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VOLKSWAGEN DEBUTS C COUPÉ GTE IN SHANGHAI
New plug-in hybrid concept car points the way to the future of large Volkswagen sedans
Wolfsburg/Shanghai, April 2015 — Volkswagen is expanding its model range at high speed
and the latest show of this intent is on display at Auto Shanghai—the C Coupé GTE. This sport
sedan, which is about five meters long, sprints right into the middle of the C-segment. If it were
to go into production it would find its place between the Passat and the Phaeton. Explaining the
design concept, Walter de Silva, Head of Design of the Volkswagen Group, says: “Sedans have
changed hugely in recent years. The new rear-end design that is oriented to the classic two-door
‘coupé’ has given them more personality. The Volkswagen designers have integrated this stylistic
element into the very dynamic design of the C C oupé GTE saloon; they have developed a
striking front end and given the vehicle its own authentic character. They have created a model
that appeals to Chinese customers, who always follow the trends of European car design with
great interest.”
Klaus Bischoff, Head of Design of the Volkswagen brand adds: “The future of the new
Volkswagen premium class models is starting in Shanghai because the C Coupé GTE very
clearly shows the new ‘face’ of top Volkswagen sedans for the first time.” And he continues:
“This sport sedan unequivocally demonstrates our premium standards. The evolution of the
Volkswagen design DNA shown here will accompany us worldwide , and on the way to the new
Phaeton.”
Technically, the C Coupé GTE has one of the world's most modern plug -in hybrid systems. It
consists of a four-cylinder turbocharged and direct-injection TSI gasoline engine, an 8-speed
automatic gearbox, an electric motor integrated in the transmission housing and a 14.1 kWh
lithium-ion battery. The TSI engine produces 155 kW/210 PS, the electric motor makes 91
kW/124 PS, and the combined system gives 180 kW/245 PS and an impressive 369 pound-feet
of torque. The concept car can travel up to 31 miles in zero emissions E-mode, at up to 81
mph. It has NEDC combined fuel consumption of 2.3 l/100 km or 102 mpg, corresponding to
just 55 g/km of CO2 emissions. The vehicle has a total range of more than 684 miles. Despite
being so efficient, the C Coupé GTE is a sporty premium car, with 0 to 62 mph acceleration in
just 8.6 seconds and a top speed of 144 mph.
The driver can choose between a number of operating modes : Hybrid, E-Mode, GTE and
Battery Charge/Battery Hold.
Hybrid. The concept car starts by default in Hybrid mode. The C Coupé GTE is a full hybrid,
which charges its battery via regenerative braking and automatically utilizes the right
combination of TSI engine and/or electric motor according to the specific driving si tuation. As
soon as the driver releases the accelerator pedal, and the battery is sufficiently charged, all
drive sources are shut off and decoupled from the drivetr ain. This is a special form of zero
emissions “coasting”. If the driver decelerates the vehicle and the battery is insufficiently
charged, the electric motor operates as a generator and feeds the energy recovered from
braking into the lithium-ion battery. In this case, the TSI engine is also shut off and decoupled.
E-Mode. In E-Mode, which the driver activates by pressing a button, only the electric motor
provides propulsive power. During electric driving, the TSI engine is decoupled from the
drivetrain by disengaging the clutch, and it is shut off. As soon as the gasoline engine needs to
be used again—due to the battery's charge state or other parameters—it is smoothly coupled to
the drivetrain again within fractions of a second. The lithium -ion battery supplies the electric
motor with energy. The power electronics integrated in the engine compa rtment manage the
flow of high-voltage electricity to and from the battery and the el ectric motor. The vehicle's 12volt electrical system is supplied with electricity via a DC/DC converter.
GTE. The GTE button—positioned to the left of the shift lever like the E-Mode button—activates
the sporty GTE mode. The accelerator pedal, gearbox and steering characteristics are now even
sportier. Furthermore, in GTE mode, the TSI engine and electric motor work together in
‘boosting’ which uses the full system power and torque.
Battery Charge/Battery Hold. The dual-mode Battery Hold (battery's energy content is kept
constant) or Battery Charge (battery is charged while driving) is activated from a submenu in the
infotainment system. This enables zero-emission driving in E-Mode at the press of a button, for
example in a city.
