Black VW Touareg 7L Off road Build with a 2″ Lift
The Volkswagen Touareg, particularly the first-gen 7L model, has carved out a unique niche in the off-road community. Despite being a more mechanically sophisticated vehicle than some traditional Toyota and Nissan 4x4s, this German crossover has got some impressive off-road capabilities that have earned it a pretty wide following.
Today, we’re featuring a striking black 2005 VW Touareg 7L off-road build that showcases the real potential of this beautifully aging premium crossover. Owned and modified by Travis, a professional VW/Audi technician with a true passion to modified VAGs, this Touareg has been built to support his passion for mountain biking, off-roading, and outdoor camping with family. With a 2″ lift, aggressive 33″ tires, and other subtle mods and upgrades, Travis has transformed his Touareg into a versatile adventure rig that’s equally at home on forest trails and mall parking lots.
Not a 4×4, is it?
Even though modified and lifted Touaregs along with their Porsche Cayenne twins are not an uncommon sight, they still surprise other off-roaders in more conventional 4x4s on the trails. Seeing a premium crossover like this go head to head with the big rigs commands nothing but respect.
Presenting the Touareg. A sport utility vehicle designed to provide as much joy on-road as off, it’s the Volkswagen that does what other Volkswagens don’t.
The original 2005 VW Touareg brochure
Being equipped with all the solid 4×4 features, such as a center locking differential and even a rear locker on select models, makes Touaregs a very decent option on the market of used SUVs of 2000s.
If you dive deeper into the specs and features of these vehicles, you’ll realize that the differences between them and more conventional 4x4s are quite negligible. For instance, based on Edmunds spec data base, a 2005 Toyota 4Runner 4WD comes with factory 30″ tires, 9.1″ of ground clearance, and 32/24 degree approach/departure angles, which isn’t significantly more than a 2005 Touareg’s 29″ tires, 8.3″ of ground clearance, and 28/28 degree approach/departure angles in the stock form.
Add a 2″ lift and a set of 33″ tires installed by Travis, and you’ve got a vehicle that can easily match or even surpass the off-road capabilities of many dedicated 4x4s, at least in the stock form.
Owner’s Insight
Why did you choose a Touareg for your off-road project?
I picked the Touareg because I am a VW/Audi technician and wanted something offroad capable for mountain biking but still wanted something to haul the kids in.
What was the most difficult part of the build?
Probably the most difficult part was trying to get the tires to fit without rubbing. Lots of cutting/welding/trimming to get it to the point it does rub anymore.
What do you love the most about your project?
I love the looks that I get on the trails that some VW is out there with all the other “true” offroad vehicles. It’s been a great vehicle and very reliable, it’s got 260k on it now
Mods & Upgrades
Suspension & Lift
- 2″ PRG Products lift
- 10mm and 18mm wheel spacers
Wheels & Tires
- 17×8 Black Rhino Stadium wheels
- 285/70/17 TOYO Open Country M/T’s (33″)
Lights
- EUROWISE front light bar
- HELLA 5″ rounds (up top and on bar)
Exterior Modifications
- Custom roof bars and basket
- Badgeless grill
- All chrome has been blacked out
Other
- Onboard ARB air compressor
Conclusion
This Volkswagen Touareg built by Travis shows that with the right modifications and expertise, this sometimes-overlooked platform can be transformed into a pretty capable off-road machine. By combining a 2″ lift, aggressive 33″ tires, and thoughtful upgrades, he has created a versatile adventure rig that looks and drives great on and off the pavement.
Based on our off-road capability rating system this build gets solid score of 45 points out of 70 possible thanks to the lift with heavily oversized tires (30 Points), a rear locker (+10 Points) and advanced AWD system (+5 Points).
Watch the progress and find out more about this VW Touareg build by visiting the Instagram profile of the owner: @duballstars_trav
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