Volkswagen is keen on coming away from the diesel gate scandal unscathed in terms of sales figures.
Even though it has affected the company’s reputation a lot, the recently unveiled T-Prime Concept GTE shows that the German giant still has the art of making highly desirable vehicles. Unveiled at the 2016 Beijing auto show, the vehicle is expected to be transformed as the next-generation Touareg. If it does, it may transform the industry a lot.
On the outside, the T-Prime Concept GTE looks similar to any other Volkswagens launched in recent years with a similar looking front end design. The real differences start in the interiors and in terms of the powertrain. Volkswagen has decided to go completely button free just like Tesla cars.
The interior looks futuristic and it is completely dominated by the two switch displays. It will inch display acts as the instrument panel while a 15 inch display houses everything concerned about entertainment and air-conditioner controls. There are further entertainment options with a 10.1-inch tablet for the rear passengers. There is a 9.6 inch display in the rear to control various aspects of the vehicle.
The transmission is not operated using a stick. Instead, the eight speed automatic transmission is controlled via a scroll button.
Once the futuristic interior is out of the way, the hybrid powertrain becomes the focus. The T-Prime Concept GTE will use 2.0-litre four-cylinder gasoline engine along with an electric motor to provide a combined 381 bhp and 516 lb. ft of torque. Despite being a huge SUV, the T-Prime Concept GTE is capable of being propelled to 60 mph inside six seconds. Unlike the sedans from the German company which can go up to 155 mph, the T-Prime Concept GTE will top out at 139 mph. Still, it is expected to be good enough for around 87 mpg.
The phenomenal gas mileage apart, the T-Prime Concept GTE can also be given in pure electric mode for 31 miles. The vehicle has a 14.1 kWh battery which can be charged in around eight hours on a standard 220 V outlet. On a dedicated charging station, Volkswagen claimed that the charging time can be reduced to around two and half hours.
Volkswagen revealed during the unveiling that they plan to provide a number of offerings below the Tiguan and Touareg range.
