Future models - Volkswagen - T-RocVolkswagen poised to sign-off on budget Evoque rivalA road-going, open-topped Volkswagen three-door SUV could arrive as soon as 2016GalleryClick to see larger images 6 Mar 2014 By MIKE COSTELLO in GENEVA VOLKSWAGEN said this week its forthcoming 2016 sports SUV, previewed this week in Geneva by the T-Roc concept, will likely come in both three- and five-door configurations and could maintain the show car’s novel detachable roof. Badged as a ‘lifestyle’ crossover, the T-Roc looks poised to slot into the VW range inside three years between the miniature (and soon-to-be-released) Taigun and familiar Tiguan, as the German giant seeks to grow its comparatively small SUV stocks. In turn, the more conventional Tiguan will also grow over the current model to make room for T-Roc in the range, and to address the current model’s below-par cargo capacity. The T-Roc, or whatever ‘T’ badge the eventual production car wears, will be based on the Golf’s ‘MQB’ platform and pitched at the youth market with atypically aggressive and funky styling. The three- or five-door configurations theoretically make it a cut-price Range Rover Evoque. It will also almost certainly come to Australia once production is confirmed, as it is expected it will be. Volkswagen Australia general manager of public relations Karl Gehling told GoAuto last week that the company’s local arm would be interested in bringing the T-Roc here -- unlike the developing market Taigun -- “if” it made production. Volkswagen Group board member of head of powertrain development Heinz-Jakob Neusser told GoAuto this week that the company wanted to build the car on the proviso that public reaction in Geneva was positive, and once it “pushed the button” would release the road version “in something between 2.5 and 3 years”. “We would like to build it and we are just here to get the response from press and potential customers if they are interested in this,” he said. “It fits very well below the Tiguan, which is larger, and between the Taigun - which we fit at the lower end,” he said. “From size-wise it’s somewhere around the Golf, and since it’s on that car’s MQB platform, we can use the same powertrains so we are very efficient.” When asked if the concept T-Roc’s unusual three-door layout would make way for a more conventional and practical five-door configuration -- concept cars are sometimes just generalised styling exercises, after all -- Dr Neusser surprisingly said VW may well offer both. “We haven't decided it up to now but it perhaps makes sense to have both, due to the fact that we have a very sporty design feature with the roof which can be opened, and all these things are just more emotional on the two-door than a four-door,” he said. Asked if Volkswagen has taken inspiration from potential rivals such as the Nissan Juke, Dr Neusser insisted the T-Roc was “absolutely different”. But it is similar in one regard to the Nissan - both models are aimed at luring young buyers to their respective brands. “These sharp lines and steep angles, aggressive style, is in our VW DNA, but we’ve made it more progressive and this should appeal to the lifestyle-oriented clientele who should be interested in these sort of cars,” said Dr Neusser. “It could be a worldwide model, because the segment is very steep growing in Europe, China, the US and South America. (Also) when we do it we do it s both LHD and RHD.” Read more4th of March 2014 Geneva show: VW T-Roc makes new ‘Trax’Volkswagen previews compact crossover for the city SUV class, but not before 201728th of February 2014 Geneva show: VW teases forthcoming Juke rivalVolkswagen will soon offer a city-sized crossover SUV inspired by new T-ROC concept20th of February 2014 Geneva show: Range Rover’s sportiest EvoqueLong wait for new Range Rover Evoque flagship but upgraded regular range now on sale19th of April 2013 Volkswagen previews Evoque rivalThe inside word on Volkswagen's Evoque rival, plus its wider SUV plansAll future modelsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chery Brabham Chrysler Chevrolet Cupra Citroen DS Dodge Fiat Ferrari Foton Ford Great Wall FPV Haval GWM Honda Holden Hummer HSV Infiniti Hyundai Jaguar Isuzu Kia Jeep Land Rover Lamborghini Lexus LDV Mahindra Lotus Mazda Maserati Mercedes-AMG McLaren MG Mercedes-Benz Mitsubishi Mini Opel Nissan Peugeot Pagani Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen Motor industry news |
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