Deep Drive: Volkswagen CrossBlue Concept
01-11-15, 03:32 PM
#16
Volkswagen Cross Coupe GTE concept previews new midsize CUV... again
Long-Awaited Midsize CUV Debuts In Concept Form In Detroit
http://www.autoblog.com/2015/01/11/v...icial/#image-8
Click here to view photo gallery
Volkswagen has taken a big step towards the long-awaited second model to be built at its Chattanooga, TN factory, introducing the two-row Cross Coupe GTE Concept at the 2015 North American International Auto Show.
The relatively handsome two-row crossover borrows its basic styling language from the CrossBlue Concept that launched at the 2013 Detroit show (that we later had a brief chance to drive), and the CrossBlue Coupe from that year's Shanghai Motor Show. To be entirely frank, it just looks like a much more production-ready version of the Shanghai concept. The more aggressive elements of that model, like its rear taillights, rounded wheel arches, and aggressive front and rear fascias, have been toned down considerably. In other words, this concept almost wouldn't look out of place on the average road.
Changes in the cabin are similarly minor, with the same basic design as the CrossBlue, complemented by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.1-inch touchscreen display. While it's still quite clearly a concept car interior, it's not hard to imagine VW transitioning this cockpit into a production model.
Riding atop the Volkswagen Group's MQB architecture – making it a relative, albeit distant, of cars like the VW Golf, Audi TT and the Euro-market Passat – the Cross Coupe GTE is motivated by a 3.6-liter VR6 that's been mated to not one, but two electric motors (one on each axle). The gas engine offers up 276 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, while the front axle's electric motor generates 54 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque, and the rear can deliver a more robust 114 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque. That cacophony can be easily boiled down to this: the Cross Coupe GTE has a total system output of 355 hp and 280 pound-feet of torque, which is good enough to get the five-seater to 60 miles per hour in six seconds, on to a top speed of 130 miles per hour.
As a plug-in hybrid, though, there's more to the Cross Coupe GTE then just its power output. Range plays a big role, and in that regard, this concept is fairly average. It can cover 20 miles when its 14.1-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery is charged up. Beyond that, the drivetrain can be set to a number of modes to optimize the behavior of plug-in-hybrid powertrain.
In E-Mode, which can be locked in via a battery hold/battery charge mode, all 20 miles of range are available, although the Cross Coupe's driver will only have the 114-hp rear axle electric motor to work with. In Hybrid mode, the V6/electric motors behave much as they would in Volkswagen's Touareg Hybrid, switching between gas and electric power, or simply shutting down both power sources while coasting.
For more sporting endeavors, VW added a "GTE" button, which sharpens the throttle and transmission and cues up the entirety of the powertrain's output. An off-road mode forces the gas engine to drive the front wheels and the rear electric motor to manage the back axle, while the front axle motor takes on a role of power generator.
Look for much, much more on the Cross Coupe GTE from the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.
The relatively handsome two-row crossover borrows its basic styling language from the CrossBlue Concept that launched at the 2013 Detroit show (that we later had a brief chance to drive), and the CrossBlue Coupe from that year's Shanghai Motor Show. To be entirely frank, it just looks like a much more production-ready version of the Shanghai concept. The more aggressive elements of that model, like its rear taillights, rounded wheel arches, and aggressive front and rear fascias, have been toned down considerably. In other words, this concept almost wouldn't look out of place on the average road.
Changes in the cabin are similarly minor, with the same basic design as the CrossBlue, complemented by a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.1-inch touchscreen display. While it's still quite clearly a concept car interior, it's not hard to imagine VW transitioning this cockpit into a production model.
Riding atop the Volkswagen Group's MQB architecture – making it a relative, albeit distant, of cars like the VW Golf, Audi TT and the Euro-market Passat – the Cross Coupe GTE is motivated by a 3.6-liter VR6 that's been mated to not one, but two electric motors (one on each axle). The gas engine offers up 276 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, while the front axle's electric motor generates 54 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque, and the rear can deliver a more robust 114 hp and 199 lb-ft of torque. That cacophony can be easily boiled down to this: the Cross Coupe GTE has a total system output of 355 hp and 280 pound-feet of torque, which is good enough to get the five-seater to 60 miles per hour in six seconds, on to a top speed of 130 miles per hour.
As a plug-in hybrid, though, there's more to the Cross Coupe GTE then just its power output. Range plays a big role, and in that regard, this concept is fairly average. It can cover 20 miles when its 14.1-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery is charged up. Beyond that, the drivetrain can be set to a number of modes to optimize the behavior of plug-in-hybrid powertrain.
In E-Mode, which can be locked in via a battery hold/battery charge mode, all 20 miles of range are available, although the Cross Coupe's driver will only have the 114-hp rear axle electric motor to work with. In Hybrid mode, the V6/electric motors behave much as they would in Volkswagen's Touareg Hybrid, switching between gas and electric power, or simply shutting down both power sources while coasting.
For more sporting endeavors, VW added a "GTE" button, which sharpens the throttle and transmission and cues up the entirety of the powertrain's output. An off-road mode forces the gas engine to drive the front wheels and the rear electric motor to manage the back axle, while the front axle motor takes on a role of power generator.
Look for much, much more on the Cross Coupe GTE from the 2015 Detroit Auto Show.
01-11-15, 08:09 PM
#19
Lexus Test Driver
Great, another slick-looking SUV concept from VW that we'll have to wait another three years to see. How about they just keep giving us concepts for the next ten years and let the current Touareg continue to melt into dealer's pavement? They haven't even released the original Bluecross and they are showing us another?! We've only seen that for two years now in "near production" form.
