GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Volkswagen T-ROC for 2016

It's no secret the extraverted Volkswagen T-ROC concept is being seriously considered for production. But now one of the Volkswagen Group's most senior executives says the Golf-based 'lifestyle' SUV would be sold globally in both left- and right-hand drive when it gets the green light for production.

That means it could be seen cruising around, top-down, on Australian roads in a few years time.

The Volkswagen Group's head of powertrain development, Dr Heinz Jakob Neusser, who oversees vehicle development across all of VW's brands, from Lamborghini to Skoda, told motoring.com.au the T-ROC is going global.

"I think it could be a worldwide model because the A-segment in the SUV side is very broad, especially in Europe. And it's growing very quickly as well in China and the US and South American markets," he said.

"We do it as a left-hand drive and right-hand drive," he noted.

"We would like to build it and we are just here at the Geneva motor show to get the response from the press and potential customers. It fits very well below the Tiguan and above the Taigun," said Neusser.

Based on the same MQB platform as the Golf, Neusser said the T-ROC has "big potential" and could easily take advantage of all the engines currently in use in the Golf. Because of the shared components, it wouldn't take long to get the Volkswagen T-ROC into dealerships, either.

"I would say when we push the button [to start production development], it's something between two and half and three years [until production]," said Neusser, meaning we could see the car by late 2016.

Clearly the production planning of the T-ROC is well advanced, as Neusser was open in his discussion of the SUV's configurations, saying the vehicle could be offered in three and five-door body styles, the latter likely to offer the removable roof.

"Here we have a very sporty design feature with the roof, which can be opened and all these things are more emotional on the three-door."

Very much a case of 'when' rather than 'if' the T-ROC arrives, it will herald a slight shift in the vehicles around it, especially the Tiguan, which will have to grow in size to accommodate its new smaller SUV sibling.

"All the cars which are based on the MQB platform are growing a little bit, and this gives us more space between for additional models," stated the Volkswagen Group's powertrain boss.

We also had to ask about the Volkswagen T-ROC's front end design, which features a pair of very large, stylised fog lights, reminiscent of the Nissan Juke, with which the T-ROC will compete. Neusser was unequivocal: "No. It's absolutely different to that."

"We took all the styling DNA from our Volkswagen DNA, such as the sharp lines and steep angles, aggressive style; really, that's what we have," he said.

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