NAIAS: Volkswagen New Compact Coupe Hybrid Official Photos and Details

Following a 2009 when the German carmaker flooded the market with countless releases, 2010 promises to be even more action-packed for the Wolfsburg manufacturer. The year-opener for the carmaker was chosen to be the new compact coupe car which will be unveiled later today at the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

The New Compact Coupe (we hope this is just a provisional name) is a hybrid vehicle powered by a TSI gasoline-engine and an electric motor. The gasoline engine, paired to a 7-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) develops 150 HP, while the electric motor adds 27 HP.

The most remarkable aspect of the hybrid is the fuel consumption rate estimated by Volkswagen for the car. According to initial data, the New Compact Coupe eats up 4.2 l/100 km (45 mpg), while releasing only 98g of CO2/km into the atmosphere. All this while performance figures still remain high: naught to sixty acceleration is 8.1 seconds and the top speed is 227 km/h (141 mph).

Volkswagen plans to set the New Compact Coupe in between the Scirocco and the CC, as it will be a combination of good fuel economy and sporty behavior. As for the release date...

"The New Compact Coupe shows, both technically and visually, how Volkswagen envisions a front-wheel drive hybrid for the compact class that would be implemented when the time is right."

Until the time is right, Volkswagen announced it will debut its first hybird later this year in the form of an "SUV with full-time all-wheel drive."