The T-Roc is doing exceptionally well for Volkswagen at the moment. It has climbed to fourth place in the European sales rankings in the first ten months of the year. Sales figures from Dataforce show that 170.931 of the compact crossovers were sold through October. This is probably something no one in Wolfsburg expected.
Although the second generation of the popular crossover has already been launched, the impressive figures were achieved exclusively with the first T-Roc model, which is now eight years old. Deliveries of the new T-Roc will begin this month. First with the familiar 1,5-liter turbo petrol engine. Later, a 2,0-liter petrol engine and two new hybrid engines will follow.
Those who like something a little more exciting will have to wait a little longer. We were already surprised when we were told at the car's launch in the summer that the T-Roc R would be available again. Now, the first images of the still-undercover high-performance SUV, which is expected to hit the market in 2027, are available.
On display are a quad-pipe Akrapovič exhaust system and 20-inch wheels. Close-up shots published by Autocritica show more aggressively designed bumpers and more powerful brakes, but the real treat is under the hood. The 2,0-liter gasoline engine is identical in power to the one in the current Golf R, developing 333 hp and 420 Nm of torque. However, the next T-Roc R will be equipped with a mild hybrid system.
While a 48-volt system usually brings a temporary power boost, VW engineers are focusing on efficiency in order to meet the upcoming Euro 7 standard. As a result, power will probably not exceed that of the Golf R. We can't say yet whether the compact sports car will also switch to a mild hybrid 2.0 TSI, but that remains a possibility. The Golf 8 is the last Golf with an internal combustion engine. And it will probably remain on the market for quite some time. Wolfsburg has hinted that the current generation will still be sold until 2035.
This would likely require the existing Golf R to be electrified in some way to meet stricter emissions regulations. The only transmission option remains a 7-speed dual-clutch. This will also be the case for the T-Roc R. Like the Golf R, its crossover counterpart will be available exclusively with 4Motion all-wheel drive. A fully electric R model is only a matter of time, not a possibility. VW has already previewed a Polo GTI without an internal combustion engine and hinted at a future R model that will be powered exclusively by electric motors.
