Volkswagen has been testing the Tiguan R
for quite a while now, and it seems that the sporty derivative will finally
launch as part of the facelifted lineup that could bow as early as next month
at the Geneva Motor Show.
Visually, you should expect a dedicated
body kit like the one this prototype spied in northern Europe was wearing.
Notice the slightly redesigned intakes in the front bumper, partially wrapped
in camo, which will feed air to the engine, as well as a slightly bigger
diffuser at the back with cutouts for the quad exhaust pipes. The Tiguan R will
further set itself apart with special logos and wheels, and its cabin should
also gain front sports seats, R-badged steering wheel and gearshift lever, as
well as different upholstery and trim.
We don’t know if Volkswagen has done
anything else to the interior, but the changes could include an updated
infotainment system and perhaps some extra safety tech. It is understood that power
will come from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with a
rumored output in excess of 300 horsepower, likely matched to a dual-clutch
automatic transmission and 4Motion all-wheel drive.
If the upcoming 2021 Golf R will share its
powertrain with the Tiguan R, the hot compact SUV should get 333 PS. That sounds plausible since the smaller T-Roc R, for example, has a
2.0 TSI that makes 300 PS and 400 Nm of torque.
