Volkswagen Upgrading Touareg To Better Challenge BMW And Mercedes Models

The 2017 Volkswagen Touareg will receive a more luxurious interior and a design influenced by its smaller sibling, the Tiguan, when it lands in less than a year's time.

The five-seat SUV model will sit directly above the Tiguan when it replaces the current Touareg, which has been on sale since 2011. It'll also eventually sit above the Atlas in VW's Chinese and American lineups.
 

TheSteve - 3/22/2017 9:23:27 AM

+6 Boost

Sometimes, I shake my head at VW's thinking. Here's how *I* see things:
- VW: Economy brand
- Audi: Luxury brand
- Bentley: Super luxury brand
- Lamborghini: Exotic brand

VW's vehicles should be positioned to compete against "every man's" people-movers, while Audi should compete against BMW, Mercedes, and the like. Volkswagen and "luxury" are NOT associative words.

bw5011 - 3/22/2017 9:33:17 AM

+3 Boost

WTF are they thinking. That is what Audi is for. They are bored now that they don't have to work at covering up the cheat software.

cidflekken - 3/22/2017 2:24:40 PM

+2 Boost

The VW Group would be better served moving the Touareg over to the Audi lineup. The last two years, the SUV sold fewer than 500 units per month, on average. It should be a natural step up from the Q5, before the Q7. How many GLE, X5, RX buyers think to go to a VW showroom as they're shopping?

MDarringer - 3/22/2017 9:14:03 PM

+1 Boost

The Touareg needs to stay in Europe then.

The Q7 battles Mercedes and BMW.

Boubou13 - 3/23/2017 6:48:14 AM

+2 Boost

There is something to be said about owning a Touareg versus a Cayenne and not giving a shit.

MDarringer - 3/24/2017 6:52:05 PM

+1 Boost

And paying $30K too much for a VW??

skytop - 3/23/2017 9:41:39 AM

+1 Boost

The last time VW had an identity crisis thinking they were a luxury brand resulted in the failed Volkswagen Phaeton fiasco.

610looper - 3/23/2017 12:20:20 PM

+1 Boost

Toyota LC costs more than GX 460, QX 80, Armada, Escalade, Navigator, Range Rover, and GLS..and is only $5k less than LX 570..either the LC is too expensive or the LX 570 is too expensive since they are the same vehicle.

cidflekken - 3/24/2017 6:12:00 PM

+1 Boost

Yes, but the LC essentially comes fully loaded, with no package options. So the price goes barely above the $85k starting price. The LX570 easily closes in on $100k (I just built one for $98k) with all the options.