The answers to those questions might very well be found among an intriguing trio of project vehicles built specially for the SEMA Show. The Jetta R GT, Passat R GT and Touareg R GT are not just flights of fancy branding. The badging on each of these one-offs tells a story of advanced platforms enriched with strategic applications of factory and aftermarket expertise.

The Touareg R GT is nothing less than the pure essence of a high-performance luxury SUV. What was formerly a 2005 model with a V6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission is now a 500-horsepower road-carver that doubles as a luxurious limousine. Like the other R GT models on display at SEMA, the Touareg has an HPA-built twin-turbocharged V6 under the hood, special chassis enhancements, a KW Variant 3-way coilover suspension, and a high-performance braking system supplied by Brembo.

The Touareg’s revised lines give it the look of a well-bred urban cruiser. A Volkswagen Individual body kit, gleaming silver paint, and 10 x 22-inch custom-built, forged-aluminum, mono-block Avus® wheels mounted with Michelin ultra-high-performance Diamaris tires lend it a commanding visual presence that matches the powertrain’s dominating performance.

 

Front sport bucket seats, an integrated single roll hoop, and the safety systems required for a weekend at the track are complemented by the luxury of black leather upholstery with gray suede centers, a Bugatti spun-aluminum trim kit by Volkswagen Individual, a black Apple iPod module, and rear PSP system.

Street and track performance has not yet been measured, but with its 500 horsepower and massive torque, the Touareg R GT will certainly be an extreme expression of “Fun to Drive.”. More conventional measures of its superior dynamics will soon appear in the enthusiast press.

Text and photos courtesy of Volkswagen AG