Here is Volkswagen Viloran, a new big
minivan designed by the German automaker specifically for the Chinese market,
together with joint venture partner SAIC Motor. This spy
shots of a fully-camouflaged Viloran prototype spotted in southern Spain during
testing. Before getting your hopes up too high, you should know that the
Viloran is unlikely to make it to Europe, although it could be offered in
Russia.
The prototype was probably shipped to Spain for hot
weather testing purposes only. Looking at the images, we can better assess the
proportions and size of the 2020 Viloran, which is bigger than VW’s largest
passenger car-based MPV currently available in Europe, the Sharan. Despite the camouflage tape, we
can still decipher some of the details including the massive grille, sleek
horizontal LED headlights, and parts of the LED taillights that feature a
chrome strip which reminds us of the Audi A6’s taillamps.
As these photos and the earlier ones from China can
reveal, the VW Viloran features big sliding doors on both sides to allow easy
access to a roomy interior which should accommodate up to seven passengers, in
order to compete with the likes of Buick GL8 and Lexus LM luxury minivans.
The VW Viloran packs a 2.0-liter turbocharged
four-cylinder gasoline engine rated at 220 PS and 350 Nm of torque, mated as standard to an eight-speed automatic transmission. However,
there’s no mention of a hybrid powertrain, at least not at launch. According to reports from China,
SAIC-VW has already begun production of the big posh minivan, which is expected
to go on sale in December in the world’s largest car market.
