If Volkswagen’s Cross Coupé Concept looks familiar, that’s because we saw it at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show last autumn. So are we going to see the same study at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show? The answer is yes and no.

For starters, the Geneva concept gets a two-tone red and silver exterior paint work but it’s what’s hiding under the hood that justifies its existence.

Whereas the Cross Coupé shown in Tokyo features a plug-in petrol-electric hybrid system the newer versions replaces the TSI gasoline engine with an even more frugal turbodiesel four-cylinder unit with direct injection.

The setup continues to use two electric motors, one at the front and the other at the back, but with the help of the TDI, its combined fuel consumption in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) is 1.8 liters per 100 km (around 131mpg US or 157 mpg UK) with CO2 emissions of just 46 g/km.

Moreover, the system’s combined output is up from 265PS (261hp) to 306PS (302hp) offering the 1,858kg (4,096 lbs) SUV a top speed of 220km/h (137mph).

There are no other mechanical or styling changes with the Cross Coupé designed to offer us a preview of what a sportier flavored variant of the Tiguan could look like.

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