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Volkswagen Tiguan and Touareg take the R-Line

Volkswagen's Detroit Auto Show presence is big on utility this year, with the CrossBlue three-row concept vehicle occupying the lion's share of the limelight, both literally and figuratively. But that isn't stopping Volkswagen from lavishing attention on its already established crossover and sport utility vehicles with new R-Line derivatives. The Tiguan and its big brother Touareg are getting a host of look-faster items to increase their sporting appeal.
On the outside, the Tiguan R-Line receives handsome 19-inch alloys peering out from beneath fender extensions, premium lighting (bi-Xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lamps), along with matching side skirts and a liftgate spoiler. On the inside, sportier accommodations include aluminum trim and a flat-bottom steering wheel with paddle shifters. As with other R-Line models, there are no powertrain modifications to go with the more aggressive visuals (that being the province of R standalone performance models like the R32), though the suspension has been firmed up an unspecified amount. The Tiguan R-Line will be available in front- or all-wheel drive configuration.

Volkswagen rules out more potent Polo R

Volkswagen may be planning ever more powerful versions of its Golf, but don't expect that lust for power to trickle down to the smaller Polo anytime soon as the German automaker has reportedly ruled out the prospect of making a Polo R. This according to Autovisie, the automotive section of Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, in speaking to VW representatives at the launch of the new Polo GTI. Where the previous Polo GTI offered 177 horsepower, the new one packs 189 and is available with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The company briefly offered a Polo WRC Street with 220 horsepower, but that was only for a limited edition that Autovisie says will not be repeated for mainstream production. Which may just be for the best, as far as we're concerned, as no versions of the Polo are offered in the US, and we don't need yet another piece of forbidden fruit we can't get our hands on. The decision may seem at odds with the Polo R WRC rally machine with which Volkswagen has been dominating the World Rally Championship for the past two seasons, but was likely made in order to keep the Polo from infringing on Golf territory. VW currently offers the Golf GTI with 210 horsepower and the Golf R with 292, and showcased an even more powerful version with nearly 400 hp.

VW readying two-row CUV concept for Detroit

We're likely getting yet another glimpse of Volkswagen's future crossover at the upcoming 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, in January. According to Automotive News, two anonymous sources within the automaker indicate a CUV concept will be shown there. The concept is said to be a five-passenger preview of the brand's future seven-seat model. Previous versions of the crossover have carried the name CrossBlue (pictured above), but there was no indication whether or not that would continue. The original three-row concept debuted at the 2013 auto show in Detroit, and VW followed it up with the CrossBlue Coupe Concept in Shanghai later that year. In early 2014, the company announced the CUV would go into production sometime in 2016, along with plans to invest $7 billion in North America over the next five years. During the summer, the automaker made things even more official when it declared plans to invest $900 million to build a 538,000-square-foot expansion into its Chattanooga, TN, factory to assemble the new model. Production of the crossover was slated to begin by the end of 2016, at the time. According to Automotive News, even more changes in VW's CUV lineup are on the way. The Tiguan is reportedly getting an update next year that could be joined by coupe and long-wheelbase variants, as well.