Volkswagen Gives Green Light to Touareg W12

Corruptible Power will be Out of Reach to North American Consumers

When is enough, enough? Following the adage, "Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely," Volkswagen is about

Power hungry SUV drivers rejoice, Volkswagen has decided to make the Touareg available with its 6.0-liter W12. (Photo: Volkswagen Canada)

to corrupt SUV buyers the world over. Currently available in plenty of powerful motor combinations, including a fuel efficient V6, a large V8 and massive V10 turbodiesel, Volkswagen has announced that it will be in fact fitting its 6.0-liter W12 into the Touareg's engine bay.

The reasoning behind this super-Touareg comes from the tough competition in the high-powered sport utility vehicle business. In one corner, Mercedes-Benz stands with its ML55 and recently upgraded supercharged G55, while in another BMW sports its X5 4.8is. "King of the Jungle" title goes to

Crafted from two narrow-angle V(R)6s, the Touareg's new V12 engine will allow it to go head to head with the fastest SUVs on the market. (Photo: Volkswagen Canada)

Porsche, with its 450 horsepower twin-turbocharged V8 Cayenne Turbo. Now the playing field is about to get much more even.

Currently, the only application of the 6.0-liter W12 is in the top of the line VW Phaeton full-size sedan, as well as Audi's top-tier A8 L, with the engine's debut reaching back into the late '90s with the W12/Nardo mid-engine supercar. Crafted from two narrow-angle V(R)6s, the engine is unique in that it's much shorter in length than a traditional V12, allowing it to fit into wide but abbreviated engine bays. With plenty of space between the Touareg's wide fenders, the 6.0-liter W12 fits in without much trouble.