Volkswagen Midsize Coupe Concept Previewed for Beijing

Volkswagen will premiere a new concept car at the 2014 Beijing auto show, known as the Volkswagen Midsize Coupe. While perhaps not the most exciting name for a concept, the Midsize Coupe shows stylish looks could be coming to VW’s compact line, likely in the form of a CC variant of the 2015 VW Golf.

European bureau chief Georg Kacher previously predicted the arrival of a Golf CC in 2015, which would ride on the 2015 Volkswagen Golf’s new MQB platform. The next-gen Jetta will be more or less a Golf sedan, so expect the Midsize Coupe concept to take a more stylish, sporty approach than the more conventional upcoming Jetta. Volkswagen looks to be taking a page out of Mercedes-Benz’s book, which has enjoyed roaring success with the compact, slinky, yet hardly practical CLA-Class sedan.

Although VW is calling the concept the Midsize Coupe, this term is more a reference to the car’s width than its length. The Midsize Coupe is shorter than both the Passat (191.6 inches) and the Jetta (182.2 inches), measuring in at just under 181 inches in length. At 72.4 inches wide, the VW Midsize Coupe is also wider than the Passat (72.2 inches) and Jetta (70.0 inches). Our biggest gripe with the CLA is how confining the interior cabin feels for the rear passengers in particular, which, despite the VW concept’s generous width, could still be a problem because of its raked roofline and low 56-inch height.

In step with the Volkswagen Midsize Coupe’s sporty aspirations, the concept features 20-inch wheels and a 220-hp, four-cylinder, direct-injection turbocharged engine. This is likely the same powertrain used in the 2015 Volkswagen GTI, meaning a production version of the Midsize Coupe would essentially be a sexier and more coupe-like version of the Jetta GLI. The concept sprints to 62 mph in 6.5 seconds on its way to a 152-mph top speed.

It’s too early to say whether the Midsize Coupe concept could turn into a production car bound for the U.S., but it might prove an attractive option for hatchback-wary American buyers who still want performance and sexy styling. Stay tuned for more details on Volkswagen’s future products in the coming weeks and months.