VOLKSWAGEN HAS ANNOUNCED the addition of a BlueMotion model to the Touareg line-up in the European market, offering a 10 percent improvement in fuel economy.

Offering a fuel consumption figure of 8.3 l/100km, the Touareg TDI BlueMotion beats even the 9.05 l/100km of the Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid, revealed in February.

The petrol hybrid has it over the TDI BlueMotion in one area though, and that’s outright power. The TDI delivers a maximum output of 167kW, while the V6 TSI hybrid’s petrol and electric output weighs in at 279kW.

Volkswagen’s BlueMotion technology features an intelligent energy management system which charges the battery during the push phase of the vehicle, while 25mm lower suspension and low rolling resistance tyres contribute to the Touareg TDI BlueMotion’s fuel savings.

Despite its excellent fuel economy figures, we’re unlikely to see the Touareg TDI BlueMotion – or the rest of the BlueMotion range – in Australia any time soon.

TMR spoke with Volkswagen Group Australia’s Karl Gehling, who said that while the company is “eager to get the BlueMotion range onto Australian roads, it won’t happen until the [BlueMotion] technology can be offered with Volkswagen’s DSG transmission.”

According to Volkswagen’s spokesperson for Production Communications, Christian Haacke, that pairing may never come to pass, due to the extra cost and weight of the DSG transmission; suggesting such a combination would be contradictory to the aim of the BlueMotion technology.

Volkswagen already offers ten BlueMotion models in the European market, including the Golf, Jetta and Passat, featuring start-stop technology, low rolling resistance tyres and modified aerodynamics – including an enclosed underbody.

Volkswagen also displayed its Polo BlueMotion concept at last year’s Australian International Motor Show.