Dimensions and proportions
The concept car is designated a "Coupé" on account of its long flowing C-pillars and tapering
trunk section. The C Coupé GTE is painted in “Golden Atmosphere”, a colo r that was chosen in
homage to the Chinese market. In China aspects such as wisdom and tolerance, patience and
power are associated with the color gold. The environmentally friendly drive system, the active
and passive safety, the superior comfort and the design are in tune with these parameters.
Like all new Volkswagens, this concept car is also characterized by extremely sporty proportions.
Defining design traits include the strikingly long hood and short overhang, resulting in a
powerful and elegant premium-class design. Because the C Coupé GTE is the first Volkswagen
to be based on the new modular longitudinal matrix (MLB), the designers were able to further
perfect these upscale proportions.
The C Coupé GTE is 199.7 inches long, an impressive 76.0 inches wide and 56.9 inches high.
Between the short front overhang of 36.4 inches and the rear overhang of 44.6 in ches, the
concept car sports a long 118.7-in wheelbase. The completely redesigned 22-inch wheels and
265/30 tires combine with the wide front and rear tracks of 64.3 and 63.9 in ches for a
particularly powerful stance.
Exterior design
Horizontal lines and sharp, precise edges are the dominant elements that structure the vehicle.
A defining and distinctive feature at the front of the car is the radiator grille that features five
chrome bars. The top and middle bars partly frame the LED dual headlights that are integrated
in the grille and extend to the fenders. A second large air intake is integrated in the lower
section of the bumper and framed on each side by the C-shaped LED daytime running lights,
which are a typical distinguishing feature of every Volkswagen with an electric or plug-in hybrid
drivetrain. Below the intake is a chrome strip running across the whole width of the car, forming
a graphic that wraps around the whole car.
Not only has the Volkswagen Design team given the lights a particularly charismatic look , but
has also featured exterior ambient lighting for the first time. When the car is unlocked, an
elegant lighting display is activated.
• To start with, the outline of the VW emblem at the front is illuminated
• Next, the contour of the top radiator grille crossbar and the bezels of the LED dual headlights
light up
• An elegant slim element that extends along the side below the A-pillar from the fender to the
door follows
• Continuing this line, the narrow, retractable door handles are then bathed in the ambient
light, making them truly visible for the first time
• Finally, the ambient lighting that wraps all the way around the vehicle flows to the rear sectio n
where it illuminates a narrow strip in each of the LED rear lights and the graphic of the VW
emblem
From the side, a striking character line formed by two creases catches the eye, starting in the
front fender and extending all the way to the trunklid. A pronounced double shoulder develops
from this character line, extending elegantly across the whole vehicle at the top. The glass roof
section connects above the double shoulder. The coupé-like C-pillar is a striking feature: the
chrome frame around the side windows ends with a counter curve in this roof pillar, which itself
merges seamlessly into the short trunklid. Below the two character lines, the side of the vehicle
is characterized by alternating convex and concave surfaces, offset by the large and striking
wheelarches that give the concept car a very muscular look.
At the rear a horizontal surface structure dominates the design and emphasizes the width of the
vehicle. The character lines that go all the way to the trunklid frame the LED rear lights at the
top. In the middle the lights feature a light-colored band that also contains the ambient lighting.
The rear section is also rounded off at the bottom by a chrome strip that gains in volume as it
moves to the back of the car, and is expressively integrated with the exhaust system’s dual
tailpipes.
Interior
The interior, which features wrap-around ambient lighting, has an extremely elegant look. The C
Coupé GTE has been designed as a sporty four-seat car to appeal to keen owner-drivers on the
one hand while also being an ideal chauffeur-driven car. The dash panel and the interior
architecture have therefore been designed with a driver-centric focus, while the rear has a
lounge-like ambience.
The infotainment concept also follows this theme. Volkswagen has developed a chauffeur mode
where information about the manager's appointments can be transferred via a smartphone to
the infotainment system. This means that the chauffeur has a chronological list of appointments
specially tailored to his tasks and is able to provide his boss with further information upon
reaching the destination—for example, the exact location of the appointment. Parallel to this,
the appointment list also serves to plan the navigation route for the day. However, the chauffeur
only has specifically filtered information for the infotainment system to facilitate punctual arrival
at the destination. The last part of the route, which will be covered on foot, can be transmitted
to the passenger's smartphone as “Last Mile Navigation”.
The architecture of the anthracite colored dash panel (Blizzard Grey) has a consistently
horizontal structure. Below the air vents there is Damascus steel trim, produced in a highly
skilled process. To make such a part, several layers of steel are placed on top of one another
and forged together again. Subsequent lateral or longitudinal separation of the layers enables a
specific pattern to be created, which is given a clear structure with grinding and polishing.
