Volkswagen unveils New Beetle, Touareg and XL1 concept at Auto Expo

The Volkswagen up! is not there but the India-bound hatchback’s absence was compensated by three other car unveilings – the 2012 Beetle, new Touareg and the XL1 diesel hybrid concept, claimed to be the world’s most efficient concept car. The XL1 is powered by a two-cylinder, 800 cc TDI engine that puts out 49 PS supplemented by a 27 PS electric motor to deliver over 111 kmpl.

Also on display is the much-anticipated new Beetle, which Volkswagen debuted at the Shanghai Motor Show in April 2011. The German car maker has tried not to tinker too much with the original Beetle’s looks, retaining the iconic car’s retro styling. If anything, the Beetle is now longer and wider than its predecessor. As expected, the new Beetle will available in India with two engine options – a 1.2-litre and 1.4-litre TSI petrol mills that develop 105 PS and 160 PS respectively. The engines are mated to a 7-speed DSG gearbox to aid fuel efficiency.  

Pricing is yet to be revealed but the Beetle will have tough competition with BMW announcing the MINI’s pricing, starting at Rs 24.9 lakhs for the Cooper. 

The new Touareg showcased at the Expo now wears the familiar family look of the latest Volkswagen models. It is also 41mm longer, 12 mm wider and comes with a raft of features like bi xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, panoramic sunroof, roof rails and 20-inch alloy wheels. All wheel drive is standard. 

Under the hood is a V6 3-litre, 245 PS TDI engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission gearbox as standard - the first SUV in the world to do so. In addition to this, the new Touareg has an air suspension for improved driving comfort.  

Inside, there’s a four-zone temperature control climatronic air-conditioning system, 14-way electric adjustable front seats, cruise control, RNS 850 touch screen music system with MP3 player and 8 speakers.

The new Touareg also has tons of safety features such as six airbags, electronic stability control including ABS, ESP, hill start and hill descent assist.

Besides the XL1, new Beetle and updated Touareg, the Volkswagen pavilion also has on display a luxury handcrafted Phaeton that’s powered by a 3-litre, V6 TDI engine with a power output of 240 PS.