Come March 2014 and the Geneva Motor Show will hold some of the most significant concepts under one roof. German manufacturer Volkswagen too is planning to bring an all-new concept study to its pavilion. Volkswagen is said to be working on the Polo-based compact SUV and is expected to showcase the same at the motor show. The new compact SUV will sit below the Tiguan in Volkswagen’s SUV lineup and will cater to the lower end of the segment, something it has been missing out on till now. The launch will happen next year.
As the renderings by Autobild suggest, the new compact SUV will share its underpinnings with the next-generation Polo hatchback which is under development, but will be heavily influenced from the older sibling Tiguan in design. The powertrain is expected from the existing lineup of VW engines. A 3-cylinder, 1.0-litre TSI producing 110 HP of power and 1.4-litre diesel with 90 HP are under consideration for the compact SUV.
The engines will be mated to a 5-speed and a 6-speed gearbox, while the 7-speed DSG automatic could also be on offer. Volkswagen is also said to be considering a torque converter automatic transmission that could replace the DSG completely. The concept is expected to be a front-wheel drive with the all-wheel drive system available as an option. The next generation Polo is likely to be based on the MQB architecture and will be powered by a host of engine options and possibly a hybrid powertrain as well.
The Polo based crossover will only get the conventional engines as of now. Expect segment leading technologies and equipment like cylinder de-activation system to make an appearance on the vehicle. The company is currently working on bringing the Taigun SUV (based on the Up!) to production by 2016 that will be competing against the likes of the Nissan Juke, Peugeot 2008 and Renault Duster in the compact SUV segment.
Source – Autobild.de