Tag Archives: Volkswagen

News

Volkswagen to Retire Touareg in 2026, Ending Its Premium SUV Era

Volkswagen is preparing to close a chapter in its history as it plans to retire the Touareg, its long-standing flagship SUV, with production set to end in 2026. Launched in 2002, the Touareg was conceived as part of an ambitious push into the premium market, developed alongside the first-generation Porsche Cayenne and built on the same platform. The collaboration not only gave Porsche its first SUV but also helped then-Volkswagen chief Ferdinand Piëch realise his vision of elevating the brand with halo models such as the Touareg and the luxury Phaeton sedan.

For more than two decades, the Touareg stood as a symbol of Volkswagen’s engineering capabilities—combining robust off-road credentials with luxury comfort and technology. Its departure, however, signals a shift in the company’s strategy. In today’s market, the focus is moving toward higher-volume, more cost-effective models with broader global appeal. Filling much of the Touareg’s role will be the Volkswagen Tayron, a more affordable SUV that offers versatility and practicality in two- and three-row configurations, a 2,500kg towing capacity with the 2.0-litre TSI 4Motion drivetrain, and a cabin designed for flexible family use.

The Touareg’s exit is not the only change in Volkswagen’s lineup. The company has also decided to discontinue the ID.5, its coupe-styled electric SUV sibling to the ID.4. Introduced in 2021 with a focus on the Chinese market, the ID.5 struggled to gain traction, overshadowed in Europe by the more practical ID.4 and never launched in the US. Production will wind down in 2027 as part of Volkswagen’s broader effort to streamline its offerings and concentrate on high-demand models.

Looking ahead, Volkswagen has hinted at a “mini Buzz,” a compact electric MPV based on the MEB platform intended as a spiritual successor to the Touran. However, the project is not currently a priority, and there is speculation that Skoda may take the lead on developing such a vehicle instead.

One reason for the cautious approach lies in the heavy workload at Volkswagen’s R&D centre in Braunschweig, where engineering resources are already stretched thin by development of key upcoming vehicles—chief among them the next-generation electric Golf.

With the Touareg’s retirement, Volkswagen closes the book on a bold premium SUV experiment that lasted 23 years. While its successors may be more mainstream in positioning, the Touareg’s legacy will remain as a testament to the era when Volkswagen set its sights squarely on the luxury elite.

Source: Volkswagen

CONCEPT CARS

Volkswagen’s Forgotten Electric Sports Car: The Spiritual Successor to the SP2

Back in 2017, as Volkswagen grappled with the fallout from the Dieselgate scandal, the brand made a bold pivot toward electrification. The ID. family of concept cars became the face of a cleaner, forward-looking VW—starting with the original ID. showcar in 2016 and followed by the ID. Crozz a year later, which previewed what would eventually become the ID.4. But behind the scenes, something more emotional and less utilitarian was brewing in the design studio: a fully electric sports car that never saw the light of day.

Recently, Volkswagen Group’s Spokesperson for Design & Concept Cars, Štěpán Řehák, shared never-before-seen sketches of this lost EV on LinkedIn—an elegant and muscular coupe born from the creative mind of designer Tibor Juhasz. What emerged was not just a concept, but a love letter to a nearly forgotten chapter of VW’s past: the SP2.

For the uninitiated, the original SP2 was a sleek, rear-engined sports coupe built in Brazil in the 1970s. Based on the humble Type 3 platform, it was VW’s way of offering something exotic and aspirational to the South American market, without straying far from its mass-market roots. While it was never a high-performance machine, the SP2’s design became iconic—a rare flair from a brand known more for practicality than panache.

Juhasz’s 2017 vision reimagined that heritage for the electric age. His SP2 concept, based on the modular MEB architecture underpinning VW’s modern EV lineup, carried the soul of its predecessor into the future. The result? A low-slung, wide-bodied coupe with strong rear haunches, minimalist surfacing, and an unmistakable sense of purpose. “My SP2 proposal was born from pure intuition,” Juhasz wrote. “It envisioned an electric future powered by progress, yet deeply rooted in classic values.”

