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The high-performance, range-topping Volkswagen Touareg R50 has gone on sale in Britain, costing from £61,885.
Volkswagen's asking for a £3885 premium over its current top-end SUV, the Touareg V10 Altitude.
Autocar first brought you news of this 345bhp R50 model when it debuted at the Australian Motor Show back in October. It uses an uprated version of the V10 TDI, making it one of the fastest SUVs on the market, launching from standstill to 62mph in 6.7 seconds and on to 147mph.
Only a limited number of R50s - which have a massive 626lb ft torque - will be available in Britain. Each one is marked out by a customised cabin with plenty of ‘R’ badges, heavily bolstered seats and Nappa leather trimming. The R50 also gets 20-inch alloys and lower, firmer suspension to improve body control.
Audi will launch a direct rival, the Q7 V12 TDI, later this year, which looks set to trump the R50 in the mammoth SUV performance stakes with its 5.5sec 0-62mph time.
Will Powell
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