Volkswagen Crosses Its Tiguan

by Edward Niedermeyer

Published: November 30th, 2011

If there’s a word to describe VW’s future plans in the US, it’s “big.” There is still no specific plan to bring subcompact Polos to the US, and likely only an EV version of the new Up! city car. Even Audi is shying away from bringing more small products to the US, nixing the A1 and only supporting exports of the A2 in EV form. And according to Automotive News [sub] the next big thing for VW’s US portfolio could be a midsized CUV, built at its new Chattanooga plant and slotting between the Tiguan and Touareg. But this concept is not that CUV. According to VW, this CrossCoupe Concept is an exploration of alternative bodystyles for the compact CUV platform, more akin to a Range Rover Evoque than a mass market model… think “Tiguan CC” and you’ll be getting the idea. So, will it be built? VW sources tell Automotive News [sub] that

We won’t rule out the possibility of adding a sportier SUV to the Volkswagen lineup at some time. But the main message with the Cross Coupe is its styling, which stands for the future of SUV design at Volkswagen

You can see the evolution of VW’s new three-slat grille, further integrating the new cue into the headlights for a more cohesive fascia design. But does it work? We’ll let you be the judge of that…

#3WTP #Concept #Cuv #Design #FutureVehicles #Volkswagen

Edward Niedermeyer

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Zykotec on Nov 30, 2011

I wish VW had better imagination than just ripping off Ford and Honda grilles... I'm quite sure someone will say it's a creative or innovative thing too :P I hate it when they get credited for stuff so old that people forgot who should get the credit...

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- Advo on Nov 30, 2011
  
  I wish Tiguans were cheaper so they would be more viable alternatives to CRVs and RAV4s.
  
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- Zykotec on Nov 30, 2011
  
  @Advo In Norway I'm afraid they are fighting over the same customers. Appraised as VW always is, for finally coming up with an idea the Japanese had 15 years ago...
  
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- Vento97 on Dec 01, 2011
  
  > Appraised as VW always is, for finally coming up with an idea the Japanese had 15 years ago… Which is a classic case of role-reversal.
  
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- Zykotec on Dec 01, 2011
  
  @vento97 Strangely enough, VW has always been late, they started making their model-T some 30 years after Ford, they started making their Mini some 20 years after Mini did, they started the GTi-trend around 10-15 years after Ford did,they made their Capri 5 years after Ford, they started making Efi'd engines in their 'upper' tier vehicles 10-15 years after Volvo and Opel, they built their version of the Cosworth Escort 15 years after it was out of production, was appraised for the bright idea of making the Polo Cross, after the Rover Streetwise had gone out of production, and the list goes on. the fact that it took them more than . 10 years to start developing a competitor for the CR-V and Rav4 is just one in a loooong list... I'll give them the reasonable build quality feeling though :)
  
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Autojunkie on Dec 01, 2011

All I see here is an (already beautiful) Audi A5 in a cheap dress...

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