Vw Tackles Co2

The Age

Wednesday July 9, 2008

Richard Blackburn

VOLKSWAGEN will release a futuristic two-seater production car that travels 100kilometres on a litre of fuel - that's Sydney to Brisbane on just 10 litres. British website CAR says models will be in showrooms by 2010.

But VW insiders predict it could cost $33,000-$50,000. Just 1000 cars a year will be built.

Volkswagen unveiled a concept of the tandem two-seater at its 2002 annual general meeting. The bullet-shaped car that looked more like a solar vehicle was powered by a mid-mounted 300cc, single-cylinder diesel engine that put out a modest 6.3kW at 4000 rpm. Fuel use was 0.99L/100km, with a range of 650km from its 6.5-litre tank.

The engine was ahead of the rear axle and drove the wheels through a six-speed automated manual, direct-shift gearbox.

It was 3.65metres long, just 1.25metres wide and less than a metre tall, with a gullwing, roof-hinged door. The side mirrors were replaced by cameras to reduce drag.

The door, cameras and the seating configuration - the passenger sits behind the driver - are expected to be retained in production. It was built from composite carbon-fibre reinforced material, with a reinforced plastic outer skin concealing a space frame of lightweight magnesium, and weighed 290kilograms.

CAR says the production version will be a two-cylinder diesel with a hybrid system to allow electric operation. -- RICHARD BLACKBURN