4MOTION.

The 4XMOTION permanent four-wheel drive system on the Touareg is the foundation of its extraordinary capability over extreme terrain. The Touareg features a lockable centre differential with a multi-plate clutch and reduction gear. In normal driving mode the torque is distributed, steplessly depending on the amount of slip, across the front and rear axles. The centre differential can also be locked, to maintain a fixed distribution of driving torque. The power is diverted to the front axle by way of a bevel gear, necessitated by the design configuration on the Touareg.

A rear axle differential with a lock providing up to 100 percent locking can also be ordered as an option. The differential locks are activated by driver input. A turn knob in the cockpit enables the Touareg's differential lock to be activated manually. This improves traction in extreme terrain: the driving forces are no longer diverted by way of differentials. Each rear wheel then transmits the same driving torque, and rotates at the same speed as the other.

The gear reduction ratio (2.66:1) for heavy-duty off-road driving can be electrically activated by way of the suspension switch, to provide maximum driving force at low vehicle speed. This enables the Touareg to attain a hill climb capability of up to 100 percent (45°).