Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid now available in Malaysia
Volkswagen has added the Touareg Hybrid to its line-up here in Malaysia, after recently showcasing it at the recent Volkswagen Das Auto Show 2012. This launch also marks the unveiling of Volkswagen’s Think Blue concept in Malaysia, the company’s umbrella for environmental sustainability that has been rolled out in 30 markets since February 2010.
In place of the 3.6-litre V6 FSI engine that powers the standard Touareg, the Touareg Hybrid gets a smaller 2,995cc TSI petrol engine mated to an electric motor to deliver combined outputs of 375hp and 580Nm. Complex electronics of the engine are managed by a Hybrid Powertrain Monitoring System, and complementing it is auto start/stop, brake energy regeneration, and an e-Mode button.
This is the same setup as employed in the Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid, the Touareg’s platform mate, and sending the engine’s power to all-four wheels is an 8-speed automatic transmission, also shared with Porsche. Resultant performance quoted by Volkswagen reads 6.5 seconds to the century mark and a top speed of 240kph. Fuel consumption is rated at 8.2 l/100km on the combined cycle, while carbon dioxide emissions is at 193 g/km. Porsche quotes identical numbers for the Cayenne S Hybrid as well.
Priced at RM619,320 before insurance, the Touareg Hybrid is equipped with items such as air suspension, 19-inch ‘Salamanca’ rims, keyless access, auto headlights, 4-camera aerial view parking cameras, and Volkswagen’s usual lengthy suite of safety features.
Pictures: Official Volkswagen release.
