VW CrossBlue Coupe Concept



At the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show, Volkswagen is giving the public a spectacular glimpse of the future - and of a new SUV design era - in presenting the world premiere of the CrossBlue Coupé. The CrossBlue Coupé lives by a harmonious triad: rugged in appearance, sporty in proportions and showing a reserved elegance in its sculptural shapes and lines. 



The Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupé is exactly 4,889 mm long, 2,015 mm wide and just 1,679 mm high. These dimensions give the CrossBlue Coupé a very low-profile, very wide and extended appearance that expresses exceptional confidence together with its large track widths (1,709 mm front, 1,726 mm rear), 2,980 mm wheelbase that is extremely long in relation to the exterior length and 22-inch alloy wheels (with 285/44 tyres) that were specially designed for the concept car.

The concept features a long and broad bonnet with integrated air inlets, a roof line that is also long (with integrated roof spoiler) and, a very short front overhang. A number of other design features are also stylistically impressive. For one, the SUV is equipped with a very low-profile A-pillar and what is known in design jargon as a very "fast", i.e. markedly swept-back C-pillar. This C-pillar resembles a spanned arch that terminates with an arrow pointing forward. Another stylistic feature is an arrow in the form of a completely re-designed character line. Designers have combined two lines here. The first dominant line starts in the upper area of the rear lights and runs precisely at the height of the door handles; the second line starts beneath the rear lights and ends in the front wing. The space between the two lines narrows towards the front and ends beneath the A-pillar in a stylised chrome air outlet. These very precise lines create very special dynamics and significantly reduce the visual centre of gravity of the SUV which is painted in "CrossOrange Metallic". The paint shows exceptional depth, which is achieved by using special pigment particles ("Coloured Aluminium").


The Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupé is powered by a plug-in hybrid system that is as fuel efficient as it is sporty. A V6 turbo direct petrol injection engine (TSI) works together with two electric motors here; maximum system power is as much as 415 PS. When the car's full power potential is utilised, the SUV becomes a sports car: The Volkswagen accelerates to 100 km/h in a mere 5.9 seconds, and its maximum speed is 236 km/h.

Despite its impressive dynamic performance, the CrossBlue Coupé has a combined fuel consumption of just 3.0 l/100 km (in the new European driving cycle or NEDC). Even in hybrid mode fuel consumption (sub-cycle with discharged battery powered by just the TSI drive), the SUV - which is nearly 4.9 metres in length - consumes just 6.9 l/100 km of fuel. This value enables a theoretical range of around 1,190 kilometres (with a fuel tank capacity of 80 litres) before the car needs to be refuelled.

The CrossBlue Coupé can be driven in all-electric mode, i.e. without any emissions at all, over a distance of up to 33 kilometres (at a maximum speed of 120 km/h). To intentionally use this especially eco-friendly mode in urban areas, the driver can push a button to select the all-electric drive mode. As a production vehicle, the concept vehicle - which is based on the new modular transverse matrix (MQB) - could also be fitted with conventional drive systems (four and six-cylinder engines) configured for a wide variety of fuels (petrol, diesel, CNG).


An especially prominent feature of the elegant and clean interior of the five-seat CrossBlue Coupé is a horizontal dashboard, which, like a wing, extends into the door trim on each side. The dominant materials here are a velvety soft Nappa leather in two colour tones ("Anthracite Pearl" and "Asphalto"), chrome surfaces (polished in the top view, but sandblasted matt on their chamfered edges), dark aluminium and naturally-treated wood accents that are processed without any chemical additives. Configurable ambience lighting is also integrated in the interior in two colours (according to the driving mode); in its main mode it matches the "Cross Orange" of the exterior paint. The interplay of forms, colours and materials makes a masculine impression that is typical of an SUV, but it also creates the urbane ambience of an elegant lounge.

At the very top, the dashboard is framed by "Anthracite Pearl" coloured leather with dark contrasting seams. On the next level down, there is a cross panel made of dark aluminium that integrates the cockpit display (12.3 inch), air vents and central info display (10.1 inch). There is a delicate chrome strip in the middle of this area; the air vents and displays also have chrome surrounds.

On the next lower level, designers have incorporated an anthracite-coloured wood inlay - made of spruce wood that is manufactured into a work of art. It extends to the sides as well as over the centre console; the wood grain of this porous 3D veneer precisely follows the shapes of the dashboard. Below the wood inlay there is an area designed in lighter-coloured Nappa leather ("Asphalto"). The ambience lighting runs in a narrow strip between the wood and leather on the dashboard and the centre console as well as on the door trim panels; on the dark surfaces, the illuminated strip gives the effect of flowing magma as it winds its way through volcanic rock. The roof pillars and roofliner are trimmed in a dark Alcantara (in "Graphite" colour).

The seat system is also fully upholstered in elegant Nappa leather. The breathing-active natural material is especially pleasing to the touch, and the leather surfaces emit an elegant shimmer due to a slight pearl effect. The individual seat panels are designed in either the dark "Anthracite Pearl" or the contrasting "Asphalto". The colour shading visually emphasises the masculine sculpting of the seats. Reverse seams that run horizontally in the seats, as well as another reverse seam on the armrest between the driver and front passenger seats, are sophisticated manufacturing features with handcrafted qualities. The rear bench seat (three seating positions with a bucket seat look at the outer seats) has a 1/3 to 2/3 split, folds and offers fore-aft adjustment.