At the start of every new year, automotive experts come together at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. This year, Volkswagen’s presentation is focusing on the striking Cross Coupé GTE. With the world premiere of the five-seater SUV concept car, the carmaker from Wolfsburg is offering a further preview of the latest SUV model series that is fitted with a sporty and economical V6 plug-in hybrid drive for the first time.

The Cross Coupé GTE is painted in “Grand pacific glacier” blue and combines high efficiency with a powerful design. This is demonstrated in particular by the exterior design that is characterized by precise edges on the long engine hood and a very high front section. The side profile with the A-pillar set a long way to the back and the striking sloping C-pillars are further distinctive features of the design that has a clear focus on sporty exclusiveness, yet also emphasizes the robustness of the large SUV. Large 22-inch alloy wheels with ten highly polished spokes round off the look of the concept car to perfection.  

The new design language is also found in the interior of the Cross Coupé GTE. For example, the consistent horizontal structure of the instrument panel creates a clearly arranged, spacious and yet also progressive atmosphere. This is also thanks to the seamlessly integrated displays and chrome elements that open up a new dimension of information and operating quality with interactive gesture control.

The seats come in elegant bi-color nappa leather. A dark “Ink Blue” creates a bucket effect for the comfortable sports seats, while the seat centre panels feature perforated leather. What’s more, attachments for tablets are incorporated in the headrests of the rear seats. The Volkswagen “Media Control” app enables the tablets to access various infotainment functions via WLAN.

The SUV concept car is powered by a 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine and two electric motors. The six-cylinder direct-injection engine (FSI) delivers power of 206 kW/280 PS and maximum torque of 350 Nm. The two electric motors have power output of 40 kW and 220 Nm and 85 kW and 270 Nm respectively. The total output of the system adds up to 265 kW/360 PS. With this full power, the Cross Coupé GTE, which has a top speed of up to 209 km/h, accelerates to 60 mph (97 km/h) in just 6.0 seconds. Thanks to the lithium-ion battery in the centre tunnel (energy content of 14.1 kWh), the Cross Coupé GTE can travel a distance of 32 kilometers powered purely by electricity.

The driver can use the GTE button to switch to GTE mode and activate the particularly agile side of the concept car. This makes the accelerator pedal, gearbox and steering characteristic even sportier. In addition, the FSI and the electric motors work together in GTE mode during boosting to deliver the full system output and the maximum system torque.

After the Cross Blue concept car previously shown in Detroit, the Cross Coupé GTE now offers a further look ahead at the new mid-size SUV model series that is based on the modular transverse matrix (MQB). The Cross Blue production model will be built at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant and presented next year.