Volkswagen Goes Upscale With its C Coupe GTE

Volkswagen C Coupe GTE (Credit: © Volkswagen )

At the Shanghai Auto show, Volkswagen has revealed a new concept that seems to preview an upcoming four-door coupe. The C Coupe GTE, not only shows off a new, more premium design for VW, but it also debuts a super-high-tech drivetrain for the automaker.

As a four-door coupe, the C Coupe GTE boasts a swooping roofline that looks sharp, but tends to limit rear-seat headroom. The front fascia also injects a good bit of luxury thanks to its five-bar grille, LED driving lights and C-shaped LED fog lights. A set of 22-inch wheels wrapped in 265/30R22 rubber help add to the premium look.

Volkswagen C Coupe GTE (Credit: © Volkswagen )

Measuring in at 199.7 inches long, 76 inches wide, and 56.9 inches high, the C Coupe GTE is a relative behemoth in the plug-in hybrid realm. Whether it will arrive in this massive shell as a production model, or not, remains to be seen.

Inside the cabin, this VW is all about luxury, and it starts with 2+2 seating – a favorite in China. From the anthracite-colored door trim to the Damascus steel trim, this thing isn’t your standard Vee Dub-Ya. On top of the premium materials and look, the C Coupe GTE also features a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, a new Active Info Display instrument cluster with 3D visuals, a 60-watt audio system, and 4.5-inch touchscreens for each rear seat to control the seat positions and climate control.

Volkswagen C Coupe GTE (Credit: © Volkswagen )

Under its hood, the C Coupe GTE comes with an advanced hybrid setup that combines a four-cylinder TSI turbocharged engine with a 91 kW electric motor. The combined output of this concept is 180 kW (241 horsepower) and 369 pound-feet of torque. This power travels through an eight-speed auto transmission. This drivetrain sprints the large concept to 62 mph in 8.6 seconds and up to a top speed of 144 mph (81 mph in electric-only mode).

Fueling the electric motor is a 14.1 kWh lithium-ion battery that delivers up to 31 miles of electric-only driving. In total, the gasoline and electric bits combine to deliver 102 mpg-e and an emissions rating of just 55 grams of CO2 per km.

There is no mention of when or if this concept will make it to production, but VW made it clear that this styling will find its way into future models. The laid-out cabin and 2+2 seating makes it seem more like something built specifically for the Chinese market.