touareg

Audi building hybrid A8 for 2012

The ultimate example of having your cake and eating it too is the A8 hybrid that Audi announced it will begin building in 2012. Audi's flagship luxury sedan boasts a Bang & Olufsen audio system and Google Earth integration into the navigation system. And with its hybrid system, it also earns 44 mpg under the European test cycle.

The hybrid version of the A8 will use Audi's direct-injection turbocharged 2-liter four-cylinder, which in this application produces 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Audi replaces the torque converter in the eight-speed automatic transmission with a 53-horsepower electric motor, … Read more

CNET Car Tech: 2011 VW Touareg Hybrid

If you want a vehicle that's fast, big, and economical (sort of), can you get all of that in a VW? That's seemingly the promise of the supercharged 2011 VW Touareg Hybrid. Brian Cooley takes you for a drive to check the tech.

(Full CNET review of the Touareg Hybrid)

Car Tech Live 209: Your next smartphone: An Aston Martin (podcast)

Tax by the mile to drive your car: ready for it? Tesla says Top Gear is a bunch of liars. Your next smartphone could be an Aston Martin. And we drive the Cayenne Hybrid's sister: the Touareg Hybrid.

Subscribe with iTunes (audio) Subscribe with iTunes (video) Subscribe with RSS (audio) Subscribe with RSS (video) EPISODE 209 SHOW NOTES

? Taxing driving by the mile instead of the gallon.

? Tesla sues Top Gear

? Survey says buyers are intrigued by EVs, unrealistic about their abilities

? Aston Martin smartphone concept

? VW Touareg Supercharged Hybrid

? CNET's LOLCars gallery!

2011 Touareg: VW's hybrid SUV

For hump day this week, I figured we should stay on the subject of hybrid cars. Today, we're going jump across the big pond to Germany where those crafty engineers at Volkswagen have converted one of their SUV models into a hybrid. So I present this video that takes a look at the 2011 VW Touareg hybrid.

The roads of Florence, Italy, provide a gorgeous backdrop for the 2011 VW Touareg hybrid as it makes its way around city streets and the scenic countryside. As for the Touareg itself, Volkswagen has claimed to have made significant changes for the … Read more

Secrets of 'The Bourne Ultimatum' car chase scenes

A small group of automotive journalists gathered recently in Southern California to watch an unusual sight: A fully functional Volkswagen Touareg that could be controlled without anyone in the driver's seat.

The custom-made SUV was part of a special showcase hosted by Volkswagen, where a select few got a glimpse at some of the stunt driving skills used in the making of The Bourne Ultimatum, the third and newest installment of the Bourne films. The movie's stunt team developed a special cockpit attached to the top of the Touareg, complete with a seat, steering wheel, and pedals that … Read more