When Top Gear came looking for one of the rarest, most extraordinary Volkswagens ever built, they turned to the UK’s biggest independent VW community – and we delivered.
Here at VW Owners Club, our members know their cars. Not just the Golf GTIs and the Polos, but the deep cuts – the oddballs, the engineering experiments, the cars that Ferdinand Piëch greenlit on a whim and accountants quietly wept over. And the Touareg R50 is very much one of those cars.
Top Gear’s Ollie Kew was writing a feature on the greatest V10 engines ever fitted to a road car. The Touareg R50 – with its 4,921cc twin-turbocharged diesel V10, 345bhp and a mountainous 627lb ft of torque – had to be on the list. The problem? Only 41 of them are currently registered in the UK. Finding one in good condition with a cooperative owner is no small task.
That’s where VW Owners Club came in. Through our dedicated Touareg group – one of over 70 model-specific communities on the club – we connected Top Gear with the right people. The result? A stunning feature car, a brilliant article, and a well-deserved credit in one of the world’s most famous car publications.
The car belonged to owner Carsten Birkebaek, who was kind enough to make his R50 available for photography. It’s exactly the kind of thing that makes this community special – enthusiasts helping enthusiasts, whether that’s sourcing a rare part, tracking down a specialist, or occasionally helping out a TV car show.
The Top Gear feature describes the R50 as the world’s first modern super SUV. They’re right. But beyond the specs and the superlatives, what it really captures is why cars like this matter. They’re survivors – landmark machines kept alive by people who care enough to look after them.
That’s the VW Owners Club in a nutshell. Whether you drive an R50 or a Mk1 Polo, you’ll find your people here. Join us for free and be part of the UK’s largest independent Volkswagen community.