VW secures additional Touareg stock

VOLKSWAGEN Australia says it will replenish stocks of its Touareg SUV with 1000-plus units heading for local showrooms in the second half of this year.

The importer says the news represents a “significant reversal of supply fortune” for the slow-selling model, which has sold just 199 examples nationally to date in 2022.

It says that “barring further unexpected circumstances”, the fresh supply of Touareg variants will “almost mirror the (total) sales achieved in full-year 2020 and 2021”.

Were supply unhindered, Volkswagen Australia says that demand for the Touareg is such that it “could fulfil orders for 2000-plus annual sales” and that demand for the flagship SUV “reflects the value customers place in the brand”.

Further, the brand says it believes interest in the strong interest shown in the Touareg SUV shows “sales optimism” its forthcoming Touareg R plug-in hybrid variant, which is due in local showrooms in early 2023.

The Touareg R will offer up to 47km of all-electric driving range and provide up to 2500kg of braked towing capacity. The powerful plug-in model offers 340kW and 700Nm from its turbocharged petrol-electric drivetrain and is claimed to complete the 0-100km/h dash in just 5.1 seconds.

Pricing for the range-topping variant is yet to be revealed, but GoAuto understands the Touareg R will ask a premium over the current series flagship, the 210TDI R-Line, which is priced from $116,290 plus on-road costs.

The Volkswagen Touareg range currently comprises three diesel-powered variants and kicks off with the 170TDI from $87,990 plus ORCs (see full pricing below).

The Touareg 170TDI features a 170kW and 500Nm engine while 210TDI variants offer 210kW and 600Nm. Both include 4Motion all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard equipment.

Other standard inclusions see the Touareg fitted with VW’s comprehensive IQ.Drive safety and driver assistance suite, a rear-view camera, keyless entry and tailgate functionality, push-button ignition, auto-dimming mirrors, LED headlights, Discover Pro navigation, 19-inch alloy wheels, Vienna leather upholstery, heated and electrically adjustable front seats and dual-zone climate control.

The mid-range Touareg Elegance adds IQ.Light Matrix LED headlights, premium LED taillights with dynamic indicators, 20-inch alloys, air suspension, Savona leather upholstery, ventilated front seats with massage function, head-up display, 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a 15.0-inch infotainment array with DAB+ digital radio reception.

“The arrival of additional flagship SUV volume means that, for the first time in this generation of Touareg, we are forecasting supply that closes in on demand,” said Volkswagen Australia passenger vehicles brand director, Michal Szaniecki.

“These are the ‘green shoots’ our dealerships and customers have been looking for, and we are continuing to pursue additional volume for Australia with other model lines.

“We thank our customers for their patience as we navigate range-wide supply challenges and can’t wait to welcome many new – and loyal – customers into their Touareg before the end of the year.”

Volkswagen has sold fewer than 200 examples of the Touareg locally in 2022, well behind the segment-leading Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class SUV and SUV-Coupe with cumulative sales of 830 units.

Indeed, Volkswagen’s constrained supply appears to be impacting most passenger car segments in which the brand competes locally.

Passat Alltrack and Tiguan Allspace variants have sold 24 and 221 examples respectively in a segment led by Toyota’s strong-selling LandCruiser Prado (9205) while the mid-size Tiguan SUV falls well short of the best-selling Toyota RAV4 (13,862) with just 390 sales.

In the sub-$40K small SUV segment, the T-Roc has managed 1171 unit sales behind the segment-topping MG ZS (7220). Playing in the light SUV segment, VW’s T-Cross achieved 1725 unit sales to the end of April against the top-selling Mazda CX-3 (3480).

People mover versions of Caddy, Caravelle and Multivan number 31, 12 and 77 examples respectively to the end of April, behind the segment-leading Kia Carnival with 1962 deliveries.

Volkswagen Australia has also achieved 117 Arteon sales in a segment led by the Tesla Model 3 (4469), 195 Passat sales in a segment topped by the Toyota Camry (3878), and 370 Golf sales in a segment dominated by the Hyundai i30 (7924).

2022 Volkswagen Touareg pricing*:

*Pricing excludes on-road costs.