SHANGHAI MOTOR SHOW: Volkswagen C Coupe GTE
Big luxurious German sedan breaks cover… But it's not a Mercedes or a BMWThe Volkswagen C Coupe GTE concept is a large, luxurious four-door sedan designed specifically for the Chinese market, boasting a hybrid petrol-electric powertrain to keep fuel consumption and CO2 emissions low.
There is huge demand for luxury limousines in China and this concept is clearly VW's way of dipping its toe in the water, to see if the design and layout holds appeal in the world's largest new car market.
Naturally it's got loads of rear seat space and, at more than five metres in length, is comparable in size to a many other top-shelf German limousines, such as the $200,000-plus BMW 7 Series, at 5079mm.
It joins two other 'GTE' concepts from Volkswagen: First there was the Cross Coupe GTE in January , then the Sport Coupe GTE in March.
The GTE moniker attached to this vehicle and its concept car siblings refers to its mode of propulsion – the GT means it's fast, the E means it's electric and hence more frugal.
Unlike the Sport Coupe GTE concept that premiered at the 2015 Geneva show and previews the next Passat CC luxury sedan destined for global markets, this Chinese-market model is less swoopy in appearance and more like a traditional sedan.
Despite its 'coupe' name, the car has a sedan-like rear decklid, although the rear windscreen has been pushed rearward to give it a sportier appearance.
"The progressive C Coupe GTE illustrates a new design approach for future top saloons at Volkswagen," reads the accompanying press statement.
"Its contemporary form is impressive from all viewing angles while its long bonnet conveys a confident appearance."
Perhaps the most important element of the C Coupe GTE concept is its interior, upon which its success or failure in the Chinese market will most depend.
The view from the driver's seat is impressively futuristic, but clean and uncluttered too. A large central LCD touch-screen removes the need for buttons and dials. The instrument panel is also digital, not unlike the Audi virtual cockpit first seen on the new Audi TT.
But the rear seats are where most well-to-do Chinese buyers will spend their time, so naturally it's more opulent than the front. As well as wider and more lavish, the rear seats appear to feature electronic adjustment. There's a large touch-sensitive control panel to adjust conditions in the rear, and a pair of screens to watch the latest episode of If You Are The One – China's most popular dating TV show.
There was a time when luxury limos only had V8 engines but times have changed and this concept study is powered by a small four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that develops 155kW of power. However, when combined with a 91kW electric motor, the vehicle develops up to 180kW and 500Nm of torque, providing the heavy car with an 8.6-second 0-100km/h dash and 232km/h top speed.
Fuel consumption is rated at an astonishing 2.3L/100km, and CO2 emissions are just 55g/km -- both figures roughly half what most compact city-cars can manage.
The car's electric motor can also propel the car to speeds of up to 130km/h without the petrol engine's intervention, while an electric-only range of 50km is also possible, says VW.
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