The Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI is one of the most absurd SUVs to ever reach production. When they aren’t draining the bank accounts of their owners, they’re demonstrating intoxicating levels of power. One YouTuber got to see just how fast one of these monsters could go on Germany’s Autobahn.
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI. The SUV was on my list of dream cars for the longest time, until I finally added one to my fleet earlier this year.
I haven’t found the upper end of my Touareg V10 TDI’s speedometer yet, but TopSpeedGermany on YouTube has. The YouTuber strapped on some gloves (?) then hopped behind the wheel of a 2004 Touareg V10 TDI to hit some ridiculous speeds.
Some North American VW enthusiasts include the Touareg V10 TDI a part of the so-called Piëch Trifecta, a nod to the wildest Volkswagens built under Volkswagen Group chairman Ferdinand Piëch to actually land on our shores. The Passat W8 and the Phaeton complete the trio.
The V10 TDI’s spec sheet may not be all that impressive compared to the performance SUVs of today, but mash that accelerator pedal and its raucous power could turn even the tamest drivers into hooligans. It’s one of those vehicles that feels like it has no business being as fast as it is.
Under this Touareg’s hood is Volkswagen’s infamous V10 TDI engine. This 5.0-litre powerplant is coupled to twin turbos and as you’ll hear in the video, sounds like a Lamborghini V10, but with the characteristic clattering of a diesel. It’s good for about 310-HP and 251 kg-ft torque.
That’s similar power to American diesel pickups from the same era, but far less than today’s blisteringly-fast performance SUVs. For example, A 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat makes 710 horsepower and 293 kg-ft torque from its 6.2-litre supercharged V8.
In the video above, the YouTuber managed to get the speedometer to about 241 km/h before backing off, or 16 km/h faster than its 225 km/h estimated top speed. Perhaps more impressive is the fact that they spent most of their time cruising well above 161 km/h. Not bad for a 17-year-old, nearly 2,722 kg family crossover.
When these glorious SUVs break, they break in expensive ways. I mean, even the Touareg in the video was displaying a Christmas tree of error lights. And don’t expect to get much work done in that tight engine bay. Many V10 TDI repairs require putting the Touareg on a special lift and dropping the entire drivetrain.
Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDIs can still be found for relatively cheap nowadays. While mine hasn’t broken on me yet, I still probably wouldn’t recommend buying one.
Hat tip to Dieseldub!