Volkswagen is launching a hotted up version of the Touareg called R50 for a debut at the Australian International Motor Show next week.

VW has high hopes that the kicked up R50 will have the styling presence as well as raw power to take the fight to the growing sport SUV segment, including Porsche’s Cayenne.

(Click on the jump to read more about the Touareg R50 as well as Volkswagen’s official press release.)

The new Touareg will boast a tuned version of Volkswagen’s quite competent V-10 TDi diesel engine. With more than 313 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, the beastly R50 should offer a healthy competitor for the heaving haulers from Stuttgart.

The R50 gets a puffed up exterior package to match the increases under the hood. Bigger wheels and tires, widened fenders, and aero adds help to bring the looks in line with the performance potential, as well as bringing the fold of VW’s expanding R philosophy.

More details are sure to follow the Touareg R50’s launch down under.

In another world premiere for the Australian International Motor Show, Volkswagen has announced it will unveil its new Touareg R50 in Sydney next week (11 October). Developed by a team of specialists at Volkswagen Individual GmbH, the Touareg R50 is one of the most powerful SUVs in the world. While Volkswagen has yet to announce detailed specifications, it promises the R50 boasts "generous" increases on the 230kW of power and 750Nm of torque produced by the current V10 TDi model on which it is based. Bigger wheels and tyres and tweaked suspension complete the high-performance package. Volkswagen Individual GmbH has also designed new exterior and interior features to reflect the R philosophy.

The R50 is the third model to appear under Volkswagen's sporty R label, following in the footsteps of the Golf R32 and the new Passat R36 - which was launched last month at the Frankfurt motor show. All three models have 4MOTION all-wheel drive to guarantee optimal traction.