Running parallel with the narrow line of the ambient lighting, this trim also frames the
instruments and is taken up again in the door trim panels.
The door panels are refined by wood trim that gives the highly technical interior a warm, natural
atmosphere. The Dynaudio loudspeakers in the doors feature aluminum trim that extends across
the whole panel and emphasizes the length of the doors. The central clock, which looks as if it
is an analog device, also displays information on vehicle status, the assistance systems,
infotainment content and the interior air purification system (air quality index). The final element
is high-gloss black trim that seamlessly integrates the infotainment system and the digital
instrument cluster (Active Info Display).
The 12.3-inch central infotainment touchscreen is a sculptural part of the interior architecture.
In the “Today's Schedule” menu, the driver can call up the (filtered) information about the
appointments of his rear passenger that were synchronized with the navigation system. The
touchscreen is also the interface for the climate control.
The instrument cluster is a newly designed Active Info Display with high-definition 3D visuals.
The display was designed in such a way that the edges of the virtual space blend into the real
border of the instrument cluster, so one sees a free-form surface, which structures the threedimensional space without perceptible borders by means of the lighting. In its basic
configuration, the digital instrumentation has a round power meter on the left and a
speedometer on the right. A wide variety of information can be displayed between these two
instruments, such as a playlist, current vehicle data and the navigation system’s map. A realistic
3D display of striking or well-known buildings (landmarks) is particularly helpful for orientation.
The new free-form surface makes the round instruments appear to hover in virtual space and the
graphics of the displays change according to the driving mode (E -Mode or GTE mode).
The concept car features a continuous center console that ascends towards the infotainment
system between the front seats. The shift lever for the 8-speed automatic gearbox appears to
float. The lever is equipped with shift-by-wire control logic: like a joystick, the lever is always in
a central position and a short push activates R, N and D. The driver selects the P position with a
separate button that is integrated in the lever.
In the rear, there are two individual seats that show who the most important passengers are. The
rear of the interior is characterized by a lounge-like ambience that features a higher proportion
of materials such as wood and leather. The door panels with their wooden elements create a
cocoon-like feeling.
There are two personal 4.5-inch touchscreens in the center console between the rear seats
which are used for individual seat position adjustment and climate control. The rear passengers
use a mobile media control unit, such as a smartphone or a tablet, to control the two 9.5-inch
screens integrated in the black panels in the backs of the front seats. The 600-watt Dynaudio
sound system is also controlled interactively via the media control unit. Privacy in the back of
the car is ensured by electrically operated blinds and the ability to darken the panoramic sliding
roof via an electrochromic foil integrated in the “switchable” glass. If the rear-seat occupants
want a refreshing drink, they are easily accessible between the rear seats in a cooled
champagne box.
Technical data
Body / wheels
Concept
Length / width / height
Wheelbase
Tires
4-door, 4-seat sport sedan
199.7 in / 76.0 in / 56.9 in
118.7 in
265/30 R22
Drivetrain
Drive system
Drivetrain concept
Petrol engine
Electric motor
System power
System torque
Gearbox
Battery type
Battery energy capacity
Plug-in hybrid
Front-wheel drive
2.0 TSI (turbocharged, directinjection) 155 kW / 210 PS /
258 lb-ft
91 kW / 162 lb-ft
180 kW / 245 PS
369 lb-ft
8-speed automatic
Lithium-ion
14.1 kWh
Performance / fuel economy data
Top speed
Top speed E-Mode
0-62 mph
Fuel consumption (NEDC,
combined)
CO2 emissions (NEDC,
combined)
Range, electric
Range, total
144 mph
81 mph
8.6 sec
2.3 l/100 km
55 g/km
31 miles
More than 650 miles
About Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc., an operating unit of Volkswagen Group of
America, Inc. (VWoA) is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen
AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. VWoA’s operations in the United Sta tes include
research and development, parts and vehicle processing, parts distribution centers, sales,
marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its state -of-the- art
manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Volkswagen Gro up is one of the
world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker. VWoA sells the
Beetle, Beetle Convertible, CC, Eos, e-Golf, Golf, Golf GTI, Golf R, Golf SportWagen,
Jetta, Passat, Tiguan and Touareg vehicles through approximately 652 independent U.S.
dealers. Visit Volkswagen of America online at www.vw.com or media.vw.com to learn more.