LA Show: VW Race Touareg V12 TDI Trophy Truck

This dune monster is the VW Race Touareg TDI Trophy Truck and it will run the 41st Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 desert race in the SCORE Trophy Truck class. As you may have already guessed, the race buggy doesn't share anything in common with the VW's luxury SUV other than its name and a small resemblance in appearance. The Race Touareg TDI Trophy Truck is powered by a 5.5 liter V-12 clean diesel engine that produces 550 horsepower and 625 lbs.-ft. of torque.

According to the folks over at VW, the desert-bound Touareg features a wheelbase of 125 inches, overall length of 213 inches, width of 92 inches, an overall height of 78 inches and weighs 5650 pounds. It is fitted with a double A-Arm front suspension that allows 25 inches of wheel travel, and a 4-link rear suspension that allows 30 inches of wheel travel, combined with Fox Racing Shocks, Eibach Coils and BFGoodrich Baja KRT 37x13.5x17 off-road tires.