Last month, Volkswagen (VW) launched the T-ROC in the Indian market at a starting price of Rs 19.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). This month, the automaker has launched the T-ROC Cabriolet in Germany at EUR 27,495, which roughly translates into Rs 23 lakh in Indian currency.
VW has started the production of the convertible at the Osnabruck plant. Before the production, the German automaker optimised production and logistics operations of the plant. Besides the T-Roc Cabriolet, this facility also produces the Porsche Cayman. The convertible has a soft top that is a fully automatic and electrohydraulically operated. The soft top weighs 53.1 kg and can be controlled by means of a central switch on the centre tunnel or via the remote control key (optional). A wind deflector is also available but as an optional fitment.
In terms of features, it gets all the standard specs as the regular T-Roc in addition to the extra features equipped in the convertible. The foldable roof can be opened within 9 seconds, and it takes 11 seconds to close it at speeds of up to 30 km/h. There’s an electromechanical lock system to keep the roof in place. In case it’s raining, there’s a provision to let the water drain via longitudinal seams of the side panels.
The SUV also gets a safety system positioned behind the rear seats to protect the rear passengers if the car rolls over in an accident. Two thick panels behind the headrests pop out in a fraction of a second as soon as the vehicle’s sensors detect that it is exceeding a defined transverse acceleration or a certain tilt angle. Moreover, there are reinforcement tubes in the windscreen frame and the A-pillars, as well as convertible-specific reinforcements in the floor.
Unlike the VW T-Roc, the VW T-Roc Cabriolet benefits from Volkswagen Group’s new Modular Infotainment Toolkit (MIB 3) that uses new processors and includes eSIM to keep the vehicle permanently online. This means that the parent company’s latest infotainment system and the Digital Cockpit virtual instrument cluster (Active Info Display replacement) are present in the convertible SUV.
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Like the Indian spec, the Cabriolet is a front-wheel-drive SUV. It measures 4,268 mm in length, 1,811 mm in width and 1,522 mm in height. Which means in comparison to the Indian spec SUC, the convertible is 74 mm shorter, 8 mm narrower and 51 mm lower in its overall dimensions. Its wheelbase, at 2,630 mm, is 40 mm longer. The convertible SUV’s boot space is 284 litres, while the SUV offers 445 litres of cargo space that can be increased to 1,290 litres by folding the rear seat backrests.
Engine Options
The all-new VW T-Roc Cabriolet derives power from a 1.0-litre TSI petrol unit that produces 115 PS of power and 200 Nm of peak torque. It also gets an option of a much powerful and potent 1.5-litre TSI petrol engine which also powers the Indian T-Roc. This powertrain generates 150 PS of power and 250 Nm of peak torque. While the former comes coupled to a 6-speed manual transmission, the latter is being offered with options of a 6-speed manual transmission and a 7-speed DSG unit. The T-Roc Cabriolet 1.0 TSI can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 11.7 seconds and attain a top speed of 187 km/h. The T-Roc Cabriolet 1.0 TSI can hit the 100 km/h mark from standstill in 9.6 seconds and keep going further at speeds up to 205 km/h.
In all likelihood, the T-Roc Cabriolet will not make its way to India as convertibles haven’t been popular in this segment in the Indian market. The company is also looking to launch the Taigun compact SUV in India in the coming months, which was showcased at the AutoExpo 2020.