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Prepare for confusion: The Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupe concept isn't a coupe -- it's a four-door crossover. And it isn't even blue -- it's metallic orange. Clearly some product planners at VW have an interesting sense of humor. Instead of focusing on what the CrossBlue Coupe concept isn't, though, we'll focus on what it is: an innovative plug-in hybrid, wrapped in attractive sheetmetal. Like the CrossBlue concept from the Detroit auto show, the CrossBlue Coupe concept from the Shanghai motor show is built on VW's MQB architecture and powered by a gas engine paired with twin electric motors. The system consists of a transverse 3.6-liter turbocharged V-6 making 295 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, a front electric motor making 54 hp, and a rear motor making 114 hp. The system's combined output is an impressive 415 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed dual-clutch gearbox and center tunnel-mounted 9.8 kW-hr lithium-ion battery pack bring the plug-in powertrain together. Volkswagen estimates a 0-62 mph time of 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 147 mph, giving the CrossBlue Coupe some scoot to back up the sporty bodywork.
Sportiness is only half of the CrossBlue Coupe's MO. Efficiency is the
other half. On that front, the CrossBlue Coupe can operate as a pure EV
for as many as 21 miles up to a top speed of 75 mph, when the engine
will presumably start up. While in EV mode, the rear motor powers the
CrossBlue Coupe, while the front motor and engine are decoupled from the
drivetrain for efficiency's sake.
When the battery's juice runs dry, the crossover
switches to its default hybrid mode, where VW expects the vehicle to
get 79 mpg combined on the new European driving cycle. If it hasn't been
plugged in and is running on gas, the CrossBlue Coupe is reportedly
capable of 34.1 mpg combined. Thanks to a 21.2-gallon gas tank, VW
estimates the Coupe's range to be around 720 miles.
Aside from the EV and hybrid modes, the
CrossBlue has some other tricks up its sleeve. There's a Charge mode
that uses the V-6 to charge up the batteries so EV mode can be used
later in a trip, and there's an Off-Road mode. The Off-Road setting uses
what VW calls "propshaft by wire," in which the gas engine powers the
front wheels while the front motor acts as a generator and sends its
power to the rear motor, giving the CrossBlue Coupe more traction off
the beaten path.
The CrossBlue Coupe concept sports the next-generation of VW's SUV
design philosophy. While the CrossBlue was upright, sober, and
offensively inoffensive, the Coupe has an aggressive front end, a rakish
profile, and taut rear design work. The CrossBlue Coupe sports what VW
calls a 3-D front end, with its signature horizontal twin-bar grille,
which flows into the "eyebrow" daytime running lights, given a 3-D-like
effect. The LED elements flow into the lower grille area and continue
through the lower air intakes. The CrossBlue Coupe also sports a rakish
A-pillar and a swept-back C-pillar, giving the four-door a coupe-like
profile.
Size-wise, Volkswagen says the CrossBlue Coupe
"is exactly [emphasis added] 192.5 inches long, 79.3 inches wide, and
66.1 inches high," with a 117.3-inch wheelbase, making it larger than
the current-gen Touareg in just about every respect except overall
height. The concept rides on 22-inch wheels. According to Volkswagen,
the CrossBlue Coupe gives us a glimpse at the future of the automaker's
SUV design.
Inside, the five-seat CrossBlue Coupe has an
interior reminiscent of the CrossBlue. Both concepts have the same
general layout, steering wheel, instrument panel, and infotainment
system. The main differences are color choices, an offset shifter on the
center console, and headrest-mounted iPad Minis for backseat
passengers.
The Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupe drops at the
Shanghai motor show in China. No word on whether the CrossBlue Coupe
concept will enter production, but since the concept looks close to
production-ready, we'd wager a production model is already in
development.
Prepare for confusion: The Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupe concept isn't a coupe -- it's a four-door crossover. And it isn't even blue -- it's metallic orange. Clearly some product planners at VW have an interesting sense of humor. Instead of focusing on what the CrossBlue Coupe concept isn't, though, we'll focus on what it is: an innovative plug-in hybrid, wrapped in attractive sheetmetal. Like the CrossBlue concept from the Detroit auto show, the CrossBlue Coupe concept from the Shanghai motor show is built on VW's MQB architecture and powered by a gas engine paired with twin electric motors. The system consists of a transverse 3.6-liter turbocharged V-6 making 295 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, a front electric motor making 54 hp, and a rear motor making 114 hp. The system's combined output is an impressive 415 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed dual-clutch gearbox and center tunnel-mounted 9.8 kW-hr lithium-ion battery pack bring the plug-in powertrain together. Volkswagen estimates a 0-62 mph time of 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 147 mph, giving the CrossBlue Coupe some scoot to back up the sporty bodywork.
Sportiness is only half of the CrossBlue Coupe's MO. Efficiency is the
other half. On that front, the CrossBlue Coupe can operate as a pure EV
for as many as 21 miles up to a top speed of 75 mph, when the engine
will presumably start up. While in EV mode, the rear motor powers the
CrossBlue Coupe, while the front motor and engine are decoupled from the
drivetrain for efficiency's sake.
When the battery's juice runs dry, the crossover
switches to its default hybrid mode, where VW expects the vehicle to
get 79 mpg combined on the new European driving cycle. If it hasn't been
plugged in and is running on gas, the CrossBlue Coupe is reportedly
capable of 34.1 mpg combined. Thanks to a 21.2-gallon gas tank, VW
estimates the Coupe's range to be around 720 miles.
The CrossBlue Coupe concept sports the next-generation of VW's SUV
design philosophy. While the CrossBlue was upright, sober, and
offensively inoffensive, the Coupe has an aggressive front end, a rakish
profile, and taut rear design work. The CrossBlue Coupe sports what VW
calls a 3-D front end, with its signature horizontal twin-bar grille,
which flows into the "eyebrow" daytime running lights, given a 3-D-like
effect. The LED elements flow into the lower grille area and continue
through the lower air intakes. The CrossBlue Coupe also sports a rakish
A-pillar and a swept-back C-pillar, giving the four-door a coupe-like
profile.
Size-wise, Volkswagen says the CrossBlue Coupe
"is exactly [emphasis added] 192.5 inches long, 79.3 inches wide, and
66.1 inches high," with a 117.3-inch wheelbase, making it larger than
the current-gen Touareg in just about every respect except overall
height. The concept rides on 22-inch wheels. According to Volkswagen,
the CrossBlue Coupe gives us a glimpse at the future of the automaker's
SUV design.
| Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupe Concept | |
| BASE PRICE | N/A |
| VEHICLE LAYOUT | Front-engine, AWD, 4-door, 5-pass, SUV |
| ENGINE | 3.6L/295-hp/369-lb-ft turbo V-6 plus 54-hp front/114-hp rear elec motor; combined output 415-hp/516-lb-ft |
| TRANSMISSION | Six-speed dual-clutch automatic |
| LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT | 192.5 x 79.3 x 66.1 in |
| 0-62 MPH | 5.9 sec (mfr est) |
| EPA CITY/HIGHWAY FUEL ECONOMY | N/A |
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