Although heading for discontinuation in Europe next year, the Touareg will only exit South Africa in 2027.
Volkswagen has opened order books for the farewell edition of the Touareg in Europe ahead of its departure next year.
Available from now until March next year, the simply named Final Edition can be had on Elegance trim levels and up, starting from €75 025 in Germany, which equates to R1 509 769 when directly converted and without taxes.
End of an era
Bringing an end to the Touareg nameplate after what will be 24 years, the Final Edition’s surprisingly minor send-off touches comprise an illuminated Final Edition script on the dashboard, Final Edition illuminated treadplates, ambient lighting and laser-engraved Final Edition badges on the rear window surrounds.
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The remaining model that formed part of Volkswagen’s ill-fated premium segment push over two decades ago, the other being the long discontinued Phaeton, the Touareg will reportedly be replaced in 2029 by an EV rumoured to be called ID. Touareg.
As it stands, though, no further details are known. Volkswagen has, however, indicated that the Tiguan-based Tayron will be its combustion engine replacement for the foreseeable future.
South Africa holding on
Currently in its third generation, which received its present facelift appearance in 2023, the Touareg will be marketed throughout 2026 in South Africa before production at the Bratislava plant in Slovakia ends in 2027.
“The Touareg has the unfortunate thing of being the only [Volkswagen] on its platform. Of course, the [Porsche] Cayenne is on the same platform, but volume-wise, it is just way too expensive to maintain an extra platform for a very small amount of cars,” Volkswagen South Africa Managing Director, Martina Biene, said on the sidelines of the Tayron’s market launch two months ago.
“In terms of how we try to scale globally, it was a case of, “well, good that we got it”, but it wasn’t cheap from an investment perspective. Low volume, single platform is the main reason for its discontinuing.”
No ‘power spike’ goodbye
Having amassed global sales of 1.2-million units before the reveal of the Final Edition, the Touareg currently offers the following engines in Europe: a 3.0 TSI outputting 250kW/450Nm and a 3.0 TDI in 170kW/500Nm and 210kW/600Nm states of tune.
Completing the range are two plug-in hybrids using the TSI as a base: the eHybrid which produces a combined 280kW/600Nm and 340kW/700Nm in the top-spec Touareg R.
All-wheel drive is standard across all variants, as is an eight-speed Tiptronic gearbox.
Not for South Africa yet
In South Africa, the Touareg ranges spans two variants: Elegance and R-Line, both powered by a 190kW/600Nm version of the 3.0 TDI.
Likely to be the trim levels that will see it out, as the Final Edition hasn’t been confirmed for South Africa, pricing starts at R1 491 300 for the former and ends at R1 799 200 for the latter.
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