Touareg
V10 TDI pushes ahead new diesel trend in USA
First off-road vehicle
on US market with particulate filter
Photo: VW
Wolfsburg, Colorado
- With the Touareg V10 TDI a series production off-road vehicle
has reached the summit of Pikes Peak at 4,300 metres for the first
time in the history of the legendary "Race to the Clouds". The competition,
officially called "Pikes Peak International Hillclimbing Contest",
provided the sporting backdrop for the market launch of the Touareg
V10 TDI in the USA. On 1st September, the sale of the high-end off-road
vehicle, which is equipped with a diesel particulate filter as standard,
will start in the USA.
The Touareg
V10 TDI is the first turbo-diesel off-road vehicle in the
US market with a particulate filter (DPF). Volkswagen is,
in this way, once again setting a trend for drive technologies.
In comparison to similarly equipped petrol engine vehicles,
the 310 bhp Touareg V10 TDI is approximately 30 percent
more efficient.
As is the case in Europe, Volkswagen is seen as the leading
manufacturer of diesel passenger vehicles in the USA. A total of
twelve percent of all Volkswagens sold between New York and San
Francisco already have the TDI logo, and this trend is increasing.
In the TDI versions, the New Beetle and Golf are, according to the
"U.S. Environmental Agency" (EPA) and the "U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE)", the most economical vehicles in their class on the US market.
The Touareg V10 TDI with diesel particulate filter will now augment
the US off-road vehicle segment, which is dominated by petrol engine
models, with a particularly fascinating, responsive, but also economic
model.
The three Touaregs participating
in the "Race to the Clouds" were the same as the standard production model,
with the exception of special safety equipment for the competition (roll-over
cage, fire extinguisher, sports seats with five-point seat belts). The three
vehicles used diesel fuel with low sulphur content. Racing driver Mark Miller
(who also drove at the Rallye Dakar 2006 for Volkswagen) was the fastest
up the mountain: after 14 minutes and 8 seconds he saw the finish line and
thus left many vehicles that had been built especially for the competition
behind him. The other two Touareg V10 TDI vehicles were driven by Ryan Arciero
and US racing legend Danny Sullivan.
The Touareg is an international
success. In Germany, the Volkswagen off-road vehicle is available at prices
as of 41,450 Euro (Touareg TDI with 128 kW / 174 bhp). The European version
of the Touareg V10 TDI with 230 kW / 313 bhp costs 74,650 Euro.
