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Today we bring you the very first official photographs of Volkswagen's new Tiguan SUV, shorn of its testing disguise and polished up for the occasion.

You won't be too surprised at the Tiguan's neat new lines, as they delineate a toned down version of the 'Concept Tiguan' first shown at the LA Auto Show, itself a more conventional interpretation of the swoopy Concept A displayed in Geneva.

VW has also released some initial specifications. Available at launch to worldwide distributors will be three TSI and two TDI engines, the latter now with common-rail direct injection, in a bid to reduce noise. Diesel options come in 138 and 168bhp versions, with 236 and 258lb.ft available respectively. Both diesel units comply with 2009 Euro V emissions regulations. Only the 2-litre 138bhp version will make it to the UK to start with and it's thought to be the best seller.

All petrol engines fitted to the Tiguan will be versions of VW's TSI unit, which combines a turbocharger and supercharger in one package, enabling decent performance from a smaller engine, which in turn allows the possibility of significantly reduced fuel consumption. Three power outputs are to be sold initially, ranging from 148bhp to 197bhp. Only the 148bhp version, a 1.4-litre, will come to the UK when the Tiguan hits dealers in February 2008, although VW UK tells us that another two petrol engines at least will become available in the future.

Eager customers, of which we're sure there are plenty, can start placing orders in November, with entry-level models just nipping below the twenty grand mark. The UK range will encompass three trim levels (S, SE and Sport) and all models will have '4MOTION' four-wheel drive, though we wouldn't rule out the option of front-wheel drive only models at some stage. Saying that, VW will offer customers the option of a different front end, which increases the approach angle significantly for enhanced off-road performance. We'll be surprised if the Tiguan comes close to the Land Rover Freelander in terms of off-road ability, but there's no doubt that it will be a fierce rival for the class in all other respects.

We'll get our first viewing of the finished Tiguan at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Shane O' Donoghue - 29 Jun 2007