Volkswagen New Compact Coupe Concept - 2010 Detroit Auto Show

What's special about it?
Volkswagen is breaking out of its design straitjacket with the Volkswagen NCC (New Compact Coupe) — a near-production-ready concept with a hybrid drivetrain. High-ranking officials from VW headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, have confirmed to Inside Line that the NCC will become part of the next-generation Jetta lineup following its unveiling at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.

The elegant front-wheel-drive coupe has been conceived to fill the hole left in VW's product line for North America following its decision to withhold from importing the Scirocco to these shores. After years of attempting to convince U.S. car buyers that hatchbacks are the wave of the future, the German carmaker has acknowledged that a traditional three-box body style is vital for any car meant to achieve sales success in North America.

To be produced alongside its four-door sedan and wagon siblings at Volkswagen's manufacturing facility in Puebla, Mexico, the NCC's most affordable variant will be aimed at the Honda Civic, while more well-equipped versions will target the BMW 1 Series. Though it's still early, Inside Line sources say the Jetta coupe will likely start at around $18,000 and rise to $25,000 for the top-of-the-line hybrid version previewed by the NCC at Detroit.

Credit for the new car's design goes to Klaus Bishoff, the design boss of the Volkswagen brand. Unlike most concept cars, which are designed for a short shelf life, the NCC has been built to prepare buyers for the arrival of a planned coupe version of the sixth-generation Jetta.

The first detail everyone notices with the NCC is the trapezoidal headlights. The complex internal graphics have been designed to emphasize the strong horizontal theme within the grille and provide some added visual width. The front end is otherwise dominated by a deep bumper carrying large cooling ducts for the hybrid driveline that lurks within.

The steel body picks up on the design trends evident in a number of recent Volkswagen concept cars. Taut surfacing and subtle creases provide a clean and unadorned shape that is characterized by a prominent shoulder line that starts at the upper edge of the headlamps and runs all the way through to the taillamps and squared-off wheel arch flares.

When Bischoff and the Volkswagen design team packaged the NCC, it became clear that this car wasn't just going to be a two-door version of the next-generation Jetta. "We wanted a three-box shape with a proper trunk," Bishoff says. "This is important to U.S. car buyers, who have traditionally shunned hatchbacks. But we weren't satisfied with the upright glasshouse of the sedan. It just didn't fit with the visual character we were seeking for the coupe."

As a result, the new two-door gets its own unique windshield angle, frameless windows for the doors and a slightly sportier roof profile than its more conventional four-door sibling (which is due out in 2011), a design approach similar to that used to great success by BMW with its strong-selling 3 Series coupe.

Just how much of the NCC will survive into production remains to be seen. With length, width and height of 178.5 inches, 70.1 inches and 141 inches respectively, the two-door NCC doesn't stray too far in size from today's four-door Jetta.

However, the wheelbase has grown by 2.9 inches to 104.4 inches, while the track measurements are up by 0.6 to 61.2 inches up front and by 1.6 inches to 61.4 inches at the rear. The relatively large footprint provides the new car with a well-planted stance that is further reinforced here by the concept car's 19-inch Lugano wheels with 235/35R19 Goodyear Eagle F1 tires.

The interior of the NCC is close to production-ready with a high fascia reminiscent of a number of existing Volkswagen models. The emphasis is clearly on functionality, although VW's typical attention to detail gives it a high-quality feel that wouldn't be out of place in a much more expensive car.

The seating is arranged in a 2+2 layout with a center console dissecting the interior and extending all the way back to the rear bulkhead. The trunk capacity is generous by the standards of a compact coupe with 14.4 cubic feet. Aside from a few typical concept car flourishes, this is much the same layout that you can expect to see on the new Jetta, according to our sources at Volkswagen.

Still, it is not only the NCC's styling and interior that point toward the future. Its advanced gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain also provides a clear indication of Volkswagen's plan to offer buyers a fuel-saving hybrid powertrain for its upcoming models, including the next-generation Jetta.

The centerpiece is VW's impressive 1.4-liter TSI inline-4. With turbocharging and direct injection, this engine produces 150 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque.

A brushless, disc-shaped electric motor is mounted between the gasoline engine and the seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission. The motor provides an additional 27 hp and 103 lb-ft of torque to take the concept car's hybrid drivetrain to an overall output of 177 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque.

VW says this front-wheel-drive car will get to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.1 seconds with a top speed of 141 mph. By comparison, the existing Jetta with its 2.5-liter inline-5 hits 100 km/h (62 mph) in 8.5 seconds and reaches 130 mph with its five-speed automatic transmission.

This is a full hybrid, meaning it is capable of electric-only propulsion on light throttle loads. However, the range is limited by a decision to provide the NCC with a small 1.1 kWh lithium-ion battery, which is mounted within the spare wheelwell in the floor of the trunk.

In electric mode and on a trailing throttle, the gasoline engine will actually disengage, enhancing fuel savings. VW says it's like freewheeling a bicycle, and it leads to a style of driving that helps improve the hybrid powertrain's fuel-efficiency to 45 mpg overall. Other fuel-saving measures include automatic stop/start and a brake energy regeneration system.

Inside Line says: If we're not going to get the Scirocco, this isn't a bad substitute. Hopefully, the Jetta sedan will look just as slick.