WITH FUEL PRICES on the rise, Volkswagen has picked an ideal moment to unveil its eye-catching hybrid concept, which covers 100km on less than a litre of petrol.
The German company has christened its two-seater prototype XL1, claims it is the most fuel-efficient car in the world and, with just 24g/km of greenhouse gases, the most environmentally friendly.
“The XL1 brings the vision of the 1-litre car close to production,” read a Volkswagen statement, after the car’s unveiling at the Qatar Motor Show.
The secret of the car’s fuel efficiency, over 300mpg in old money, is its “structural skin”, a lightweight shell made partly from carbon fibre-reinforced polymer that reduces its weight to 800 kg. The material reduces drag and has already made inroads into Formula One race cars. In industry jargon, the Wolfsburg engineers claim to have produced “one of the slippiest cars in the world”.
With its sleek lines and hooded back wheels, the body's consciously "futuristic" design makes several nods at Hollywood's sci-fi legacy, from Blade Runnerto Terminator. Its wing doors give even a respectful nod to the DeLorean.
Under the hood, VW engineers have been particularly inventive, taking a 1.6-litre TDi turbo diesel with 48 horsepower, lopping off half, and coupling it to a 27 horse-power e-motor.
The XL1 is blessed with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and a lithium-ion battery that can power the car for 35km and can be recharged from a household plug. The car stays in electric mode until you hit the throttle.
Volkswagen describes the XL1 as the end of a long hunt for the automotive holy grail: the 1-litre car. After a noisy 2002 diesel and the 2009 L1, the XL1 is the third in its 1-litre strategy, and is a “near production” model.
“The XL1 . . . could come into small series production in 2013,” says VW chairman Martin Winterkorn. No prices yet, but the low-volume production method guarantees a premium price. Educated guesses price the new arrival at around €50,000.