VW loves diesel again with the monstrous Touareg V8 TDI

Do Germans do irony? We’re asking for a friend.

Because Volkswagen, of all companies, is the one to assault the 2019 Geneva motor show with a new diesel-powered super-SUV. This is the VW Touareg V8 TDI. Yep, the clue is in the name.

Somehow now visible through that monumental grille is a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 diesel motor. It’s not the Audi SQ7 engine – this one does without electric turbo compressors to reduce lag – and it’s down a whole pair of turbos on the new BMW X5 M50d. But the stats, predictably, are still potty.

Power? 419bhp. Torque? 664lb ft. Holy cow. You’ll go from 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds and the top speed’s pegged at 155mph. Sound familiar? It’s exactly as quick as VW’s other quick SUV debutant, the T-Roc R.

With great power comes great… subtlety, in this case. No aero kit, no extra scoops or vents… just a little V8 badge. And beige paint. Air suspension and 19-inch wheels come as standard. There’s wood on the dashboard. It’s all very sedate in demeanour, which is exactly what a diesel SUV should be, really. Even one that’s as quick as an Audi S3.

VW says the car is a ‘near production model’ that’ll go on sale in May. No word if the UK will get the Touareg V8 TDI yet, but it’s a tricky sell when the market’s turning so hard against the black pump, and VW’s got its own clean-EV ‘ID’ brand to concentrate on launching.

Still, if you’ve been hanging onto a leggy Touareg V10 TDI for the last decade, your new car has arrived. Can’t imagine why it’s taken so long.