Rumor has it Volkswagen is mulling a two-wheel drive version of the Touareg. Whispers are buzzing around the francophone site L'Automobile that the company is considering dropping power to the front wheels in order to create a Touareg 2Motion. Why? If our Google translator is to be believed, Volkswagen is hoping to trim some weight and cost from its SUV while upping the vehicle's fuel efficiency at the same time.

The site quotes an unnamed member of the truck's development team as saying it would be relatively easy to make the Touareg a rear-wheel drive vehicle. What's more, a less-expensive VW SUV would likely appeal to the American masses. The Touareg currently carries a base MSRP of around $40,850, so some reduction in price for the two-wheel drive variant is all but assured.

L'Automobile doesn't make mention of when the Touareg 2Motion will come to market, though the current feeling is that it won't be until well past 2012, if at all. It would make sense to see VW offer a RWD version, though, especially when equipped with the upcoming hybrid drivetrain.

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