2019 Volkswagen T-Roc GTI
The closest thing to a GTI model available right now is the T-Roc R-Line, which has a slightly sportier appearance. The package adds horizontal slats to the bumper grille and splitter-like elements instead of the lower protection plate up front. It also sports black wheel arch extensions, body-colored side skirts, and new wheels. The GTI upgrade will take things up a notch with updates similar to those seen on the Golf GTI. The upper section of the front fascia shouldn鈥檛 change much, but look for the trademark red stripe to run across the grille and the lower section of the headlamps. The grille should remain similar, but the honeycomb pattern will get a different look. It鈥檚 the bumper that will help set the GTI apart. For starters, it will be taller and will help the crossover gain a more planted look. The fake vents mounted inside the rectangular LED daytime running lights should carry over, but the foglamps below will be removed for additional outlets with black inserts.
The bumper intake will probably go larger, but it will also get a honeycomb mesh for a sportier look. The T-Roc will also get a proper splitter, most likely highlighted in red. As usual, the profile won鈥檛 get too many changes outside the usual black window trim, side skirts extensions, the black trim. A "GTI" badge will be added on the front fenders, while the wheels will get a fancier, lightweight design. The vehicle in this rendering sports a black roof, but Volkswagen could offer more color options here. Read end modifications are pretty obvious for a vehicle of this type. Volkswagen will add a bigger spoiler on the tailgate, while the bumper plate will be replaced by a diffuser-like element. Of course, a red "GTI" badge will further remind you that this isn鈥檛 a regular T-Roc. Finally, the crossover will sit a bit closer to the ground, an upgrade that will not only make it look sportier, but it should also give it better dynamics.
The T-Roc鈥檚 interior may seem a bit cramped, but it鈥檚 as modern as they get when it comes to design and technology. It looks premium too, especially when you select the colored dash, door panel, and center console inserts. It鈥檚 not like Volkswagen can improve it by much, but the GTI package could bring a few interesting extras inside the cabin. For starters, I think that the colored inserts will be red as standard. Red has been the GTI鈥檚 traditional color since day one and Volkswagen will probably want to make use of it in this model too. The paddle shifters behind the steering wheel should also be painted in red, while the steering wheel itself will get a more aggressive design with a flatter bottom. Red accents could be added here as well. The standard seats will be replaced with sportier units with heavier bolstering and maybe even integrated headrests. The stripe design on the center could carry over, with the stitching finished in red for a more cohesive look.
Both the instrument cluster and the infotainment display should get custom start-up screens with "GTI" logo, while the speedo and rev counter will have red needles. Of course, there will be more tech than usual included as standard. For instance, while the base T-Roc comes with a 6.5-inch infotainment screen, the GTI will probably get the eight-inch unit. This one comes with a CD player, Discover Media, and a navigation system. The 11.7-inch instrument cluster will display a ton of info, including drivetrain information. Things like MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto will be standard as well. The inductive charging area could remain optional though. Cargo space should remain unchanged, and this is great news as the T-Roc offers a lot of luggage room given the size. With the rear seats up, the mini SUV can swallow up to 15.71 cubic feet of luggage. Fold the rear passenger seats and the figure increases to a solid 45.55 cubic feet.
Definitely enough for a vacation if you don鈥檛 have kids. With the standard T-Roc already using the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine available in the Golf, it鈥檚 pretty obvious that the GTI could also share its drivetrain with the hot-hatchback. The turbocharged four-pot in the Golf GTI cranks out 217 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque and could find its way in the T-Roc with similar figures. As of this writing, the range-topping T-Roc benefits from 187 horses and 236 pound-feet, so a 30-horsepower and 20-pound-foot increase for the GTI would make sense. Volkswagen could even add the Performance Package, which current adds an extra ten horsepower to the Golf. As a result, the most powerful T-Roc yet could come with 227 horses on tap. Just like the Golf, the T-Roc should arrive with a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission and a 4Motion all-wheel-drive system. As the most powerful version of the T-Roc, the GTI will also be the quickest. The 2.0 TSI model is already pretty fast needing 7.2 seconds to hit 62 mph, but the GTI will improve that benchmark with a sub-six-second time. Expect it to need only 5.8 clicks to get there.
