New Volkswagen Tiguan Coupé R planned for 2018

Volkswagen is preparing to move into the emerging compact performance SUV market with a headlining 300bhp version of its upcoming Volkswagen Tiguan Coupé.

The racy five-seater, conceived and developed by the firm’s in-house R division, is tentatively due to reach UK showrooms in 2018. It is planned to crown the Tiguan Coupé line-up with a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine running a similar tune to that used by the Golf R.

It will produce up to 280lb ft and come with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, four-wheel drive and an electronic torque vectoring function, say insiders.

The potent reserves and contemporary driveline are aimed at catapulting the Tiguan Coupé R into direct competition with the Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG and Audi RS Q3 as well as a planned BMW X2 M and Range Rover Evoque SVR.

Nothing is official at this stage, but the Tiguan Coupé R is likely to possess straight-line performance comparable with that of the Golf R Estate, which has a claimed 0-62mph time of 5.1sec.

A specially tuned version of the standard Tiguan Coupé’s MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension with reduced ride height and a four-mode adaptive damping system will aim to provide the necessary dynamic traits needed to set the R model apart from the rest of the model’s line-up.

One of three new second-generation Tiguan models, the Tiguan Coupé is planned to go on sale in standard guise in 2017, less than 12 months before the range-topping R model is due to join the line-up.

Included among the standard four-cylinder engine options will be 1.4 and 2.0-litre petrol units, as well as 1.6 and 2.0-litre diesels. Also planned is a plug-in petrol-electric hybrid-propelled GTE model running a similar driveline set-up to that used by the Golf GTE.

The basis for Volkswagen’s first SUV coupé are the same MQB underpinnings as those employed by other second-generation Tiguan models. Sporting its own, distinctive styling, the Tiguan Coupé is described as being “more rakish” than the standard Tiguan, with more acutely angled front and rear screens, a shallower glasshouse, a sloping roofline and more prominent C-pillar treatment.

The basic appearance was previewed on the BlueCross Coupé TE shown at the Detroit motor show in January, although the production version is described as being smaller than the show car, with a length of around 4600mm.

Although billed as a coupé, the new Volkswagen will feature a practical five-door body with four conventional front-hinged doors and a one-piece tailgate that can be opened either manually or remotely, via a key fob or a sensor in the rear bumper.