs are in serious demand.
Volkswagen wants us to understand the history of the Touareg though and takes us back in history with a short video on the genesis of the SUV. The Touareg was launched in 2002 and the overall design has remained untouched since then. The third generation of the Touareg promises to live upto the rich heritage but will be modern, more up market and with improved drivability.
The new-gen VW Touareg looks bigger than the outgoing model
Volkswagen of course shows off the Touareg's manner of off-road excursion, including its racing success in the Dakar Rally and reminds us that a fully autonomous version came out in 2005, though it was most decidedly not for public use. The third generation still shows the company's conservative approach, however, it's all-new underneath. The new-gen Touareg is based on the MLB Evo platform and looks slightly larger than the outgoing car, though it will be lighter. There may be an increase in power too and a hybrid variant cannot be ruled out.
Will it come to India? Well, surely but don't expect it to come this year. The Touareg was introduced in India in 2012 and was discontinued in 2014 because of low demand for the car. Volkswagen has big plans for India and there's a lot more that's coming our way, however, that action plan will come into force from 2020 only. The company is making significant investments in the country to update its Chakan plant as also to develop cars for India with Skoda at the helm.
