SHANGHAI MOTOR SHOW: VW CrossBlue Coupe

Leaked images of the Volkswagen CrossBlue Coupe SUV have emerged online less than 24 hours after teaser sketches were officially released, signalling VW's intention to expand its growing SUV model portfolio even
more broadly than expected.

Effectively a more curvaceous five-seat version of the seven-seat CrossBlue SUV concept that debuted at the Detroit motor show in January, the CrossBlue Coupe will appear in the metal for the first time at tomorrow’s Shanghai show in China tomorrow.

Like the CrossBlue, the CrossBlue Coupe is based on a variation of the flexible new MQB platform that underpins Volkswagen’s new Golf, and is powered by a plug-in hybrid drivetrain.

The leaked images expose an angular motif not unlike the Range Rover Evoque, although the CrossBlue Coupe concept appears to have a wider stance.

Few other details are available until the CrossBlue Coupe appears in Shanghai over the weekend, but reports say a turbocharged petrol V6 and two electric motors will provide 0-100km/h acceleration in just 5.9 seconds, an electric-only range of about 30km and frugal fuel consumption of 3.0L/100km.

Volkswagen Group Australia has already flagged its interest in the CrossBlue SUV, which has so far only been confirmed for left-hand drive production, although Skoda has revealed it will launch an all-new seven-seat SUV -- based on the CrossBlue -- here in 2016.

If built and approved for Australia, the production CrossBlue would give Volkswagen its first seven-seat SUV model here, where it would be priced under $50,000 and positioned between the mid-size Tiguan and large Touareg, both of which offer only five seats.

Larger than the Touareg, the CrossBlue Coupe is not to be confused with the VW Cross Coupe concept that previewed its design at the 2011 Tokyo show but was similar in size to the Tiguan.

Confusing matters even more, the Cross Coupe name also appeared on an Audi concept at the 2007 Shanghai show, but that car previewed the Audi Q5.

Volkswagen is also keen to join the influx of models in Australia’s booming small SUV sector, but the up!-based Taigun crossover will be built only in left-hand drive form, primarily for South American markets.

That said, VW has indicated it is committed to plugging the gap in its growing SUV line-up between the A-segment Taigun and the C-segment Tiguan, logically via an all-new compact SUV based on the B-segment Polo.

Such a model would give VW its first direct rivals for circa-$25,000 light-sized crossovers like the Nissan Dualis, Mitsubishi ASX and the upcoming Holden Trax and Ford EcoSport.