VW Golf GTE Sport Concept To Make North American Debut In L.A.

VW’s plug-in hybrid concept coupe is not new to Europeans, as it was officially unveiled at Worthersee, earlier this year, but it’s bound to make its North American debut at the LA Auto Show.

Called the VW Golf GTE Sport Concept, it carries a design that automaker says “illustrates how Golf GT models could develop in the future”. The body is largely made from carbon fiber and it wears a White Club finish. Other features include the scissor doors and 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, wrapped in 235/35 and 275/30 tires front and rear.

Inside, there are two racing bucket seats, with five-point belts, a motorsport steering wheel with paddle shifters and three transparent instrument displays. The one closest to the driver shows the battery status and selected gear, the center one displays the power delivered by the drivetrain and the electric boost of the plug-in system and the last one, which is also the largest, indicates the speed and driving range.

VW says that the one-off car has an operating mode switch for selecting E-Mode, GTE-Mode and Hybrid-Mode, which is situated in the roof, similar to controls in a jet plane. In E-Mode, the car relies on the battery to drive for up to 31 miles (50 km) on a single charge before the 1.6-liter TSI kicks in, in the Hybrid-Mode. The GTE-Mode changes the drivetrain and it provides the full 395 HP (401 PS), with 295 HP (208 PS) from the internal combustion unit.

The petrol burner is assisted by two electric motors, one at the front, in the housing of the 6-speed dual-clutch transmission, and the other one at the rear. Each one produces 114 HP (115 PS). The total torque of the drive system is 494 lb-ft (670 Nm), enough for a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in just 4.3sec and a top speed of 174 mph (280 km/h). The plug-in hybrid averages 118 mpg US (2.0L/100km / 141.2 mpg UK).