Volkswagen Gives Green Light to Touareg W12

But to merely transplant an engine and call it a day wasn't going to be enough for Volkswagen. The brand's engineers managed to bump output up by 30 horsepower for a

Besides the beefy engine, the exterior of the Touareg V12 will also get an apperance update. (Photo: Volkswagen Canada)

total of 450, tying the Cayenne Turbo for the title of most powerful SUV. There's no word on the SUV's performance capabilities as of yet, but expect the Touareg to at least be faster than the ML, G and X5, while marginally slower if not tied with the Cayenne Turbo.

On the outside, the Touareg W12 features the same appearance package as the Touareg Sport, which includes special double-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels, new front and rear aprons and sills as well as larger exhaust tips.

Two sets of Touareg W12s will be produced, with 333 destined to Middle Eastern markets and a further 100 made for European consumption. Where is the North American allocation? Nonexistent, or so it seems.

The price tag for this special super-sport utility vehicle is set at E90,000 ($147,450 CAD, $108,400 USD), a bit steep, but then again, this is the only SUV on the market to be fitted with a 12-cylinder motor. Production for the first batch will start as of August, with deliveries taking place in mid autumn.