Volkswagen’s longest‑running SUV, the Touareg, is getting one more special send‑off in Europe and Australia, but the “last hurrah” won’t be coming to North America. The brand is winding down production of its flagship SUV after more than two decades, marking the end with Final Edition and Wolfsburg Edition models while U.S. buyers continue to go without the Touareg entirely.
What This “Last Hurrah” Actually Is
Volkswagen confirmed that the current Touareg generation will end production around 2026–2027, closing the book on a nameplate that has been on sale since 2002 and spanned three generations. To mark the occasion, VW has launched a Touareg Final Edition in Europe and a separate last‑run Wolfsburg Edition in Australia, both based on the facelifted model introduced for the 2024 model year with updated styling, lighting and tech. The U.S. market, which lost the Touareg after the 2017 model year in favour of the Atlas family, is not included in these farewell editions.
Final Edition and Wolfsburg Edition Highlights
The Touareg Final Edition, available in Europe until March 2026, bundles high‑spec equipment with unique design cues: blacked‑out exterior trim, 21‑ or 22‑inch wheels, special paint options and a “Final Edition” badge, plus a heavily optioned interior with leather, ambient lighting and the Innovision Cockpit as standard. Australian buyers get a Wolfsburg Edition that follows a similar recipe—dark styling package, large alloy wheels and rich equipment—positioned as the ultimate Touareg spec before the line ends there. In both markets, these editions are offered with the more powerful V6 TDI engine and full 4Motion all‑wheel‑drive hardware, underlining the SUV’s role as a long‑distance, torque‑rich cruiser.
Touareg’s Last Editions at a Glance
| Market | Edition name | Key traits |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | Touareg Final Edition | Facelifted Touareg, black pack, big wheels, luxury kit, limited run to Mar 2026. |
| Australia | Touareg Wolfsburg Edition | Dark styling, high spec, final allocation before Touareg is discontinued. |
| North America | None | Touareg already discontinued; no Final/Wolfsburg Edition offered. |
Why It’s “Not for Us”
Volkswagen pulled the Touareg from the U.S. and Canada nearly a decade ago as part of a strategy shift toward higher‑volume, lower‑priced SUVs like the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport. The third‑generation Touareg moved upmarket globally—sharing its platform with the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and Bentley Bentayga—making it effectively a premium flagship that would have overlapped on price with luxury brands in North America. With U.S. buyers now focused on the Atlas, Tiguan and ID‑branded EVs, VW has chosen to let the Touareg’s farewell editions remain an overseas treat rather than re‑homologating or re‑marketing the SUV here.
The End of a Quietly Important SUV
Over its 24‑year run, the Touareg helped showcase VW’s engineering capabilities: it shared underpinnings with high‑end Volkswagen Group SUVs, spawned record‑setting V10 TDI tow rigs and Dakar Rally winners, and served as a technology flagship for systems like air suspension and advanced driver aids. Its retirement, with no combustion successor confirmed, effectively ends Volkswagen’s push into the premium SUV space under the VW badge, though company statements referring specifically to the “combustion‑engine Touareg” leave the door open for a possible all‑electric Touareg revival in the future.
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FAQs
Q1: Which SUV is Volkswagen retiring with this Final Edition?
The company is phasing out the Touareg, its longest‑running SUV nameplate, after more than 20 years on sale.
Q2: Where can you buy the Touareg Final Edition or Wolfsburg Edition?
They’re offered in Europe and Australia respectively; North America does not get these run‑out models.
Q3: Could the Touareg return as an EV?
Volkswagen hasn’t confirmed a successor, but its language about ending the “combustion” Touareg and its broader EV plans suggest a future electric Touareg is possible