All-wheel-drive
TDI® Clean Diesel concept version of VW's popular SportWagen model
previews a bigger, more spacious, and more fuel-efficient replacement
for the Jetta SportWagen
• Thrifty TDI® Clean Diesel, and 1.8-liter turbocharged Golf SportWagen models will be offered
• Úses the new MQB modular architecture, like the 2015 Golf and Golf GTI
• Golf SportWagen will go on sale in the Ú.S. in the first quarter of 2015
• New SportWagen model is estimated to have fuel economy improvements of up to 17 percent
• New Golf SportWagen offers increased cargo volume, matching compact SÚVs for size and versatility
Herndon, VA –
Volkswagen of America, Inc. will debut a concept version of the latest
SportWagen model that features a 4MOTION® all-wheel drive system and the
new EA288 TD®I Clean Diesel engine at the New York Auto Show. The
concept previews the all-new Golf SportWagen that goes on sale in early
2015. Based on the new MQB (modular transverse matrix) architecture,
the Golf SportWagen will continue the trend introduced by the seventh
generation Golf whereby it is lighter, bigger, roomier, more fuel
efficient and more powerful than the outgoing SportWagen model.
Thanks
to the extensive use of high and ultra-high strength steels, the new
SportWagen bodyshell is lighter than the current Jetta SportWagen and
offers an enhanced crash structure. Throughout the car, incredible
attention to detail has optimized components—such as the seats, air
conditioning unit, and even the electrical architecture—to help save
weight.
The Golf SportWagen is 1.1 inches longer and 0.7 inches
wider than the current SportWagen model. It is also 0.9 inches lower,
which benefits both aerodynamic performance and the car's proportions:
the CdA number has been reduced by almost 10 percent compared wîth the
previous generation. The interior package has been optimized to give
more rear-seat leg- and shoulder room. Although the new SportWagen's
overall height was lowered by nearly an inch, front and rear headroom
has been improved by 0.4 inches.
The SportWagen has long been a
top choice for customers who want a car that's fun to drive and offers a
large cargo area that is truly versatile. This new SportWagen is even
more appealing, offering nearly 10 percent more cargo room wîth the rear
seats folded than the outgoing model. Essentially, the Golf SportWagen
provides a sportier alternative to compact SÚVs.
The new
SportWagen will be offered wîth two powertrains. The Golf SportWagen
will be powered by a 170 horsepower, 1.8-liter turbocharged and
direct-injection four-cylinder TSI® engine, mated to five-speed manual
or six-speed automatic transmissions. These powertrains offer
manufacturer highway fuel economy that's improved by as much as 17 percent compared to the 2.5-liter Jetta SportWagen.
The
TDI Clean Diesel model will be powered by the new EA288 2.0-liter
common-rail, turbocharged and direct-injection diesel engine that
makes150 horsepower, an improvement of 10 hp over the current SportWagen
model. The TDI model will have a choice of six-speed manual or DSG®
dual-clutch automatic transmissions.
Design
The
design team, led by Walter de Silva (Group Design) and Klaus Bischoff
(VW Brand Design), created a timeless and sophisticated new SportWagen,
using the principles of Volkswagen's Design DNA. Thanks to the MQB
architecture, which dictates a fixed relationship between the front
wheel centerline and the pedals, the car's proportions have changed. The
front wheels, for example, are now 1.7 inches further forward than on
the current SportWagen design. This has created what Bischoff calls ''a
cab backward impression'. That's what we call the proportions of
premium-class vehicles, where the hood is long and the passenger
compartment is a long way towards the back.'
Compared wîth the
previous generation SportWagen, the new car's front end looks completely
different, thanks to the way that the hood slopes down into the front
fenders instead of the fender peaks being higher than the hood. This new
SportWagen features more angular horizontal design cues, wîth a slender
radiator grille.
At the back, the clean surface around the VW
badge, the wide rear window, and the geometric taillights are typical
SportWagen features, even though the lines are completely different. The
tailgate, for instance, allows for a lower load height than before,
while the overall effect emphasizes the additional width of the new car.
Features
Along
the lines of the new Golf 7, the SportWagen will bring a number of
available new features to market including a panoramic sunroof, 12-way
power driver's seat, Climatronic® automatic climate control, Bi-Xenon
headlights wîth LED DRLs and the Advanced Front-lighting System, Park
Distance Control, and available 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.
In
addition, the new SportWagen features a new standard driver assistance
system called the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System. This system
automatically engages the vehicle's brakes after it is involved in a
collision in order to help reduce secondary collisions and to help bring
the vehicle to a stop. The system is triggered when the airbag sensors
detect a primary collision and it is limited to a maximum retardation
rate of 0.6g by the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) unit. The driver
can effectively override the system at any time; for example, it is
disabled if it recognizes that the driver is accelerating. The system is
also deactivated if the driver initiates braking at a higher rate than
0.6g.
Source - Volkswagen