The Volkswagen Touareg V10 TDI is a highly powerful machine in standard form, but the Superchips electronically enhanced version is another proposition again – a luxury 4x4 with serious attitude!

VW describes the Touareg V10 TDI’s 5.0-litre power plant as "the most powerful passenger car diesel engine ever built", but by reprogramming the engine management system, Superchips has made it even more potent. Maximum power is increased by 26 bhp to 356 bhp at 3,414 rpm and optimum torque by a massive 78 lb-ft, to 630 lb-ft at 2,776 rpm. Still greater gains lie at 2,851 rpm, where power is upped by 47 bhp and torque by a staggering 85 lb-ft.

Such significant performance gains generally come at an equally significant price. Not so the Superchips conversion, which totals a mere £511.13 ($900) including VAT – less than 1 per cent of the vehicle’s purchase price.

The conversion can be carried out at any one of Superchips’ 85 dealers all over UK, or at the company’s headquarters in Buckingham. In some parts of the country, it can also be done at a customer’s home or place of work, courtesy of one of the network’s mobile units. In each case the job only takes around 45 minutes to complete.