VW unveils 74 mpg Golf BlueMotion Concept
Click above for high-res images of the Golf BlueMotion concept
Debuting in concept form today is the most fuel efficient and cleanest version of Volkswagen's sixth-generation Golf. Wearing the BlueMotion badge, as is common for VeeDubs with fuel-saving tweaks, the new Golf is able to complete the European driving cycle mileage tests with a rather epic 74 miles per gallon (around 62 mpg in the U.S. if conversions can be trusted). For those who like to keep track of such things, that's just 99g/km of carbon emissions and an excellent score by any measure. In order to achieve such low fuel consumption and emissions, the Golf BlueMotion is bestowed with a miserly 1.6-liter TDI common rail diesel engine that kicks out 105 horses and 184 lbs.-ft. of torque at a low 2,000 rpm. Low rolling resistance tires, aero tweaks and revised gearing all help the cause. Though still just a concept, there is little doubt that this model or one very similar will debut a few months after the the standard Golf in Europe next year. In the U.S.? Don't hold your breath, though a Golf TDI sold in the States may happen eventually.
Gallery: VW Golf BlueMotion Concept
[Source: Volkswagen]
PRESS RELEASE:
99 G/KM, 74 MPG: GOLF BLUEMOTION CONCEPT SETS NEW BENCHMARKS
Volkswagen has today unveiled the remarkable Golf BlueMotion concept vehicle, a car capable of achieving a combined 74.3 mpg while emitting just 99 g/km of CO2. This matches the economy of the Polo BlueMotion, itself among the most efficient vehicles currently on sale.
The BlueMotion label was first attributed to the Polo in 2006 and represents the most efficient model in each of Volkswagen's passenger car ranges. Since the Polo made its debut, BlueMotion versions of the Golf Mk V, Golf Estate, Golf Plus, Jetta, Touran, Passat, Passat Estate and Sharan have been launched.
The new Golf BlueMotion concept is powered by a highly-efficient and refined 1.6-litre TDI common rail diesel engine developing 105 PS and 184 lbs ft of torque at 2,000 rpm. Despite the focus on economy the Golf BlueMotion concept can reach 62 mph from rest in a respectable 11.3 seconds before going on to a top speed of 117 mph.
As with all BlueMotion models the Golf BlueMotion adopts a series of changes to drivetrain and aerodynamics in order to maximise the vehicle's efficiency. A set of low rolling resistance tyres are joined by optimised aerodynamics and revised ratios in the five speed gearbox. The resulting combination of changes works to reduce loading on the engine to drive up economy and reduce emissions.
In common with every diesel model in the forthcoming new Golf range the BlueMotion concept is fitted with a diesel particulate filter.
Even in standard non-BlueMotion form, the new Golf sets new economy standards. The entry-level diesel Golf will be powered by a 2.0-litre TDI 110 PS common rail engine capable of achieving 62 mpg on the combined cycle while emitting 119 g/km of CO2. This matches the economy of the current Golf BlueMotion model.
The new Golf will go on sale in the UK in January next year; the BlueMotion model will follow around mid 2009.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
why not the LS2LS7? 12:03PM (9/08/2008)
Fifth Gear tested the BlueMotion on backroads and highways and got 47.5mpg (imperial). That's 40mpg US. Yeah, they loaded a whole family into it, but customers are going to do things like that.
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Ligor 12:10PM (9/08/2008)
sure, and just like the Prius you will very rarely get 74mpg out of it, but most of hte time you drive without a family and if the car would return ~50mpg average, that's quite good, even at 45mpg it's still 10 more than the new 35mpg rules
i guess this should be 50 state legal so maybe we'll see it in the US?
nighttime 12:24PM (9/08/2008)
Europe is different to America.
not many families in America travel around in hatchbacks?
Maybe the figure might slightly improve! :)
BigMcLargeHuge 12:25PM (9/08/2008)
Motorbar got a best tank of 72.5 mpg and a worst of 65mpg... for 1 person on a daily commute.
http://www.motorbar.co.uk/poloblue.htm
why not the LS2LS7? 1:14PM (9/08/2008)
The Prius is rated at 46mpg here (combined), and it's really easy to get 46mpg. It was more difficult to get the old 55mpg combined figure (which is also what the Prius is rated at in Europe).
I'm just pointing out that if people treat the European figures as if they were US figures (especially recent EPA figures), they will have a rude awakening when they find out how much more difficult it is to get the rated figures from Europe.
HeyHuub 4:45PM (9/08/2008)
Yeah and Top Gear got 35MPG out of a Audi A8 4.0 TDI quattro.
That's an All WHeel Drive, 2 ton, Twin Turbo V8 car. So it works both ways.
why not the LS2LS7? 6:54PM (9/08/2008)
Is 35MPG imperial something to crow about? That's 29mpg. With hypermiling techniques, I would actually expect to do better than that.
montoym 11:44PM (9/08/2008)
Well, you answered your own question with your comment. They stuffed a whole family into it.
Take a Prius(or any other high MPG car of your choice) and stuff it to the gills. You aren't going to have an easy time getting high MPG's out of it anymore. Weight makes fuel efficiency worse, we hear about it everyday.
So, I'd be interested in a test which fairly compared each car to the other, in this case similar to how some magazines test trucks. With an empty and a loaded MPG test. Take both cars and drive around a test loop with only the driver in the vehicle. Then run the same loop, but load each car with 4 people(maybe even with luggage and see what happens.
My guess, the Prius isn't going to come out of that test looking very hot either. I would expect it to actually lose more MPG's as a percentage than the VW. Primarily due to the VW's TDI. It's been proven time and again that diesels tend to not lose as much efficiency when pushed hard as gas vehicles will. Either way, 40MPG in a car full of people sounds pretty good to me.
I'll have to check out that Fifth Gear video, I didn't know about it.
HeyHuub 2:43AM (9/09/2008)
Oh wait, just rechecked it, and it averaged over 40MPG.
HeyHuub 2:44AM (9/09/2008)
And wasn't it Autocar with an article some time ago where a 170hp BMW 520d beat the Prius in feul economy including city driving.
ming 12:07PM (9/08/2008)
Nice...too bad that if it were to hit the US, the emissions would probably drop it to 40 mpg on the EPA test, which would harm its chances of selling well in the US market (and well, lower mpg).
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spw 3:24PM (9/08/2008)
So far, all of these "Blue" diesels have emplyed the same tricks to go around european mpg tests - very long gearing, slow response to gas pedal and usually no A/C installed (as in Polo Bluemotion).
Problem is that when you run them as normal cars, they get mpg within 5% of "non-blue" version of the same vehicle.
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Max 1:18PM (9/08/2008)
After the TDI Jetta MPG disaster, I'd figure VW would be more careful when stating fuel economy figures.
Its no doubt a great engine, but the typical driver won't be seeing 60mpg.
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zeo 1:30PM (9/08/2008)
it doesnt matter cuz it will never be in america . (hoping the srekcuf at vw prove me wrong)
its like the stride gum commercials why make a product that will take forever to be replaced
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Travis 2:06PM (9/08/2008)
"miserly 1.6" puts out 105hp.
how much hp did the 2.slow put out only a couple years ago?
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Alex MacKinnon 6:42PM (9/08/2008)
All of 115hp.
wez 4:04AM (9/09/2008)
The test that fifth gear ran on blue motion was a polo not a golf on last seasons show. (other VW would not have much to unveil). And the polo is a smaller car lighter car.
They did not achieve the mileage that was advertised.
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