VW Touareg spruced up

Here's an illuminating look at the new Volkswagen Touareg! These are the best pictures yet of the facelifted German SUV, which is set to get Eos-style headlights as part of a range of revisions.

Our spies caught the off-roader testing in the US, and the changes are easy to spot. Along with the stylish new lamps - partially hidden by a strip of silver tape - the big front bumper has come in for attention. It gets a toned down version of the now trademark VW grille, while horizontal chrome bars help give the big SUV a classy look.

Towering off-road performance and decent on-road ability mean that the changes under the skin will be relatively minor. However, VW's engineers have modified the existing air-suspension set-up for improved driving manners.

New options include a load management system like the one fitted to the Passat estate, which adjusts the dampers depending on the weight being carried, and upgraded satellite navigation. The engine line-up will be carried over unchanged, but future additions could include the 247bhp 3.2-litre V6 from the Passat 4MOTION as a replacement for the current 220bhp unit.

The Touareg is expected to debut at September's Paris Motor Show, before arriving in the UK early next year. Price rises over the current range are likely.