VW Cross Coupe GTE Concept – yet another VW SUV Concept: Detroit 2015

The Volkswagen Cross Coupé GTE Concept is yet another VW SUV Concept, revealed at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show and previewing a new full size SUV.

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In what must be one of the longest trailers for a new car, Volkswagen has taken yet another SUV Concept – this one the VW Cross Coupe GTE – to the Detroit Auto Show as a pointer for a new SUV for the North American market.

Of course, that’s what the CrossBlue SUV Concept from Detroit last year was, as was the CrossBlue Coupe Concept from Shanghai in 2013. So is the Cross Coupe GTE the last ‘teaser’ concept for a production model? Who knows.

Just like the first two concepts, the Cross Coupe GTE sits on VW’s MQB platform, and is powered by a 3.6 litre V6 petrol engine and a pair of electric motors for a combined output of 355 bhp – enough to get to 62mph in 6.0 seconds. It’s 4847mm long and 2030mm wide.

There’s a choice of driving modes to get the Cross Coupe GTE to perform as you want, E-Mode, Hybrid, GTE, Offroad and Battery Hold / Battery Charge, and can manage up to 20 miles on battery power before the petrol engine kicks in.

Klaus Bischoff, VW’s chief designer,said:

The concept car has a commanding presence; it is powerful with a look that could almost be described as aggressive. Numerous details hint at how we envisage a future production SUV model for North America.

At some point – probably 2017 – all these concepts will gel together to deliver a new full-size SUV for the North American market.