VW Cross Coupe GTE at Detroit – close to production

Volkswagen has unveiled the Volkswagen Cross Coupe GTE at the the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The five-seater midsize SUV concept is an evolution of the CrossBlue Coupe from Shanghai 2013 with a new face and more macho styling.

VW says that the Cross Coupe GTE previews the firm’s new US design language, combining German engineering with the American way of life. “The concept car has a commanding presence; it is powerful with a look that could almost be described as aggressive. Numerous details hint at how we envisage a future production SUV model for North America,” said Klaus Bischoff, chief designer at VW.

Although the design of all three modular transverse matrix (MQB) based SUVs (this, the CrossBlue Coupe and the seven-seater CrossBlue SUV) have the Volkswagen design DNA and common stylistic features, the latest model breaks in many ways with previous concepts, and thus increases the momentum towards series production, Wolfsburg says.

The Cross Coupe GTE measures 4,847 mm long, 1,736 mm high and 2,030 mm wide, which means it has a bigger footprint than today’s Touareg SUV. So think of this as Volkswagen’s BMW X6.

The car is powered by a 3.6 litre V6 in combination with two electric motors. The direct-injection FSI engine delivers 280 PS and 350 Nm, while the two electric motors deliver 40 kW and 220 Nm (front) and 85 kW and 270 Nm (rear). They are powered by a compact 14.1 kWh lithium-ion battery housed in the centre tunnel.

Total output is 360 PS, and using this full power, the Cross Coupe GTE can do 0-96 km/h (0-60 mph) in six seconds flat. Top speed is 209 km/h. The Cross Coupe can be driven in five different power modes: E-Mode, Hybrid, GTE, Offroad and Battery Hold/Battery Charge. In E-Mode, the VW can travel in zero-emission mode for up to 32 km, powered solely by the rear axle motor.

The Cross Coupe GTE also has a range of driving profiles: Onroad (with the sub-modes Comfort and Eco), Offroad (with Rocks, Sludge & Sand and Gravel) and Sport and Snow. If Offroad is engaged and the battery’s charge level is low, the front electric motor is employed as a generator driven by the V6 to provide power to rear axle counterpart. This means that AWD is available even when the battery is weak.

The cabin looks production ready. It features a new infotainment system controlled via a 10.1-inch touchscreen, while the 12.3-inch Active Info Display is similar to that recently previewed on the new Passat. Seating consists of sports seats up front and a three-seat bench in the rear, which can be folded 1/3 or 2/3 for a flat cargo floor.

Volkswagen has confirmed that it will start production of a new seven-seater midsize SUV at the Chattanooga factory in Tennessee USA, at the end of 2016. Expanding its industrial footprint in the US is part of VW’s Strategy 2018 plan.

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