Volkswagen is preparing its first new-generation Tiguan R, the most powerful version of the crossover, which was spotted testing without camouflage on the road to the Nurburgring. The near-production prototype is undergoing final testing and features hardware from the Golf R.
The design is almost fully revealed, featuring a more aggressive front bumper, large air intakes, R badges, and four rear exhaust pipes. The test vehicle has Audi wheel rims that are likely temporary, along with decorative mesh air ducts in the rear bumper.
Engine and All-Wheel Drive
Under the hood, the Tiguan R gets a 2.0-liter EA888 turbocharged engine from the Golf R producing around 333 horsepower. It pairs with a seven-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission and 4Motion all-wheel drive. The model is also reported to feature an active rear differential with torque vectoring to redistribute torque between the rear wheels during cornering.
Volkswagen plans to compete with the Toyota RAV4 GR Sport by relying on a turbo gasoline engine and DSG rather than Toyota's hybrid powertrain with an electromechanical CVT. The new Tiguan R will likely not launch in North America, where the Tiguan structurally differs and relates to the European Tayron, making the sport version intended primarily for Europe and other markets.
