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Volkswagen has announced its first production hybrid, the Volkswagen Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid.

Volkswagen says the VW Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid will offer “maximum power with minimum consumption”.

It will be powered by a 328bhp supercharged 3.0-litre TSI V6 petrol engine, as well as a 38kw (51bhp) electric motor powered by a nickel-metal hydride battery. Up to 30mph the car can run on electric power alone.

The Touareg has a claimed 0-62mph of 6.8sec, achieved by using the car’s Spo...Read the full article

Hate to say it(when hybrids are concerned) but mighty impressive. Compare 328bhp, 0-62mph in 6.8secs, 210g/km CO2 with the Cayenne TD's 238bhp, 0-62mph in 8.3secs and 244g/km CO2. Slam dunk win for the hybrid. So what's the price?

Worth noting too it will get ZF's new 8-speed autobox with stop-start capability.

This should scare the pants off Land Rover.

horseandcart:

This should scare the pants off Land Rover.

I'm not sure about that - I think they are missing the point with a 3lt engine and 0-60 in 6.3 seconds. If it was based around the 1.4 TSi engine with 0-60 in 8.5 seconds, 45 mpg and 120g/km CO2, that might scare Landrover.

It maybe a result of the development time for vehicles like this but in these times it looks like they have use hybrid tech to produce a faster version of the car, rather than a significantly cleaner/more economical one.

horseandcart:

should scare the pants off Land Rover.

actually it deffinetely will not scare Land Rover because Land Rover know there will always be demand for their vehicles because Land Rover's are the best off road vehicles there are that are also road cars especially the Land Rover Defender which is unrivaled and is the best off road vehicle in the country excluding agricultural machinery. so i think you are really wrong and think about what the subject before you write. oh and the VW Touareg (VW Toerag) is a crap car and only uncool idiots buy them because they think they look cool in them when they don't. also how can you have a hybrid car that has a 3.2litre supercharged engine. doesn't make sense does it.

wallace:

actually it deffinetely will not scare Land Rover because Land Rover know there will always be demand for their vehicles because Land Rover's are the best off road vehicles there are that are also road cars especially the Land Rover Defender which is unrivaled and is the best off road vehicle in the country excluding agricultural machinery. so i think you are really wrong and think about what the subject before you write. oh and the VW Touareg (VW Toerag) is a crap car and only uncool idiots buy them because they think they look cool in them when they don't. also how can you have a hybrid car that has a 3.2litre supercharged engine. doesn't make sense does it.

I agree with you that LR's are the best off road and are bloody good on road as well. The problem is that many of these large SUV's are bought or leased "on the company" which means that running costs are going to play a big part in buying descisions. That is why LR ought to be worried. The sooner they start selling hybrid/stop start on the Discovery 3 & Range Rover the better.

If it was just down to ability LR wouldn't have to worry, but it's not.

psst:

horseandcart:

This should scare the pants off Land Rover.

I'm not sure about that - I think they are missing the point with a 3lt engine and 0-60 in 6.3 seconds. If it was based around the 1.4 TSi engine with 0-60 in 8.5 seconds, 45 mpg and 120g/km CO2, that might scare Landrover.

Firstly, 45mpg for a petrol engine equates to about 150g of CO2 per km not 120g. Secondly are you really suggesting a 2,400 kg(empty weight) SUV with a drag coefficient of about 0.35 be powered by a 1.4l engine, and produce no more than 120g of CO2 per km? You're obviously a genius who's cracked perpetual motion. Best get on to the Patents Office right away.

wallace:

actually it deffinetely will not scare Land Rover because Land Rover know there will always be demand for their vehicles because Land Rover's are the best off road vehicles there are that are also road cars especially the Land Rover Defender which is unrivaled and is the best off road vehicle in the country excluding agricultural machinery. so i think you are really wrong and think about what the subject before you write. oh and the VW Touareg (VW Toerag) is a crap car and only uncool idiots buy them because they think they look cool in them when they don't. also how can you have a hybrid car that has a 3.2litre supercharged engine. doesn't make sense does it.

Oh grow up- can you not make a point without insulting people?, you sound like a teenager having a tantrum!!

How many Land Rovers actually make it off road?- can't remember last time I saw anything other than a Defender off road. I am pretty sure the vast majority of LR sold are not Defenders and in situations/countries where they do really need off roaders you'll see the offroaders of choice tend to be Toyotas and Nissans not LR's!.

This hybrid isn't going to appeal to current LR buyers, it will appeal to Lexus RX drivers and future BMW, Merc hybrid drivers HOWEVER if LR expects to survive in the future as a mainstream manufacturer it is going to have to develop cars like this as it's current range is going to lead to a slow and painful death into a niche manufacturer...

  

horseandcart:

Worth noting too it will get ZF's new 8-speed autobox with stop-start capability.

This should scare the pants off Land Rover.

Oh plu-eeez, here's the specs for a BMW X6 3.0d:

Drag (cD) 0.33 Top speed (mph) 130 (137 with Dynamic Pack) Acceleration 0-62 mph (sec) 8.0

Urban (mpg) 27.2 Extra-urban (mpg) 40.4 Combined (mpg) 34.4

CO2 emissions (g/km) 217

Suddenly that Tourag seems like a mule for expensive, complicated technology with mediocre results.

Maj1c:

How many Land Rovers actually make it off road?- can't remember last time I saw anything other than a Defender off road. I am pretty sure the vast majority of LR sold are not Defenders and in situations/countries where they do really need off roaders you'll see the offroaders of choice tend to be Toyotas and Nissans not LR's!.

 

I think you'll find that one of LR's selling points is their off road prowess whether it is employed or not. I hope this isn't a rant that people shouldn't buy them because they don't use them off road and that therefore it is socially irresponsible because that would be really boring and unintelligent. Tragic even. It would also totally (and probably deliberately) be missing the point of large 4x4s.

Wallace - you are talking rubbish about the Toerag. It is a very well built car that is actually very good off road.

I quite like the Touareg; you're right, it's well built, pretty good looking and in V10 spec, fun to drive. The version could give similar performance the V10, but should be a bit more economical - that's a good thing.

I'm really not sure why people feel they have to bash these types or cars - they may use a bit more fuel than other cars, but their advantages (large, comfortable interiors, practical etc) do add up for a lot of people.

(and no, I don't own one myself - my wife doesn't like driving large cars, and nor really do I, but that doesn't mean I can't see why others may like them!)

manicm:

Oh plu-eeez,..

What point are you making? I did start off by saying 'Hate to say it(when hybrids are concerned)...' I do understand the arguments against the whole hybrid thing, especially when stacked against class-leading diesel applications, and when the battery/motor equipment add 175 kilos to an already heavy vehicle. But why does the example of a BMW X6 negate what I said about Land Rover? Last I checked L/Rover don't make the X6.

I still think the figures for this Touareg hybrid are impressive. If you're going to make a comparison why not the X5? The X5 3.0d figs. are:

232 bhp, 384 lb.ft, 0-62 mph 8.1s, 35mpg, 214g/km CO2.

So, except for a marginal 3 or 4 mpg fuel economy advantage all other figures for the VW hybrid are equal to or significantly better than the BMW X5 diesel's.

Not a great week for the extended VW group, in my opinion. This hybrid Touareg is targeting the american market?.... Lexus RX300h and similar are the targets?

I agree that this is not where the real benefits of hybrid tech are, but in a free world, I suppose it can ease the collective big 4x4 conscience somewhat. Business is business, and its a smart move.

As an enthusiast, I don't really care - I will probably never think about this big fat heavy truck again! It was the story about the Porsche diesel that made me feel ill. Two words that should never be put together...