Volkswagen T-Roc R fashionably late to crossover party

Volkswagen is looking to bring some real fire to the Geneva Motor Show this year ahead of the unveiling of the new Volkswagen T-Roc R, just weeks before the motoring event. The crossover market has been growing at an incredible rate, especially during recent years, and while Volkswagen may be late to the party, they’re doing it fashionably.

So, if the T-Roc is simply a crossover Golf, then the T-Roc R is the same, but with the Golf R. In fact, the T-Roc R and its Golf R counterpart share the same base suspension components and powertrain. The powertrain in question is VW’s EA888 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, tweaked to produce a total power output of 220kW. A clever all-wheel drive system and a quick 7-speed DSG gearbox will accelerate the hot-crossover from rest to 100km/h in 4.9-seconds before reaching its electronically limited top speed of 250km/h.

The T-Roc R looks the part, too. Its suspension sits 20mm lower than the regular T-Roc and has been stiffened to increase vehicle dynamics. The wheels are standard at 18-inches, but there is a 19-inch wheel on the options list. Both of them will surround high-performance 17-inch brakes. Things get even more exciting at the rear with a quad exhaust set-up under a sporty bumper. Buyers will also have the option of building their T-Roc R’s with an Akrapovic sports exhaust system.

The rest of the T-Roc R’s design is largely based on the Golf R. It has an anodised grille, matte chrome mirror caps and R badges around the car. The front is a lot more menacing thanks to larger air intakes on the redesigned front bumper, while the interior is filled with materials like carbon fibre and leather, as well as a sports steering wheel and optional sport seats from the Golf R.