Volkswagen Introduces the 2015 T-Roc
Volkswagen T-Roc
Next week at the 84th Geneva International Motor Show, Volkswagen will announce the world premier of the T-Roc, a two-door concept vehicle that combines the all-wheel drive capabilities of a sports utility vehicle with the breeziness of a convertible. With removable roof halves and digital instruments, the progressive design of the vehicle is intended to demonstrate the automaker’s new approach to SUVs.
The T-ROC design is based on the modular transverse matrix, or MQB, platform, and is 13.71’ (4,179 mm) long, 6’ (1,831 mm) wide and 4.92’ (1,501 mm) high, and due to its lightweight design, weighs in at 3,130 pounds (1,420 kg). The “T” in T-ROC refers to the nomenclature of past and future SUVs such as the Taigun, Tiguan, and Touareg.
The team at Volkswagen Design, led by Walter de Silva and Klaus Bischoff, has advanced the company’s SUV DNA by maintaining the design staples of past models. The front of the vehicle features a 3D honeycomb radiator grille between two LED headlights featuring cameras and spotlight capabilities. It is framed at the bottom by a cross-member with an aluminum look, while the side of the bumper facing the street is bordered by an underbody protection element.
The T-ROC has a coupe-inspired side silhouette, with a high-gloss black roof, front and rear windscreens, and large roof spoiler. The rear body’s elements are consistently organized in a horizontal fashion down to the three-dimensional rear LEDs with cameras and further down to the carbon-framed aluminum exhaust tailpipes integrated in the bumper with four aluminum elements. Both sets of camera feeds are projected into the car’s center console for front and back views of the space around the automobile.
This four-seater features a newly conceptualized interior, with the design intent of matching the car’s all-terrain capabilities. Blue and anthracite are prevalent in the inside, from the blue-splash metallic dashpad to the leather-upholstered seats, to the anthracite trim of the other interior surfaces.
The 12.3” color display touchscreen used for the infotainment system is a tablet set into the low-profile dashboard with a horizontal layout with a multi-touch display that is user-configurable. This system is also responsible for the vehicle’s cutting-edge digital climate control capabilities, wherein cutting-edge features allow the user to set perceived temperature modes that automatically regulate airflow and temperature. The controls and status indicators are additionally all in digital form, and depending on the driving mode, such as Street, Offroad, or Snow, the digital instruments show a range of information adapted to the given situation. In the off-road mode, the speedometer ends at 50 mph (80 km/h) as opposed to the street mode limit of 160 mph (260 km/h).
A fuel-efficient turbocharged diesel engine present in the Golf GTD, the 2.0 TDI with 135 kW/184 horsepower, powers the T-ROC. This concept vehicle delivers a top speed of 210 km/h, acceleration to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds, and 280 lb/ft of torque from 1,750 rpm to the two driven axles. The combined fuel consumption of 48 mpg (4.9 l/100 km) equates to 129 g/km of CO2 worth of emissions.
A seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox system handles the transmission of engine power to the 4MOTION all-wheel drive system that utilizes pre-control strategies dependent on the choice of aforementioned driving state. Parameters of the running gear, engine-gearbox unit, and hill start and descent systems are also modified depending on the selected mode, activated by a turn wheel control on the DSG gearshift grip controlling a window in the digital instrument cluster.
