High-riding performance: Volkswagen T-Roc R & Cupra Formentor
Sporty SUVs are set to go into overdrive at next week’s Geneva Motor Show, with two of the hottest coming from the Volkswagen Group. One is the VW T-Roc R and the other is the Cupra Formentor, and both aim to bring real dynamic appeal to the more compact and affordable end of the sports SUV market.
Both the Geneva debutants are flagged up as “concepts” but both are accurate, near-production models, with the VW heading into showrooms first and in the autumn.
The T-Roc was launched only 18 months ago as a more compact and funkier class of crossover – a recipe that has not only been successful (200,000 have been sold) but which VW believes is the ideal starting point for a go-faster version. And as a crossover counterpart to the Golf R, it is sure to go a lot faster – it even has a Race mode…
Power – 300PS or 296bhp – is delivered from VW’s 2.0-litre TSI engine to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and then to all four 18-inch wheels. It’s a drivetrain that can blast the T-Roc R from 0-62mph in just 4.9 seconds – quicker than most Porsche Macans. The top speed is limited to 155mph.
The brakes are lifted straight from the Golf R and, as you would expect, the running gear is beefed up and the sports suspension lowered by almost an inch (20mm). Progressive steering is fitted which VW says plays a big part in making the R handle so well.
So much so that, like the Golf R, VW says you can head to your local circuit, switch off stability control, select Race mode, engage Launch Control and have some fun. Best if you don’t leave the dog in the back though.
The R’s body gets a makeover too. Up front, look out for its new grille and revised body-colour bumper and air inlets. At the side you’ll notice flared guards, while at the rear there’s a roof spoiler and new bumper section with four exhaust pipes. Plus there are lots of R logos, both outside and in the cabin, where R motifs abound along with stainless steel trim.
VW says the new T-Roc R combines the “sovereignty” of an SUV with the dynamics of a hot hatch; sister company Cupra, meanwhile, contents itself with “majestic” to describe the handling of its forthcoming sporty SUV, the not-very-sportily-named but striking looking new Formentor.
It’s the first standalone model to be developed by Cupra, formerly the badge on the hottest Seats but for a year now an autonomous outfit within the group. The emphasis here is not just dynamic appeal but also a hi-tech zero-tailpipe emissions side, provided by a plug-in hybrid drivetrain with electric-only range of around 30 miles.
But head out of the city and put your foot down and the promise is of sporty performance in line with Cupra’s raison d’etre. System power is 245PS (242bhp) provided by a combination of petrol and high-torque electric motors, and delivered to all four wheels via a dual-clutch transmission.
Like the T-Roc R it too gets the group’s progressive steering with “intelligent DCC chassis setup” and diff lock, and, says Cupra, will “perform majestically no matter what the driving conditions or driving style”.
Which one would you choose to drive away from the Geneva show?