I am eternally irked by VW's continual lack of fresh products or lag after releasing them in Europe a full year before we get ours. At least in this case, we can't even blame the latter. There is simply no excuse for all of this.
I am eternally irked by VW's continual lack of fresh products or lag after releasing them in Europe a full year before we get ours. At least in this case, we can't even blame the latter. There is simply no excuse for all of this.
08-24-16, 10:31 AM
#21
I think the market has shown that nobody wants a $40,000+ VW suv! I don't understand why they can't get it through their heads. People would rather buy the smaller Q5 over the larger Toureg because the former is an Audi.
08-24-16, 09:31 PM
#22
Lexus Test Driver
The front has a Frankenstein look to it. But overall, it's attractive everywhere else. The rear looks upscale and elegant and the dash is modern and car-like, just like the new Honda Pilot. If the price aligns with the others in this class, it should move off the dealer lot well.
08-25-16, 11:45 AM
#23
Now, whether they'd jump to a VW over those existing models remains to be seen. Tiguan was difficult because it was a bit over contented (standard relatively high-power turbo) and way overpriced to the core of the segment. Touareg also is a bit of an outlier in terms of being a fairly premium execution of the vehicle, large 2-row, also exceedingly high price.
If VW manages to keep pricing of this more in line with the competition i think it will do fine. It'll have to be priced well below the Audi equivalent Q7.
08-25-16, 12:43 PM
#24
Actually the market has shown that there is a ton of potential for 3-row crossovers that sell in the $35-50K bracket, even from a non-luxury nameplate. Explorer, Highlander, Pilot, even the Durango, Traverse/Enclave/Acadia, CX-9. This is still a huge segment that has largely replaced the minivan segment as the family hauler of choice in today's market. So some people value the 3 row, vs others in that price bracket may value the luxury badge/amenities. There's a trade off, but there is ample sales potential for both.
Now, whether they'd jump to a VW over those existing models remains to be seen. Tiguan was difficult because it was a bit over contented (standard relatively high-power turbo) and way overpriced to the core of the segment. Touareg also is a bit of an outlier in terms of being a fairly premium execution of the vehicle, large 2-row, also exceedingly high price.
If VW manages to keep pricing of this more in line with the competition i think it will do fine. It'll have to be priced well below the Audi equivalent Q7.
Now, whether they'd jump to a VW over those existing models remains to be seen. Tiguan was difficult because it was a bit over contented (standard relatively high-power turbo) and way overpriced to the core of the segment. Touareg also is a bit of an outlier in terms of being a fairly premium execution of the vehicle, large 2-row, also exceedingly high price.
If VW manages to keep pricing of this more in line with the competition i think it will do fine. It'll have to be priced well below the Audi equivalent Q7.
08-25-16, 06:46 PM
#26
Lexus Fanatic
Damn, I can't believe I never got around to posting in this thread.....thanks for bumping it, Hoovey. 
Sharp-looking vehicle. I really like the look....and that blue paint job. And it's sharp-looking inside, too.....just like Jeep's Grand Cherokee.
Sharp-looking vehicle. I really like the look....and that blue paint job. And it's sharp-looking inside, too.....just like Jeep's Grand Cherokee.
08-26-16, 02:02 AM
#27
I think it will sell if VW prices it right and doesn't make it too complicated/unreliable like the Toureg.
The Toureg, that thing was hideously overpriced, like just as much as a BMW X5. That car, along with the Phaeton, showed that nobody wanted to pay Audi/Benz/Beemer prices for a VW. Plus both of those cars are ridiculously complex, extremely unreliable and just hideously expensive for parts/labor. A lot of independent shops refuse to work on them.
Also does anybody else get the feeling that VW management has nothing but contempt for the US market??? Its like they refuse to sell cars that are cost competitive and the quality is just simply not there on most of their cars. The diesel VW's, which generally seemed to be better built, better engineered, and had a long reputation for durabilty/low service costs turned out to be an outright fraud.
The Toureg, that thing was hideously overpriced, like just as much as a BMW X5. That car, along with the Phaeton, showed that nobody wanted to pay Audi/Benz/Beemer prices for a VW. Plus both of those cars are ridiculously complex, extremely unreliable and just hideously expensive for parts/labor. A lot of independent shops refuse to work on them.
Also does anybody else get the feeling that VW management has nothing but contempt for the US market??? Its like they refuse to sell cars that are cost competitive and the quality is just simply not there on most of their cars. The diesel VW's, which generally seemed to be better built, better engineered, and had a long reputation for durabilty/low service costs turned out to be an outright fraud.
08-26-16, 03:58 AM
#28
Lead Lap
08-26-16, 06:05 AM
#29
Lexus Fanatic
The Touraeg was expensive primarily because it was done on the Porsche Cayenne platform. It was, though, slightly less performance-oriented and more off-road-capable the the Cayenne, which was primarily just a Porsche designed for bad weather and carrying things.
VW, BTW, initially got into some hot water over the vehicle's name, because of a group of North African tribal people of the same name were offended.
The diesel scandal had little or nothing to do with durability or engineering. It had to do with emission-test results. VW set up the engine's computer so that it would recognize an EPA or CARB test, make temporary adjustments to pass the tests, then revert back to its default setting, which was less-restrictive on emissions. In plain and simple English, it's called cheating.
VW, BTW, initially got into some hot water over the vehicle's name, because of a group of North African tribal people of the same name were offended.
Also does anybody else get the feeling that VW management has nothing but contempt for the US market??? Its like they refuse to sell cars that are cost competitive and the quality is just simply not there on most of their cars. The diesel VW's, which generally seemed to be better built, better engineered, and had a long reputation for durabilty/low service costs turned out to be an outright fraud.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post