2008 Volkswagen Touareg 2 U.s. Debut in New York

The 2008 model year of the Volkswagen Touareg, the first ever sport utility vehicle (SUV) model from the Wolfsburg-based car manufacturer is making its North American debut at the 2007 New York International Auto Show.

Named as the Touareg 2, the vehicle is poised to stir the American car fans at the show with the vehicle's updated exterior styling featuring the company's signature Volkswagen "face" design highlighted by the chrome front grille. Other exclusive features of the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg 2 include redesigned headlamps and darkened taillights, redesigned aerodynamics, sporty rear spoiler with integrated third brake light, optional Bi-Xenon headlights with AFS II that improves night time driving visibility in cornering, and several wheel options for different VW Touareg 2 model trims. For the VR6 FSI, 17-inch alloy wheels are standard while the 19-inch alloy wheels are standard for the V8 FSI and V10 TDI Twin Turbo models. Moreover, the 2008 VW Touareg comes with all-new exterior colors for the customers to choose from. It includes Alaska Gray, Cranberry, Galapagos and White Gold.

Interior highlights of the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg 2 include redesigned luxury seating system featuring standard 12-way power driver's seat, standard Sirius Satellite Radio, park distance control, power lift gate, new instrument cluster with larger display, new silver metallic trim, available ten speaker Dynaudio premium sound system, and optional keyless access with a start/stop button. Bunch of optional packages are also available like the Lux, Lux Plus and Technologie packages.

The VW Touareg 2 also comes with a host of safety features and driver assistance systems to enhance the vehicle's handling. These include new rollover sensor system to detect rollover situation and activate the side and side head curtain airbags, enhanced tire pressure monitoring system (TPS), Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP), hydraulic braking assist, a preventative braking pressure build-up system, and rain brake support. In addition, the Touareg 2 also comes with the world-first "ABSplus" braking system from Volkswagen.

At the heart of the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg 2 comes a three power plant options for the customers to choose from: the powerful 3.6-liter VR6 FSI, the recently upgraded 4.2- liter V8 FSI, and the monstrous 5.0-liter V10 TDI Twin Turbo.

The 3.6-liter VR6 FSI engine replaces the standard 3.2-liter engine of the Volkswagen Touareg. The engine now produces 280 hp, an additional 40 horsepower compared to the previous engine. The 4.2- liter V8 FSI features unleaded fuel direct injection system and pumps out 350 hp and produces 325 lbs. ft amount of peak torque. Lastly, the 5.0-liter V10 TDI Twin Turbo for the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg 2 pumps out 310 hp and produces a stunning 553 lbs. ft. of peak torque output, allowing the Touareg 2 to achieve an impressive towing capability of about 7,716 pounds. All of these engines are equipped with quality VW timing parts like VW timing chain. The Touareg 2's standard gearbox powers the vehicle's permanent 4XMOTION four-wheel drive (4WD) system. Moreover, the 2008 Volkswagen Touareg 2 also features off-road control systems like Hill Roll Back Assist and Hill Descent Assist.

The 2008 Volkswagen Touareg 2 will arrive in Volkswagen dealerships this spring carrying a base manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $39,320.