Stackmann to IAB: VW T-Cross in 3 versions this year | 4th arriving in India in 2020
Jurgen Stackmann, Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars, has confirmed to IndianAutosBlog.com that the VW T-Cross, which is about to become the smallest SUV in VW's global lineup, will be available in three versions. The three-fold global premiere is on 25 Oct.
The standard variant, which Volkswagen has teased already, will be sold in the European markets. Additionally, there will be two LWB variants, one each for the Chinese and the Latin American markets. The EU-spec Volkswagen T-Cross will have a wheelbase of 2,560 mm. On the other hand, the Latin American and the Chinese versions will have a longer wheelbase that will measure 2,650 mm.
Volkswagen has two joint venture companies in China, and hence a strong likelihood (as observed with the Honda HR-V and the Toyota C-HR) of a fourth mechanical variant for this market in the future. The T-Cross is setting out to be a highly diversified vehicle, serving every type of segment with adaptations, made possible by the modularity of the MQB platform.
All versions will be underpinned by the MQB A0 and will offer practical cabins with sliding seats that can be folded to achieve a flat floor. Following the three-fold global premiere on 25 October, the longer versions of the SUV will be publicly showcased in Brazil at the Sao Paulo Auto show in early-November, and in China at the Guangzhou Motor show in mid-November.
The EU-spec Volkswagen T-Cross is expected to go on sale with four engine options - 1.0 L TSI petrol, 1.0 L TGI petrol, 1.5 L TSI Evo petrol and 1.6 L TDI diesel. Transmission options are expected to comprise a 5-speed manual, a 6-speed manual, or a 7-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic. The Chinese version is likely to get 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre petrol motors with 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmissions. The Brazilian model will be sold with 1.0-litre and 1.4-litre TSI flex-fuel motors with a 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmissions.
All versions of the Volkswagen T-Cross should offer a long list of equipments, including Active Info Display, 8-inch touchscreen for the infotainment unit, a brake pads drying system, traction control, Electronic Differential Lock (XDS), and Automatic Post-Collision Braking System.
Also See: 2019 VW Vento (facelift) - IAB Rendering
Coming to India, the T-Cross for our market, set to arrive in 2020, is different inside-out. Riding on an exclusive MQB A0-IN platform, changes will be observed in almost all aspects of the car, with select modules inherited from the global inventory.
“The Indian customer doesn’t like CUVs. They want more the ruggedness, the ground clearance, the real SUV style. Therefore, our A0 SUV will be not a classical worldwide T-Cross, (it) will be an SUV,” Knapp told IAB in July.