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Do you need reminding just how important and significant the Beijing Motor Show has become? Thought not... Little wonder then that Volkswagen will use the Beijing stage to show off a concept version of its third generation Touraeg SUV, a car which will be particularly significant for its future performance in both the Asian and American markets.
Not surprisingly, the concept car, which is merely being referred to as a 'premium SUV' for now, will feature a plugin hybrid petrol drivetrain. Volkswagen says it has a total system output of 376hp and 700Nm of torque, and it can run for the de rigeur 50km on just the batteries when it's fully charged up.
Volkswagen is also predicting combined fuel consumption (on the current NEDC fuel economy test) of 94mpg, with a 0-100km/h time of just 6.0 seconds and a top speed of 223km/h.
Volkswagen claims that the car moves SUV design to "a more sporty and elegant level" so expect to see a lot of cues from the new Tiguan as well as the CrossBlue concept. Inside, the car features a development of the 'virtual cockpit' layout originally seen in the Audi TT, but it has now merged with the central infotainment screen, potentially making it one of the most versatile digital display screens yet seen.
Volkswagen also says that "the lounge-style interior and digitised operation are centred on passengers" so expect to see a cabin with lots of space and seats for four. It's likely that the production version will have seven seats however, to enable it to compete with the likes of Volvo's XC90 and the BMW X5.