Volkswagen Touareg celebrates 10th birthday via a special edition

It's 2012, and we wonder what's brewing at the Volkswagen's stables. Volkswagen Touareg's 10th birthday celebrations, that what! A car enthusiast worth his salt would know that it has been ten years since the German auto giant launched its first car in the mid-size crossover segment Volkswagen Touareg MK1. It was unveiled to the public eye at the Paris Motor Show 2002 for the first time, and has been on a spin ever since then. Though not so much in India.

Volkswagen Touareg, a cousin of the Porsche Cayenne and the Audi Q7, stepped foot on Indian shores for the first time in 2009-2010 with its 2011 version. And even though the TVCs were able to woo Indians, the car never really lived up to the nation's expectations of a car intended for the luxury SUV segment. Considered to be the most technologically advanced Volkswagen car ever, it failed to perform in India in referrence to sales figures. However, Volkswagen India is not ready to give up just yet. The company recently launched the new and upgraded (not cosmetically, not much at least) 2012 Volkswagen Touareg, which has now started trickling into the dealerships across the nation. Priced at Rs 58.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the 2012 edition is about Rs 6.65 lakh more expensive than the old version, the reason being the fact that the Indian Rupee has depriciated and that the new Touareg is a CBU. But the top-brass at Volkswagen India will have to wait and watch to see if this one scores better than the old Touareg.

And about the plans to celebrate a decade of the Touareg's production, Volkswagen has brought out a limited edition version of the second generation Touareg. Christened Touareg X, the exteriors of the special edition Touareg feature a 'moonlight blue pearl effect' finishing along with 19-inch 'Moab' alloy wheels. Other standard features include a panaromic sunroof, silver anodized roof rails, bi-zenon headlights with LED DRLs, and darkened LED rear light clusters. The other specs worth a mention are the 'Chrome and Style' designer pack, tinted side and rear windows, and 'Touareg X' logos on the wings. The interiors are equally charming, especially with the cabin's amber brown Nappa leather trim. It also adds a new style of braid embossed finish, decorative inlays in real ebony for the doors and instrument panel, and illuminated front door sills with 'Touareg X' letters. And the colour-coordinated stitching on the leather steering wheel, gear level gaiter, and fabric door mats that lend the finishing touch to the interiors of the special edition Touareg.

The Volkswagen Touareg X is being offered in Europe with five engine and transmission combinations to choose from, out of which one is a hybrid version. In Germany, the range starts with a price tag of Rs 41, 31, 685 for the V6 TDI BlueMotion Technology (201bhp) with an 8-speed automatic transmission. 

Read More on : Volkswagen Touareg review