Some concept cars might be flights of fancy but the New Compact Coupe concept from VW shown at the Detroit auto show isn’t one of them. Delete the Bluemotion-style closed grille and add a pair of rear doors and you’re pretty much looking at the sixth-generation production Jetta due on sale in the UK in early 2011.
The NCC concept was shown as a three-door coupe with four-seats divided by a high central spine – like its bigger production brother the Passat CC – but the next road-going Jetta range will start as a four-door saloon with five conventional seats. A four-seat coupe version has not been ruled out longer term though. Up close on the show stand the interior dash looked to be almost stock Golf and production-ready aside from the impractical white leather seating.
At 4540mm long the NCC concept is 10mm shorter than the current fifth-generation Jetta, 50mm lower, 20mm wider and sits on a 70mm shorter wheelbase. The production Jetta saloon will be based on the Eos platform and share this wheelbase but is expected to be a little longer, higher and narrower. New engines for the next Jetta will include 1.2 and 1.4TSI petrol units, a 1.6 diesel plus 2.0 TDI + 2.0 TSI engines carried over from the current model. Bluemotion versions are set to follow but VW has not yet confirmed whether the concept’s hybrid drivetrain – offering 67mpg and 98g/km of CO2 – will be commercially viable for European markets.
While still a conservative design, the angular NCC with its bold shoulder line and deep sill makes for a solid profile and is a stylish leap over the softly curved and slightly amorphous current Jetta. It also brings the car in line with VW’s new design direction as personified by the new Polo and Golf. VW sold 3000 versions of the current Jetta in 2009 of which 80% were diesel and 55% went to fleet, but could be looking to improve on that total given the extra style of the new model.
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