The so-called “four-door coupe” category or in other words, sportier looking and proportioned sedans, has taken German automotive groups by storm, with the latest creation coming from Volkswagen and the New Midsize Coupé that was unveiled today at the Beijing Auto Show in China.
It’s the VW Group’s second car of the same style and size based on the modular MQB platform in recent months, but in this author’s eyes, it’s not as sleek or sharp as the Skoda Vision C shown in Geneva this past March.
At 4,597 mm (181 inches) long, 1,422 mm (56 inches) tall and 1,838 mm (72.4 inches) wide, the Midsize Coupé is wider than a Passat but shorter than a Jetta, and overall, roughly the same size as the Mercedes-Benz CLA.
And if you’re scratching your head about VW’s choice to name a compact model a “Midsize” car, here’s the explanation from the German carmaker:
“[Midsize] is normally the term for a car of the Passat class. However, the concept car is just 4,597 mm long and thus shorter than a Passat and shorter even than the Jetta. However, as mentioned the concept car outdoes the other two in terms of its width – and it is thus midsized.”
The exterior styling isn’t at all aggressive for a concept while the interior looks like it was transferred directly from one of the brand’s Golf models, which ultimately means that, this is a pre-production study, with the rumor mill talking about a presentation within the next 18 months.
Power for the concept comes from a 2.0-liter turbocharged petrol rated for 217hp (220PS) linked to a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox (VW got it right this time), with the manufacturer claiming a 0-100km/h (62mph) time of 6.5 seconds, a top speed of 244km/h (152mph) and a fuel consumption of 6.4 l/100 km (36.8 mpg US or 44.1 mpg UK).
By John Halas
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