Royal tuning treatment for Touareg
2011-06-22 07:28
CUSTOM CRAFTED: Its styling is hardly the last word in subtle, but if you’re after a cutsomised VW SUV, this Hofele tuned Touareg is pretty much par for the course.
Vehicle Specs
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Manufacturer
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Hofele
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Model
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Royal GT 470
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Engine
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3-litre V6 turbodiesel
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Power
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203kW
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Torque
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580Nm
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Zero To Hundred
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7 sec
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Despite sharing a great many components with its Porsche SUV sister VW’s Touareg has never been doted on as a German tuners’ pet project car in the same manner as Zuffenhausen's Cayenne.
All manner of hideous (and elaborately overpowered) Cayennes are crafted in the heartland of Germany's tuning industry but, curiously, very few speed shops bother even offering a subtle upgrade for the Touareg.
Now, thanks to the (rather) interestingly named Hofele tuning brand, operating from a facility just outside of Stuttgart, Touareg owners can indulge all their pent-up customising fantasies with the Royal GT 470 conversion.
VERY 'INDIVIDUAL' STYLING
Hofele’s Royal treatment is underscored by a raft of custom-crafted surface details, among them a re-surfaced bonnet (boasting an appropriately notable power bulge), colour-coded grille and new bumper/fascia combination featuring additional individual lighting diodes in the lower portion.
Viewed side-on, the most obvious upgrade is the use of elaborately styled (and oversized) 22" alloy wheels in extended wheel arches with a stainless-steel quad exhaust system tips rounding-off the Hofele Touareg’s Royal styling modifications.
Hofele’s product planning staff was careful not to bring a lopsided package to market. Its intent was never to build a Touareg trailer-queen: one that looks outrageous but offers negligible performance gains. As such the Royal treatment extends to a series of neat mechanical engineering upgrades too.
The only engine available for Hofele’s Royal GT 470 package is VW’s three-litre Audi-derived V6 turbodiesel. Good for 176kW and 550Nm in standard trim, some considered engine control module remapping and a custom exhaust system enables Hofele to specified an improved peak power number of 203kW, supported by 580Nm of torque.
The result? Quicker standing start acceleration, with the benchmark 0-100km/h sprint completed in a time 1.8 sec quicker (7 sec) than VW’s stock 3.0 TDI Touareg.
Beyond the additional power and straight-line dynamic prowess, Hofele's Royal GT 470 kit also includes an electronic lowering module plugged into the Touareg’s air suspension system’s control unit, adjusting its operational protocol. This reduces the Hofele tuned Touareg’s median ride height by 50mm, increasing high-speed cruising stability and decreasing drag, although expected (marginal) improvements in fuel consumption are negated by those massive 22-inch wheels.
If you can’t stand the criminal underworld image association that comes with Cayenne ownership (at times, in certain markets), yet desire a custom crafted VW Group SUV, Hofele’s Royal GT 470 could be an attractive option.
