Almost certainly destined to become one of the stars of the 2010 Detroit Auto Show, Volkswagen’s New Compact Coupe (NCC) concept car has been revealed--albeit, a little prematurely thanks to several leaks. Previewing the look of the next-generation Volkswagen Jetta due later this year, as well as a new Jetta Coupe, the stylish NCC offers some solace for the scores of Americans still lamenting the German automaker’s decision not to bring the funky Scirocco to local showrooms.

The NCC is designed to sit between the Scirocco and Passat CC in Volkswagen’s lineup and is expected to enter production later this year.

Efficiency is the name of the game for the NCC and its advanced powertrain is certainly not lacking in this department. Despite being capable of reaching speeds of up to 141 mph and accelerating from 0-60 mph in around 8.1 seconds, the NCC returns an impressive fuel economy of 56 mpg.

These values were made technically feasible by a high-tech alliance: a 150-horsepower gasoline TSI engine displacing just 1.4-liters and matched to a 27-horsepower electric motor running on lithium-ion batteries. Drive is sent to the front wheels via a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox.

Further helping to reduce fuel consumption are brake energy recovery and engine stop-start systems.

The NCC measures in at 178.5-inches in length, 70.1-inches across and just 55.6-inches in height. Inside, there is a 2+2 seating configuration, though we suspect six-footers will have trouble fitting in the back. Premium features include metal surrounds on all air vents, multifunction keys on the steering wheel, radio-navigation system, climate control, gearshift unit, and white accents for the door trim and instruments.

[Volkswagen]