Thursday 26 August 2010

Volkswagen Unveils New Race Touareg 3

The Volkswagen Race Touareg 2 has dominated the Dakar rally for the last two years. After winning in 2009 they went one better this year and secured an all Volkswagen podium in positions 1 - 3. The Touareg 2 was the first ever diesel powered vehicle to win the historic race but it has now been retired.



The Race Touareg 2 has now been replaced by the Race Touareg 3 (who thought that one up?). The new version has had a number of improvements which VW believe will stand them in good stead to win in 2011.

Beneath the bodywork the twin-turbocharged 2.5-litre TDI engine has been optimised to allow greater economy while still producing 300 PS and 442 lbs ft of torque. It has also been revised to cope with the severe altitude changes incurred on the Dakar with the vehicle climbing to heights of over 15,000 feet above sea level. The Race Touareg 3 can now adapt to these conditions, meaning the performance doesn’t suffer despite the thinner air encountered at such altitudes.

In order to maintain these speeds in extreme off-road conditions the Race Touareg 3 needs to be able to withstand the rigours passing over sand dunes, through deep mud, and across gravel and broken tarmac roads. As a result the Race Touareg 3 is based on a high-strength steel spaceframe chassis with a pair of springs and damper units fitted to every corner in order to protect the vehicle against severe impacts. A set of specially developed BF Goodrich 235/85 R16 tyres provide the grip while a pair of wheels and tyres are carried by the vehicle at all times.

Volkswagen have also launched their new Amarok pick up which was the Official Support Vehicle of this year's Dakar rally. The Amarok will join Volkswagen's range of vans and used vans later in the year.


No comments:

Post a Comment