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R-badged crossover edging closer to production, could debut later this year.
Photographers have snapped a development vehicle believed to be the upcoming Volkswagen T-Roc R in its production form, ahead of an anticipated debut later this year.
Compared to previous prototypes, this T-Roc R is fully camouflaged and features bespoke body elements – namely the front and rear bumpers.
We can also see new wheels on this vehicle, similar to the Pretoria rims offered on the Golf. There’s still a set of quad tailpipes out back, though their rounded appearance looks more like the optional Akrapovic titanium system offered as part of the Performance Package for the Golf R overseas – also coming to Australia with the R Special Edition.
Perhaps this particular T-Roc R is running the Performance Package gear just for development, or Volkswagen is considering offering the louder exhaust and lighter wheels as part of an optional pack for the performance SUV.
Other upgrades will include stiffer suspension and bigger brakes, along with unique interior appointments to round out that sportier vibe.
It’s believed the T-Roc R will utilise the same 2.0-litre turbocharged four as the Golf R and Audi S3, which makes 228kW in its current form (the engine was recently detuned for WLTP regulations).
Coupled with a quick-shifting dual-clutch automatic and all-wheel drive, the T-Roc R should be capable of sprinting from 0-100 in around 5.0 seconds.
The same drivetrain will likely feature in the related Audi SQ2, which has also been spied recently ahead of a likely reveal later this year.
While Volkswagen has opted out of the Paris motor show this year, it’s believed the German marque will reveal the R-badged crossover around the same time as the event, which commences in October.
In terms of an Australian launch, high global demand has seen the regular T-Roc’s introduction delayed several times for our market. Last November, Volkswagen’s local division was forced to “take T-Roc off the agenda” for Australia, with the business case to be reviewed again sometime in the 12 months following.
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