You’re looking at the future of Volkswagen crossover and SUV design. The CrossBlue Coupe is based off the Volkswagen MQB platform and previews what the Touareg and Tiguan will eventually look like. You’re not likely to see the LED lights that stand on their own like little mini-lanterns in production, but the well-integrated grille and headlight combo stands a chance.
The CrossBlue is a sharp little yam-colored thing, and its 415-horsepower hybrid powertrain is capable of feats of performance and economy, though probably not at the same time. You can go up to 21 miles as an EV, though not if you’re trying to verify VW’s claim of 5.9 seconds to 62 mph. You can also eke out 79 mpg on the European driving cycle, but that’s not going to happen if you’re probing the 147 mph top speed the TSI V6 and its pair of electric motors can wind you up to. Tire the battery out and you’ll get 34.1 mpg out of the V6 on its own.
The interior looks crisp and clean in pictures, and the show car is outfitted with all the proper words like Nappa leather, Alcantara and ambient lighting. It does look nice, and the controls “wake up” and lift into position when you press the start button. Don’t expect to be able to buy that at your local VW store, though.
Because the CrossBlue is based on the MQB, it’s open to pretty much any powertrain combo you can dream of short of a diesel V10. Batteries for the hybrid rig are lithium-ion with 9.8 kWh of energy. With a 54 hp electric motor attached to the front axle and a 114 hp motor at the rear, Volkswagen gets to say it has a crossover with 516 lb-ft of torque. With that much twist on hand, it doesn’t matter how you make it, because it’ll make you hoot with joy every time you experience it. The rear-mounted motor is also how four-wheel drive is facilitated, cheekily called “propshaft by wire.”
There’s a bunch of reality packed into the CrossBlue, and it’s seasoned with just enough concept car fantasy that it will set tongues wagging when it shows up on the floor in Shanghai.
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