FASTBACK SEDAN CONCEPT FEATURES HYBRID GAS-ELECTRIC POWERTRAIN
This week Volkswagen unveiled the Sport Coupe Concept GTE at the Geneva motor show. Said to debut a new design language for the brand, the Sport Coupe Concept GTE features a crisp form and repeating horizontal lines, themes we have recently seen on the Cross Coupe GTE Concept that debuted at the Detroit auto show earlier this year. This new concept is the latest in a batch of GTE-named concept cars that have brought together a new design aesthetic that eschews rounded shapes in favor of those crips, sharp lines. The concepts offer hybrid powertrains and make use of the new company-wideMLB and MQB platforms.
Underpinned by the same MQB platform currently used in the Golf and several other VW Group vehicles, this concept is powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter TSI V6 direct-injection engine producing 295 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The engine is coupled with a plug-in hybrid system that produces an additional 168 hp for a total of 374 hp; on top of that, it offers a 32-mile pure-electric range. This hybrid powertrain is reportedly good for sprints from 0-62 mph in 5.0 seconds, and it gives the car a reported top speed of 155 mph. Volkswagen says that the Sport Coupe Concept GTE can achieve 118 mpg, with the total driving range on one tank of gasoline topping out at more than 745 miles.
"The design of the Sport Coupe Concept GTE is an impressive alternative to the classic sedans of the B and C segments -- it has the style of a sport coupe that is enriched by the functionality of a large hatchback and the interior space of a sedan,” said Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neusser, Volkswagen Brand board member for development.
The interior is meant to maximize passenger space, and that means an exceptionally long wheelbase with modest overhangs.PHOTO BY VOLLKSWAGEN
The Sport Coupe Concept GTE's interior is meant to maximize space, which is why it has been given an exceptionally long wheelbase that measures 118.9 inches. Overall length is 191.7 inches; overhangs are very short. The concept car itself has a relatively low height, measuring 55.4 inches, and wears 21-inch wheels. In terms of exterior design, the concept wears the new Volkswagen grille that, as me mentioned, features plenty of repeating horizontal lines framed by two LED headlights and daytime running lights.
"The Sport Coupe Concept GTE is another milestone of expressive design. With this concept car, Volkswagen is not only showing a new model’s design, but also initial glimpses of a new design era,” said Klaus Bischoff, head of design for the Volkswagen Brand.
The exterior design themes extend into the interior of the concept, which features the new Active Info Display with 3-D graphics on a 12.3-inch screen, while rear-seat passengers get another screen for themselves in addition to two 10.1-inch screens integrated into the front headrests. By far the most futuristic aspect of the interior is a wearable device for the driver that is designed to keep track of his or her vitals via a wristwatch or an armband, with the car selecting exciting or gentle routes accordingly. Volkswagen says this system is aimed at maximizing driver enjoyment, with distance and time being secondary factors here.
The exterior design is a reflection of Volkswagen's latest design philosophy, which emphasizes repeating horizontal lines.PHOTO BY VOLKSWAGEN
As with other GTE concepts, the Sport Coupe features several driving modes that take advantage of the hybrid powertrain based on the up-to-the-minute requirements of the driving situation. The car starts in hybrid mode by default but can switch to recuperation mode, which activates the regenerative brakes if the battery is not sufficiently charged. The Sport Coupe Concept GTE can also operate in e-mode, activated with the push of a button, letting the 114-hp electric motor at the rear axle do all the work. In this mode, the V6 engine is decoupled from the drivetrain. The coupe can also rely on nothing but the V6 engine for movement, with the car becoming a front-wheel-drive vehicle when just the gasoline engine is working.
"Internally, the Sport Coupe Concept GTE is a car that we position above today's Volkswagen CC," said Bischoff. "We are enriching this segment with a premium design which is as exclusive as it is dynamic, and which casts the term avant-garde in a new light.”
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