Range-Topping 415 HP Touareg Is Last Volkswagen To Get A V8 Diesel

While getting ready for the future with the ID sub-brand of electric cars, Volkswagen has also targeted SUV enthusiasts with a range-topping version of the Touareg.

Presented a few weeks ago, it’s powered by a 4.0-liter V8 diesel that pushes out a healthy 421 PS (415 hp / 310 kW) and 900 Nm (664 lb-ft) of torque. That’s right, a modern Volkswagen with a massive oil burner despite the Dieselgate saga.

Even so, this could very well be their last V8 diesel-powered model. This was hinted to TopGear on the sidelines of the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, by VW marketing chief Jurgen Stackman, who simply said: “Most likely, it’ll be the last V8 diesel car you’ll see.”

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“I’ve met a lot of Touareg V10 TDI customers, and those that have one will never sell it”, he added. “It’ll be the same idea with the V8. It’s for those customers who want something very special, and they’ll get it.”

Stackman loves the new Touareg V8 TDI so much that he already sees it as a collectable. “We had a long debate, and we believe Touareg is a prime car. It can handle any competitor from around the world. Giving it a V8 twist is a very special honor, and I believe it’s going to be a collector’s car, from day one.”

For a car that weighs as much as a shed, the Touareg V8 TDI is pretty darn fast, needing only 4.9 seconds to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) and topping out at an electronically limited 250 km/h (155 mph).

Order books will open at the end of May for European customers, with pricing to be announced closer to that date.