Volkswagen mid-sized coupé to challenge Mercedes CLA.

The Volkswagen NMC -- New Mid-sized Coupe -- concept makes official the carmaker's plans for a style-led sedan to challenge the Mercedes-Benz CLA.

Unveiled at the Beijing auto show, the new four-door car closely previews a future Jetta-based model that will slot into the Volkswagen lineup beneath the existing Passat CC, most likely in 2016.

 

Volkswagen design boss Klaus Bischoff describes the NMC as an “avant-garde protagonist for a new compact sedan class.”

The car continues the current Volkswagen design lineage, with crisp features and lines, heavily horizontal detailing, and taut surfacing -- all aimed at providing it with a technical-inspired appearance.

A simple grille and LED headlamps span the width of front end, giving the new car clear family ties to other recent new Volkswagen models. In a bid to provide it with an added sense of sportiness, Volkswagen designers have taken inspiration from the Volkswagen CC in providing the NMC with a heavily curved roofline, frameless doors, and notchback-style rear.

The production version of the NMC is set to be built at Volkswagen's plant in Puebla, Mexico, and a joint venture factory in China. Underpinning the sedan will be Volkswagen's versatile MQB platform.  

It's unclear if and when the coupe will be marketed in the United States.

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