Volkswagen Leaks Engine Details of World's Longest Awaited Midsize SUV

At the dawn of recorded history, a German auto manufacturer unveiled a concept vehicle and promised North America — then weighed down by the oppressive bulk of towering ice sheets — a new midsize SUV.

Okay, that was only 2013, but it seems that the Volkswagen Teramont (VW hasn’t confirmed the name) has been in development for eons. Billed by some as the automaker’s make-or-break model in the U.S., the Teramont is a seven-seat SUV that borrows its design language from the CrossBlue concept. The automaker’s Chattanooga, Tennessee assembly plant will give birth to the model next year.

Now we know what lies under its hood.

Volkswagen released a teaser video yesterday showing a partially disguised Teramont on a backwoods adventure. Of course, we already know what the model’s face will look like, as spy photos appeared in Chinese media last month.

Not surprisingly, the automaker has chosen two tried-and-true powerplants for the model, and ditched any mention of a diesel.

The Teramont’s base engine is a 2.0-liter TSI four-cylinder making 238 horsepower, while the upgrade is the company’s venerable 3.6-liter V6, making 280 hp. In the Touareg, that mill generates 260 pounds-feet of torque. (As this is a sizeable SUV, Volkswagen likely wishes its brawny 3.0-liter diesel V6 was legal for sale.)

The four-cylinder’s output tops that of the 2.0-liter TSI found in the Tiguan, but nearly matches that found in Volkswagen Group’s SEAT León. The company has a myriad of 2.0-liters floating through its product catalog, so sourcing a base engine was hardly a chore.

The automaker describes the vehicle’s dimensions as being five centimeters (two inches) longer than the CrossBlue concept, for 198 inches of overall length. Teramonts roll into U.S. dealer lots starting in the spring of 2017.

If Volkswagen knows what’s good for it, it’ll keep entry level prices very competitive. Its American SUV-and-crossover strategy depends on it.

[Image capture: YouTube]