Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 teaser
With the all-new 2011 Volkswagen Touareg recently making its debut, Volkswagen's motorsports division is now updating its off-roading Race Touareg in preparation for next year’s grueling Dakar Rally. With two Dakar Rally titles already under its belt, the Volkswagen Race Touareg is now moving into its third generation and will be unveiled for the first time next month.
The Race Touareg 3 features a revised exterior design with updated aerodynamics but retains most of the proven hardware from the current Race Touareg 2. The changes essentially follow the design cues of the latest production Touareg, but underneath most of the mechanicals have been left untouched.
For example, this latest version of the cross-country rally prototype features the same 2.5-litre four cylinder turbocharged diesel engine which develops 300 horsepower. Other key areas that are carried over from the previous generation rally winner include the suspension and chassis.
Testing of the vehicle will continue over the coming weeks, taking place in the deserts of Morocco. The vehicle will make its first competitive start at the Silk Way Rally (11-18 September). This takes place across Russia between St Petersburg and Sochi and is regarded as the dress rehearsal for the legendary Dakar Rally (1-16 January 2011) where four Race Touareg 3s will contest for the automaker’s third consecutive victory.
[Volkswagen]
