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From Fairfax drive section online.. looks fantastic.
Volkswagen is planning to release a futuristic two-seater production car that can travel 100km on a single litre of fuel. RICHARD BLACKBURN reports.
Volkswagen is reportedly planning to build a limited production run of ultra-efficient city cars that could travel from Sydney to Brisbane on just 10 litres of fuel.
A report on British website CAR says the top-secret plan will see vehicles in showrooms by 2010.
Volkswagen first unveiled a concept version of the tandem two-seater car at a company annual general meeting back in 2002, predicting it could see production in 2012.
But according to the CAR report, the concept, which in its original form could travel 100km on one litre of fuel, is close to production readiness.
The original bullet-shaped concept car looked more like a solar vehicle than regular passenger transport. It was 3.65m long, just 1.25m wide and less than a metre tall, with a jet fighter-style gull-wing canopy door. The side mirrors were replaced by cameras to improve the aerodynamics.
The door, cameras and the seating configuration – the passenger sits behind the driver – are expected to be retained for the production vehicle.
The 2002 concept was built entirely from composite carbon-fibre reinforced material, with a reinforced plastic outer skin concealing a space frame constructed from lightweight magnesium.
The vehicle weighed just 290kg.
It was powered by a mid-engined, 0.3-litre, single-cylinder diesel powerplant that put out a modest 6.3kW maximum power at 4000rpm. Fuel consumption was 0.99 litres per 100km, with a range of 650km from its 6.5-litre fuel tank. The engine was positioned ahead of the rear axle and drove the wheels through a version of Volkswagen’s lauded six-speed automated manual, direct-shift gearbox.
But the CAR report says the production version will be a two-cylinder diesel unit, with a mild hybrid system that would allow full-electric operation under some circumstances.
Despite the emphasis on weight-saving, the original vehicle came with a full safety package, including anti-lock brakes, stability control and a drivers’ airbag. All three are likely to be retained for the production version.
But the car won’t be cheap. CAR quotes VW insiders who predict it could cost between £ 16,000 and £ 24,000 ($33,000 to $50,000). The production run is likely to be about 1000 units a year.
Volkswagen is planning to release a futuristic two-seater production car that can travel 100km on a single litre of fuel. RICHARD BLACKBURN reports.
Volkswagen is reportedly planning to build a limited production run of ultra-efficient city cars that could travel from Sydney to Brisbane on just 10 litres of fuel.
A report on British website CAR says the top-secret plan will see vehicles in showrooms by 2010.
Volkswagen first unveiled a concept version of the tandem two-seater car at a company annual general meeting back in 2002, predicting it could see production in 2012.
But according to the CAR report, the concept, which in its original form could travel 100km on one litre of fuel, is close to production readiness.
The original bullet-shaped concept car looked more like a solar vehicle than regular passenger transport. It was 3.65m long, just 1.25m wide and less than a metre tall, with a jet fighter-style gull-wing canopy door. The side mirrors were replaced by cameras to improve the aerodynamics.
The door, cameras and the seating configuration – the passenger sits behind the driver – are expected to be retained for the production vehicle.
The 2002 concept was built entirely from composite carbon-fibre reinforced material, with a reinforced plastic outer skin concealing a space frame constructed from lightweight magnesium.
The vehicle weighed just 290kg.
It was powered by a mid-engined, 0.3-litre, single-cylinder diesel powerplant that put out a modest 6.3kW maximum power at 4000rpm. Fuel consumption was 0.99 litres per 100km, with a range of 650km from its 6.5-litre fuel tank. The engine was positioned ahead of the rear axle and drove the wheels through a version of Volkswagen’s lauded six-speed automated manual, direct-shift gearbox.
But the CAR report says the production version will be a two-cylinder diesel unit, with a mild hybrid system that would allow full-electric operation under some circumstances.
Despite the emphasis on weight-saving, the original vehicle came with a full safety package, including anti-lock brakes, stability control and a drivers’ airbag. All three are likely to be retained for the production version.
But the car won’t be cheap. CAR quotes VW insiders who predict it could cost between £ 16,000 and £ 24,000 ($33,000 to $50,000). The production run is likely to be about 1000 units a year.
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