- Volkswagen conjures up another derivative of its Cross Coupe plug-in hybrid concept, this one with a clean diesel engine.
- In addition to the TDI engine, the latest version of the Cross Coupe features a pair of electric motors, one at the front and one in the rear.
- Both the vehicle and the driveline appear to be headed for production.
GENEVA — Volkswagen has conjured up another derivative of its Cross Coupe plug-in hybrid concept, this one with a clean diesel engine.
VW released the first Cross Coupe concept three months ago, at the 2011 Tokyo Auto Show. That version featured a small TSI gas engine rated at 148 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque, mated with a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic.
The latest iteration, which debuts next week at the 2012 Geneva Auto Show, substitutes a familiar TDI engine, in this case a 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit slated for widespread use in the company's new MQB modular platform, which will underpin the replacements for the Golf, the Tiguan and a variety of siblings.
The TDI is also coupled with the seven-speed DSG, and makes a thumping 295 lb-ft of torque. As on the earlier Cross Coupe concept, the latest version adds a pair of electric motors, one that delivers 133 lb-ft to the front axle and the other providing 199 lb-ft to the rear. VW says the combination under full load supplies up to 516 lb-ft of torque — considerably more than the 6.3-liter W12 engine that powers the 2012 Audi A8.
The Cross Coupe TDI Hybrid jets from zero to 60 in 6.5 seconds — faster than the gasoline/electric version — and can travel up to 28 miles in pure electric mode, drawing on energy stored in the 9.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
VW says the Cross Coupe TDI Hybrid will return an average 55 mpg, giving it a range of 800 miles.
Inside Line says: Both the Cross Coupe and the TDI hybrid drivetrain are likely to wind up in production in the next two years.
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tootbraunstein says:
12:59 PM, 04/13/2012
1990 duotone flashback dont do it
300zxguy says:
08:59 PM, 03/06/2012
@openeyes1: VW seems to sell a good number of Jetta wagons, so if you offer a good wagon it can sell. True, there are some who like the ride height of a CUV, but many choose the CUV by default because there are so few wagon choices. For equivalent utility, a wagon is generally cheaper and more efficient, so this is a marketing failure, when's the last time you even saw an ad for a wagon? (other than the Acura TSX, which isn't selling mostly because its not a good value). But mostly, many manufacturers choose not to sell wagons here that they sell elsewhere because the CAFE rules reward them for selling a CUV "truck" over a wagon "car", I seriously wonder if that wouldn't change simply by having the gov't count wagons as trucks, too. If the purpose of the rules is to get higher overall mpgs, then removing the penalty on wagons vs CUVs should be a no-brainer, unfortunately our gov't is full of bureaucrats not even that smart.
500rwhp says:
06:52 PM, 03/05/2012
Maybe VW should invest in building cars that have high quality instead of high gimmick value.
openeyes1 says:
02:36 PM, 03/05/2012
@300zxguy; "...because I'm tired of the lack of real station wagons in the US market..." Maybe if you can convince 5'2" soccer moms or dads with an ego issue, to get out of their high riding SUV's, and choose a lower riding wagon instead, you'd get an increased selection from manufacturers. I wouldn't bet on it though, these individuals are dead set against seeing the highway from the height of those who drive cars, and will keep driving their road hogs even as gas prices set new records.
300zxguy says:
10:47 AM, 03/05/2012
this is the latest escalation in the conspiracy to remove all meaning from the word "coupe". They can't even make the weak claim of a "coupe-like" roofline with this one. Personally, I'm hoping next up a coupe station wagon, because I'm tired of the lack of real station wagons in the US market, maybe they will sell better if they are called coupes.
akitadog says:
09:09 AM, 03/05/2012
VW's X6. Bleeehhhhh....
germancarguy says:
06:59 AM, 03/05/2012
Just what VW needs another stupid model in their lineup! What a waste. Remember when car companies had 3 cars, 1 wagon and maybe 2 SUV's for sale? What was wrong with that? Now they need 20 or more models. VW should be more concerned with the crap they have been putting put out lately all in the name of more profits than about bringing out more models.
pure_hp says:
05:50 AM, 03/05/2012
@urbanxj +1000
openeyes1 says:
07:02 PM, 03/04/2012
@jcsupreme; Next they will be calling Yukon's "crossovers"!
jcsupreme says:
05:38 PM, 03/04/2012
Its not a frikin coupe.