Today at the New York International Auto Show, Volkswagen unveiled its very first venture into hybrid technology: The 2011 Touareg Hybrid, set to debut late Summer 2010.

Shiny and relatively svelte for an SUV, the new model will be a test bed for hybrid technology that'll appear next year in the ultra-luxe Porsche Cayenne Hybrid, as well as Volkwagen hybrids of the future. It's also an introduction for a new design language, which will trickle through the rest of the Volkswagen line.