While VW never officially greenlit the project, the car’s design stood out as a beacon of what could have been—a spiritual successor to the SP2 that embraced emotion over mass appeal. It would’ve likely featured a rear-mounted electric motor, consistent with the MEB platform’s architecture, offering rear- or potentially all-wheel drive. In spirit and design, it was poised to deliver not just performance, but presence.

The concept also drew subtle inspiration from legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, the man responsible for shaping the first Golf, Scirocco, Jetta, and even the radical W12 supercar prototypes. Although Giugiaro had no direct hand in the original SP2, his design legacy clearly informed the modern reinterpretation’s proportions and simplicity.

Yet, like so many of VW’s most enticing design studies, the electric SP2 remained a dream deferred. Volkswagen had more pressing matters: launching high-volume EVs like the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5, and ID.7 to regain global trust and meet looming emissions regulations. Even the nostalgic ID. Buzz found its way to production—but the sports car was quietly shelved.

This isn’t the first time VW has teased enthusiasts with compelling concepts only to leave them on the cutting room floor. Remember the 2009 BlueSport mid-engined roadster? Or the 2005 EcoRacer and 2014 XL Sport—each powered by unconventional diesel or motorcycle engines? All sparked excitement, only to fade into obscurity. Even the W12, VW’s most audacious sports car effort, remained a design showcase rather than a showroom reality.

Today, with Europe’s impending ban on internal combustion cars, there’s little chance we’ll see another gasoline-powered VW sports car. But that doesn’t mean performance is off the table. Wolfsburg has already pledged to carry its GTI and R performance sub-brands into the electric era. And while those badges are steeped in hot hatchback history, the idea of a standalone, two-door electric sports car—a proper spiritual heir to the SP2—still stirs the imagination.

The MEB platform remains flexible. The design talent is clearly there. All that’s missing is the green light. If VW ever chooses to chase emotion over volume, it has the blueprint waiting—quietly sketched in pencil back in 2017.

Source: Volkswagen

NEW CARS

Twisted TBug: A Joyful Ode to Classic Simplicity

In an age of software updates, lane-keeping assists, and hyper-efficient turbocharged engines, it’s easy to forget that driving used to be about fun. That’s precisely where the Twisted TBug comes in—a lovingly reimagined take on the classic Baja Bug, infused with charm, craftsmanship, and just the right dose of irreverence.

Built by Twisted, the Yorkshire-based outfit known for reinventing Land Rover Defenders and Suzuki Jimnys, the TBug marks a detour into its “special projects” division. But make no mistake—this is no half-baked side hustle. The TBug is a restomod done with care, character, and a level of attention to detail that’s unmistakably Twisted.

Screenshot

At first glance, it’s clear the TBug has been done properly. The reinforced chassis, bespoke electrics, and subtly integrated LED lighting all whisper quality without shouting modernity. The exterior stance is spot on—enough to make any Baja Bug owner reach for an angle grinder in envy—while the interior is trimmed with the kind of finesse you rarely find in something so gleefully unconventional.

The air-cooled, rear-mounted engine has had its power output doubled, but don’t expect neck-snapping acceleration. With just under 80 hp, outright speed isn’t the point here. What matters is how the TBug makes you feel.

“What makes the TBug special is that it makes you smile every time you slide behind the wheel,” says Twisted founder Charles Fawcett. And smile you will. There’s something gloriously pure about this machine. It’s a counterpoint to the seriousness of the modern car—a joyful, analog experience that’s as much about nostalgia as it is about freedom.

In contrast to many restomods chasing ever-higher performance figures or electric conversions, the TBug remains refreshingly grounded. There’s no attempt to over-modernize it. No over-the-top horsepower. No aggressive, road-hugging stance. Just good engineering, great design, and the kind of bespoke personalisation that invites you to co-create your dream with the team at Twisted.

The company has already built three examples, finished in grey, green, and yellow, and priced around £95,000. That’s no small sum, but it buys more than just a toy—it buys a personality on wheels. A classic silhouette with modern usability and timeless charm.

And yes, while it may be based on a rear-engined, air-cooled, two-door German car, the TBug is not a Porsche 911. And that, somehow, makes it even cooler.

Source: Autocar