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Volkswagen's 261-mpg hand-built XL1 headed for Geneva

Seyth Miersma — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Volkswagen

After years of rumors, development and testing, the Volkswagen XL1 is finally about to become a reality. The project that began life as a daring 1-Liter concept car in 2002, will finally get its production-ready curtain call at the Geneva Motor Show in just a few weeks.

As soon as it hits the streets, the two-seat XL1 will instantly become the most fuel-efficient and most aerodynamic production car in the world. The car uses a plug-in hybrid system to achieve mind-blowing consumption of just 0.9 liters of diesel fuel consumed every 100 kilometers (and average of roughly 261 miles per gallon). Plus, the XL1 can go up to 50 kilometers on its battery power alone. Coefficient of drag is a miniscule 0.189, thanks to a tiny frontal area and an obviously slippery shape.

XL1 power comes from a 47-horsepower, two-cylinder diesel motor connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, while the 20 kW (27 hp) electric motor is fed by a lithium-ion battery. Both combine to give the XL1 performance figures that are, while not stirring, not shabby considering its extreme frugality: 0-62 miles per hour comes up in 12.7 seconds and top speed is nearly 100 mph.

There's still no word as to how many examples of the XL1 Volkswagen plans to build, nor how much the company intends to charge for each. The press release does mention that the car will be constructed using "handcrafting-like production methods" though, so we're guessing that it won't be cheap or ubiquitous - not by a long shot. Early rumors had a six-figure price tag attached, suggesting the XL1 be viewed as more of a green halo supercar for VW than a volume proposition.

Scroll down to read a bit more about the Volkswagen XL1 in the attached press release and be sure to check back for our Geneva coverage of the car.

Continue reading Volkswagen's 261-mpg hand-built XL1 headed for Geneva

Volkswagen's 261-mpg hand-built XL1 headed for Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen brings XL1 Concept a step closer to reality

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Hybrid, Technology, Volkswagen, Diesel

Volkswagen Formula XL1 Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Volkswagen has taken another step towards making the one-liter car a reality, and this 200 mile-per-gallon dream could be on the roads within the next few years.

The Formula XL1 Concept combines a two cylinder TDI engine, electric motor, lithium-ion battery pack and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission to achieve an astonishing 0.9L/100 km - just over 260 mpg to us Yanks. The included plug-in system, along with the XL1's low drag and extensive use of lightweight materials has the potential to make the concept the most efficient vehicle to ever grace public roads.

The XL1 is making its debut at the Qatar Motor Show this week, and while it might look familiar to previous iterations, this latest version is more production read than its predecessors. Check it out from every angle in the gallery below and click past the jump for the full details.

Gallery: Volkswagen Formula XL1 Concept

[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading Volkswagen brings XL1 Concept a step closer to reality

Volkswagen brings XL1 Concept a step closer to reality originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Frankfurt Preview: Volkswagen 1-liter concept, 158 mpg (US) tandem 2-seater

Sam Abuelsamid — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 12:03:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Technology, Volkswagen

Ono of the numerous cars that will be shown by Volkswagen this week at the Frankfurt Motor Show is the latest edition of the 1-liter concept. The name represents the amount of fuel it takes the vehicle to travel 100 km (62 miles) and nominally equates to 235 mpg. In this case, based on the translation, it appears that VW might be taking some liberties with the name since it seems to take 1.49 liters / 100 km, or a mere 157.8 mpg (US). For all practical purposes, the difference is largely inconsequential since so little fuel is used at these lofty levels.

The original 1-liter concept appeared in 2002 and was enormously expensive since it was largely made of one-off unobtanium. This time around, VW used more conventional components and materials to create the tandem two-seater. A 36-horsepower two-cylinder diesel propels it along with some indeterminate degree of hybridization through a 7-speed DSG gearbox. Weight is cut to about 1,100 pounds through extensive use of carbon fiber composites, and the tandem layout helps cut frontal area to a minimum, reducing drag. In the past, VW has said it would like to have a 1-liter car in production by 2010, but we don't know the current status of those plans yet. Thanks to Paul for the tip!

[Source: Bild am Sonntag]

Frankfurt Preview: Volkswagen 1-liter concept, 158 mpg (US) tandem 2-seater originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 Sep 2009 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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