VW unveils Hybrid Compact Coupe Concept

Volkswagen has revealed a concept version of a new hybrid compact coupe that is powered by an electric motor and a 1.4-litre petrol engine.

The hybrid technology means that the concept, called New Compact Coupe or NCC, is capable of a fuel consumption figure of 67.2mpg and emissions of just 98g/km. However, the NCC has not compromised on performance, with the 0-62mph sprint coming in just 8.6 seconds, with a top speed of 141mph.

The engine is based on the 1.4-litre unit that currently appears in several of the VW group's cars, including the Golf and Scirocco, and produces 148bhp.

At just over 4.5m long, the NCC sits between the Golf and Passat in terms of size and borrows heavily from VW's current design language. It uses the same chiselled side lines and features the familiar Volkswagen grille. 19-inch alloy wheels finish off the look.

There are no plans to make the concept a reality at the moment, but sources at VW have suggested elements of the coupe are likely to be seen on VW production cars in the future. This suggests there could be a petrol hybrid version of the Golf and Passat before too long. The NCC is the second VW hybrid to be shown off in recent months, following the 0.9-litre diesel hybrid Up! Lite concept that appeared at the Los Angeles motor show in December 2009.