Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it?
Because the new Volkswagen Touareg R comes pretty close to offering the best of all worlds.
Want performance and power? Check - the Touareg R 462 PS to play with, resulting in a 0-62mph sprint time of just 5.1 seconds. You can combine that with a very healthy 700 Nm of torque, too.
You’re not quite tempted to take the leap into full-electric territory yet? Worry not, the Touareg is a plug-in hybrid. Use a 7.2 kW charging cable and a dedicated wall-box and you’ll take battery from nothing to full to just two and a half hours. Plug it into your everyday household socket and it’ll replenish in eight and a half hours.
And do you also need to keep running costs down? Again, the Touareg triumphs, capable of returning up to 94 miles to the gallon while Co2 emissions are low at 67 g/km.
If you’re looking for a company car lease, the Touareg R translates to a not unreasonable Benefit in Kind (BIK) tax of 17% for the year 2021/22.
What’s more, the Touareg will happily motor along using electricity alone for 28 miles.
So what’s the powertrain underpinning all of this good news?
The ‘TSI eHybrid’ features a 3.0 litre petrol engine alongside a 14.3 kWh battery. It’s punchy enough that top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.
Meanwhile VWsays the Touareg R is loaded with equipment as standard.
There’s black ‘Puglia’ leather-upholstery, diamond-quilted seats with heating and ventilation for front seat occupants, as well as a heated leather sports steering, DSG shift paddles and 30-colour interior ambient lighting.
Air suspension with automatic self-levelling function, height adjustment and electronic shock absorption control is also standard, as is park assist with a 360 degree camera, a panoramic sunroof and driver assistance tech like road sign display, adaptive cruise control and lane assist.
Sarah Cox, Head of Marketing at Volkswagen UK, said: “The Touareg is yet another example of Volkswagen’s multi-talented range of SUVs. The model is practical, versatile, capable, comfortable and luxurious, and now it has a performance-oriented R variant that’s not only fast and fun to drive, but also capable of ultra-low emissions in everyday situations. In fact – as a latest-generation plug-in hybrid – its battery capacity allows enough electric-only range to cover the entire daily commute for many drivers.
“The Touareg R represents Volkswagen versatility at its finest – possessing numerous class-leading qualities, an incredible amount of standard equipment, and all the luxuries customers could wish for.”
The model, which starts at £71,995 RRP OTR, is available to order now for UK customers.
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