Volkswagen Concept A Concept

Find a Local Car DealerRoughly a decade ago, Volkswagen unveiled its Concept 1, which became the New Beetle. Now, after teasing us with the New Beetle Dune Concept at the Detroit show in 2004, VW presents the Concept A, a realistic look at the 2009 Golf-based sport/utility vehicle. Will the crossover SUV, likely to be named either Marrakech or Bedouin, have the four-door coupe body of this concept? Well, the connection between Concept 1 to New Beetle wasn't that literal, so there could be some changes in store. But note that the A shown here at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show does have real sideview mirrors (not cameras) and a front fascia reflecting its Passat-based design direction. Its "3D" crest radiator grille is made of brushed aluminum, and VW describes it as looking "like the mirror image of a cheetah." Power is from a 150-horsepower "Twincharger" 1.4-liter twin-turbo gas-direct injection, but it's designed to also take a transverse-mounted turbodiesel with particulate filter, a 2.0-liter/200-horsepower FSI four, or any of a number of powerplants, including V-6s. It puts that power through a six-speed manual gearbox to 4MOTION all-wheel-drive. Wheelbase is 102.4 inches, overall length is 171.3 inches, width is 72.8 inches and "step-in" height is 61 inches, with long hood and short overhangs. Wheels are 20 inch, 295-aspect-ratio tires. Note the Hoffmeister kink in c-pillar and Bangle-esque "flame surfacing," a bow to BMW design. It has a two-part hatchback; lid and backlight flips up, the lower part under the taillamps swings open like a pickup-truck loading surface.

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