Everything was simpler when we had W12-powered SUVs.
These eight-cylinder engines are rarer these days, especially in the SUV segment. There are still some V8-powered models that are more expensive or performance-oriented, but these engines will likely disappear in the coming years. There isn’t a V10 SUV for sale today. Things were different 15 years ago. This Volkswagen Touareg is clearly not a first-gen Touareg. This unit was built in 2005, and it is powered by the W12 engine. Volkswagen initially planned to release the Touareg W12 in a limited edition model, with 500 units to go off the production lines. It became an ordinary model with no production restrictions.
It was still rare, even though it saw production well over 500 units. It’s rarer today, as fewer examples of the vehicle are remaining in existence. One of these vehicles is up for sale. It was purchased new in Japan. The odometer shows approximately 57,800 km (93,000) miles. Although it doesn’t look nearly as good as new there are still many things you love about it. The engine is a huge 6.0-liter 12-cylinder unit. The engine produces 450 horsepower (331 megawatts), which gives the SUV a speed of 5.8 seconds. It has 443 pound-feet (611 Newton-meters) torque and twist. This Touareg is a rare example. It has 135 horsepower (99 kW) which is more than the Touareg TDI. We’ve also seen it in action at the Autobahn. This particular example will be auctioned in Japan later in the week for $24,000. The ad states that the SUV can be shipped anywhere in the world and will go under the hammer at an auction in Japan later this week.