Volkswagen boss Herbert Diess has revealed that Volkswagen is working on a range of hot SUVs that will wear the R badge as the German brand looks to expand its high-performance R product lineup. A VW T-ROC R would be likely to arrive first.
Speaking at the annual 'GTI Treffen' VW meet at Lake Worthersee in Austria, Diess told Auto Express that while the GTI brand will be reserved for performance-oriented hot hatchbacks, the R brand has more potential.
"We have a second sub brand which is R. With R we are considering. GTI has something to do with the hatch and this size of car - we shouldn't expand this brand.
"For high-performance SUVs there is definitely customer demand. There are some premium cars there already that are quite successful. I agree that it is a good fit for the brand."
It's likely the 2.0 litre unit from the Golf R would make a good fit.
His comments support those made earlier this year by the firm's head of development, Frank Welsch, who said a hot model had been talked about from the beggining of the T-Roc's development.
"I could imagine more powerful engines and it has been prepared for the eventuality," Welsch said. "I wouldn't call it a GTI - an SUV isn't a fitting car for that badge, perhaps - but I could imagine it as an R.
Speaking at the annual 'GTI Treffen' VW meet at Lake Worthersee in Austria, Diess told Auto Express that while the GTI brand will be reserved for performance-oriented hot hatchbacks, the R brand has more potential.
"We have a second sub brand which is R. With R we are considering. GTI has something to do with the hatch and this size of car - we shouldn't expand this brand.
"For high-performance SUVs there is definitely customer demand. There are some premium cars there already that are quite successful. I agree that it is a good fit for the brand."
It's likely the 2.0 litre unit from the Golf R would make a good fit.
His comments support those made earlier this year by the firm's head of development, Frank Welsch, who said a hot model had been talked about from the beggining of the T-Roc's development.
"I could imagine more powerful engines and it has been prepared for the eventuality," Welsch said. "I wouldn't call it a GTI - an SUV isn't a fitting car for that badge, perhaps - but I could imagine it as an R.