VW Touareg Survives Missile Strike in Ukraine and Drives Away

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A third-gen VW Touareg survived a missile strike in Ukraine.

Despite being heavily damaged, the SUV starts and drives.

The cockpit displays, seats, and lights remain functional.

Modern vehicles catch a lot of flak for leaning too hard on tech, wired so tightly that one minor fault can trigger an electronic shutdown. A third-gen Volkswagen Touareg has just poked a hole in that reputation, surviving the brunt of a nearby missile strike and driving away.

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The heavily damaged SUV reached a global audience through Ukrainian company EMG Group, which posted viral videos on social media. According to those clips, the vehicle was parked near the detonation site of a ballistic missile attack in Ukraine.

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The resulting shockwave, shrapnel, and falling debris left the Porsche Cayenne and Bentley Bentayga sibling mangled beyond recognition. The roof structure has caved in toward the cabin, the pillars are bent, the vast majority of the exterior body panels have been deformed, all of the windows have been shattered and the exposed interior is coated in a thick layer of dust.

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EMG Group explained that the Touareg was switched off and unoccupied when the blast hit, which might explain why no airbags were triggered.

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What is more interesting is that when the driver stepped into the cabin and pressed the keyless ignition, the turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 fired up without any hesitation. The engine immediately settled into a smooth idle, allowing the driver to engage gear and roll the mangled SUV away under its own power.

Equally remarkable is the survival of the electrical backbone. Volkswagen’s Innovision Cockpit displays boot up normally upon start and respond to touch inputs, while the climate controls, power seats and exterior lighting remain operational. On the other hand, the head-up display unit has nowhere to project the information.

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A post shared by Авто підбір/пригон по країнам ЄС та в Україну (@e.m.g_group)

Predictably, the digital instrument cluster lights up like a Christmas tree with multiple fault warnings. The diagnostic codes stem from destroyed hardware, including the external ADAS sensors. Still, the MLB Evo chassis and the V6 powertrain appear to have survived the attack and the underbody looks pretty much intact besides the hanging exhaust.

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Commenters urged EMG Group to ship the Touareg to a Volkswagen museum as a rolling monument to durability. Others asked whether it would be scrapped or turned into the basis for some wild build. Either way, the soon-to-be-discontinued VW flagship proved the Toyota Hilux and Land Cruiser don’t have a monopoly on being indestructible.

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A post shared by Авто підбір/пригон по країнам ЄС та в Україну (@e.m.g_group)

Opening Image: EMG Group / YouTube | H/T to AutoBild