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Volkswagen is getting stylish, or at least they will if the T-ROC concept goes into production, as it would rival the Range Rover Evoque. But the question is, should it see production?
We think so. The 2-door, 4-seat T-ROC is built on VW’s MQB platform, the same as the Golf VII, and measures 4179mm long and 1831mm wide. It’s all-wheel drive too, but only weighs 1420Kg thanks to the lightweight platform and the use of carbon fibre in the roof, which can be detached in 2 panels to give an open-air experience.
Proportions on the T-ROC have been kept close in mind during the design phase, with particular emphasis on short overhangs and large track. This is further emphasised by the large, 19-inch alloy wheels which are fitted with 245/45 tyres.
The design is funky though, with the large 3D honeycomb radiator grill, LED headlights, daytime running lamps, and the secondary headlamps in their large, round housings, which hark back to the Karmann Ghia Type 34.
Powering the T-ROC Concept is a turbo-diesel engine, sourced from the Golf GTD. The 2.0TDI unit has outputs of 135kW and 380Nm, mated to a newly developed 7-speed DSG transmission and 4MOTION all-wheel drive. 0-100km/h is dealt with in 6.9 seconds, whilst top speed is a decent 210km/h. The T-ROC is predicted to consume only 4.9l/100km.
Equipped with 3 driving modes, Street, Offroad, and Snow, the T-ROC is designed to be capable both on and off-road. It’ll feature a host of user-friendly kit though, such as a touch screen infotainment system in the guise of a 12.3-inch tablet, locked into the dash.
The T-ROC derives its name from current VW SUV’s (T is for Taigun Concept, Tiguan, and Touareg), whilst the “ROC” part of its name is to highlight the SUV’s ability to handle rocky terrain. The T-ROC is larger than the Taigun concept and smaller than the Tiguan, and should be the perfect, capable rival to the Range Rover Evoque.
