The new Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet, a convertible version of the automaker’s standard T-Roc, has been spotted on the road. The first convertible crossover, the T-Roc opens in just nine seconds and can be closed on the go at speeds of up to 18.6mph (30km/h).

The T-Roc, which features a rollover protection to safeguard passengers as well as a reinforced windscreen, has two petrol engines: a 1.0-liter three-cylinder and a 1.5 four-cylinder engine, which is also found in the rest of the T-Roc range.

Additionally, the T-Roc Cabriolet provides approximately 10.0 cubic feet of trunk space and a standard power-operated soft top. The new convertible is available in two design packages: the Style package, which includes 17-inch wheels and tires, ambient lighting and a leather interior, and the R-Line, which features standard fog lights and fabric and leatherette sport seats as well as 17-inch wheels and tires.

The Style and R-Line packages also offer a low-speed emergency braking system with pedestrian detection and lane-keeping assist, as well as optional 19-inch wheels and tires. Other extras include a Beats audio system, an 11.7-inch digital gauge cluster, and VW’s latest 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

The T-Roc Cabriolet will make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show and will be launched next spring. The convertible, which was officially confirmed by Wolfsburg in February 2018, will be manufactured at Volkswagen's Osnabrück factory in Austria. The site also builds the VW Tiguan and Porsche 718 Cayman. Volkswagen will invest more than €80 million (£70m) in the factory to support the new T-Roc.

Volkswagen chief executive officer Herbert Diess says, “Volkswagen is evolving into an SUV brand. The T-Roc is already setting new standards in the compact SUV segment. With the cabriolet based on the T-Roc, we will be adding a highly emotional model to the range. I am especially pleased to note that we can count on the Osnabrück team's decades of experience with convertibles. The Osnabrück plant now has bright prospects for the future.”

The brand has already had notable success with sports utility vehicles. The Tiguan, one of the three top-selling SUVs globally, is also in the worldwide top 10. The T-Roc Cabriolet will join twenty other VW SUVs or crossovers that are expected to be built by the brand in the next year.

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The popularity of SUVs is the driving force behind VW’s strategy and the automaker has announced that crossovers will account for roughly 40% of the brand's sales in the next decade. For now, the Volkswagen Cabriolet, like the regular T-Roc, won’t be available in the United States, though Cabrio fans can dream.