New Volkswagen T-Roc R teased ahead of imminent arrival
Want hot hatch performance with an SUV driving position? The new T-Roc R looks to have you covered.
The second-generation Volkswagen T-Roc launched earlier this year, with VW’s family-friendly all-rounder looking to maintain strong sales – and soon there’ll be a model for performance enthusiasts in the form of a new T-Roc R.
Like the previous T-Roc R, the new car, which has just been teased by Volkswagen for the first time, will use hot hatch underpinnings to rival the likes of the Cupra Formentor and MINI Countryman JCW.
We previously caught the new T-Roc R testing on the road last winter, but now these official shots posted by Volkswagen online suggest a full global unveil is in the offing.
While some details are shared with the sporty T-Roc R-Line model, the new R gets a set of unique forged 20-inch rims, with what will undoubtedly be a set of more capable brakes behind, plus a bespoke, angry-looking bumper up front. The T-Roc’s wraparound light signature is retained, with an illuminated VW badge in the middle.
As with the previous T-Roc R, it’s the rear that’ll be the most obvious indicator that this is the hot version, thanks to the quad-tip Akrapovic exhaust system. There’s the same roof spoiler, bootlid and bumper as the T-Roc, but the R has a new diffuser to house those exhaust tips.
Previous spy images have shown the T-Roc R should be available with or without a panoramic sunroof, so expect this to remain a £1,160 extra.
We’ve not had a glimpse inside the car yet, but the T-Roc’s new interior will be given a suitably sporty makeover, with bucket seats likely taken from the Golf R, dark fabrics and blue ambient lighting. The standard T-Roc already represents a colossal improvement in terms of material quality and tech, and a similar upgrade will be applied to the performance model.
Engine and performance details
Key to the Volkswagen T-Roc R will of course be its powertrain, and it will use the same 328bhp turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine as the latest Mk8.5 Golf R. This is the version of the engine deployed across VW’s high-performance portfolio, plus high-output variants of the Cupra Leon and Audi S3.
In the Golf R there’s a 0-62mph time of 4.6 seconds. Expect the extra height and weight of the T-Roc R SUV to diminish the sprint time somewhat compared to the hot hatch, although like the first T-Roc R, it should still hit 62mph in under five seconds.
The engine will be connected to a 4Motion all-wheel-drive system and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. It will also feature the latest Golf’s torque-vectoring rear differential, complete with a ‘Drift Mode’, which will be unique to the hot compact SUV class.
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