17 de outubro de 2014

Meet the highly efficient Volkswagen XL Sport Concept


This small, yet powerful 1.2-liter engine, generates 200PS (197bhp or 147kW) and 134Nm (98.83lb/ft) of torque. It can reach 270km/h (168mph) and takes just 5.7 seconds to reach 100km/h (62mph). Mated to a dual-clutch, 7-speed, automatic transmission (DSG), it can rev all the way to 11000rpm. Noteworthy is also the use of titanium connecting rods, magnesium alloys and desmodromic valves.

That was the red part, now comes the green. While powerful, this engine, on average, consumes just 0.9liters of fuel every 100km (313.86 UK mpg or 261.35 USA mpg) and emits 21g per kilometer of CO2, but i doubt it will be doing that at 270km/h (62mph).

Anyway, that is all achieved in part thanks to the lightweight construction of the car. Many body parts are made from carbon-reinforced polymer (CRFP), while the door windows are now made from polycarbonate and the windscreen from a special type of thin glass. Even the brake discs are made from carbon. All of which means the car weighs only 890kg (1962 pounds).

The overall shape of the XL Sport is based on the XL1, but is now wider (1847mm wide) and longer (4291mm long) but the height is almost the same (1152mm high), and does look like a proper sports the car. The exception being the rear, but that can be explained. This is a case where function comes first. That shape, together with a frontal area of only 1.7 square meters, means the car has a drag coefficient of 0.258, one of the lowest ever achieved.

The interior is very simple, to help reduce weight, and the only relevant thing is that the seats have a small offset in favor of the driver. Production isn't confirmed, but it might be produced in small numbers like the XL1.