Volkswagen teases high-performance T-Roc R

VOLKSWAGEN has teased its T-Roc R performance small SUV with a single rendering ahead of its official reveal at the Geneva motor show next month.

While the standard T-Roc is confirmed for Australia, the German car-maker’s local wing cannot yet confirm if the uprated T-Roc R will join the range, however, Volkswagen Group Australia (VGA) general manager of corporate communications Paul Pottinger said it will push to import the model.

“We’ll continue to agitate for access to the T-Roc R,” he said. “It would be a hit here.”

The initial rendering provides a glimpse of what to expect when the T-Roc R is unveiled, showing a sporty grille with wide air vents, big alloy wheels and a roof-mounted spoiler.

While the rendering does not show the vehicle’s cabin, Volkswagen has said it will have an “R-specific interior and exterior”.

Volkswagen has yet to detail specifications, but it is expected that the T-Roc R will get the 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the Golf R hot hatch, which in European form produces 228kW and 400Nm.

If the T-Roc R does borrow its powertrain from the range-topping Golf, it will likely also utilise its seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel-drive platform for a zero-to-100km/h sprint time of less than five seconds.

The standard T-Roc, pitched to take on Japanese heavy-hitters like the Mazda CX-3, Honda CR-V, Toyota C-HR and Mitsubishi ASX, has been delayed for Australia due to supply restraints, but it is expected to arrive sometime next year.

It will offer a strong list of driver-assistance systems as standard, including post-collision braking, lane-keep assist and autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection, alongside high-end cabin features and a quirky interior design.

Volkswagen is also set to offer an even smaller – yet-to-be-revealed SUV before year’s end called the T-Cross, which is based on the latest Polo light car’s MQB A0 platform.

Exact timing and specifications for the Australian market remain unclear.

The T-Cross and T-Roc will bolster Volkswagen’s SUV line-up, which currently consists only of the mid-size Tiguan, seven-seat Tiguan Allspace and large-size Touareg large.

In 2018, Volkswagen sold 9146 Tiguan units, while the Tiguan Allspace, which arrived in August, found 2454 homes in the last four months of the year.

Meanwhile, the ageing Touareg, which is set to get an update in the coming months, achieved just 939 sales for a 41.7 per cent drop year-to-year.