By Tim Pollard
08 August 2008 00:00
A bit of a conundrum, this. How can a 2.6-tonne 4x4 put the Sport back into SUV? Volkswagen reckons the R50 Touareg is the answer – a tweaked-up version of its luxury 4x4. Except here, the emphasis is firmly on sporting luxury rather than pampering outright.
It's telling they've picked the diesel version for the range-topper. The R50 is based on the oddball of the SUV world: the 5.0-litre V10 TDI. That means 345bhp and – wait for it – a monumental 627lb ft of torque.
So, yes, it shifts with an alacrity that no lumbering 4x4 has a right to, scuttling to 62mph in just 6.7 seconds in a blur of Boeing-style thrust as you're pushed back into the squidgy leather seats.
Sounds more like a luxury rocket than a hard-charging sports car...
That's the thing with the R50. It doesn't feel that sporty, but the bare figures suggest otherwise. Distance-shortening shove is never more than a toe-prod away and it makes for a relaxing driving style. Especially as peak torque arrives at just 2000rpm.
So is a clean 
And what else do you get for your money?
R50 spec brings a host of goodies, including those imposing 21-inch ten-spoke alloys (great news! They don't ruin the ride – this thing merely flattens road imperfections into submission) and an R design package. So you get a roof spoiler, oval tailpipes and wider wheel arches.
It all sounds a bit bling, but it's not. This is a luxury SUV that just happens to be extra fast and extra equipped to cope with anything that family life throws at it. Maybe it was a guilty pleasure, but several of us at CAR – people who normally rail against big, lumbering 4x4s – rather liked it...
Statistics
| How much? | £62,015 |
|---|---|
| On sale in the UK: | Now |
| Engine: | 4921cc V10 turbodiesel, 345bhp @ 3500rpm, 627lb ft @ 2000rpm |
| Transmission: | Six-speed auto, four-wheel drive |
| Performance: | 0-62mph 6.7sec, 146mph, 22.4mpg, 333g/km |
| How heavy / made of? | 2602kg/steel |
| How big (length/width/height in mm)? | 4754/1928/1703 |
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