Volkswagen XL1 Diesel Hybrid Prototype Wears Red for Geneva When the Volkswagen XL1 prototype was first shown at the Qatar Motor Show two years ago, it was painted in a futuristic silver paint. With plans for the diesel plug-in hybrid still in the works, the German automaker brought a pair of XL1 prototypes to Geneva this week: one painted red and one in white.
Volkswagen XL1 Diesel Hybrid Prototype Wears Red for Geneva
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| Volkswagen XL1 Diesel Hybrid Prototype Wears Red for Geneva |
Volkswagen XL1 Diesel Hybrid Prototype Wears Red for Geneva
 |
| Volkswagen XL1 Diesel Hybrid Prototype Wears Red for Geneva |
Volkswagen XL1 Diesel Hybrid Prototype Wears Red for Geneva
Volkswagen XL1 interior 300x187 imageThe XL1 is motivated by a 47-hp, 0.8-liter turbo-diesel two-cylinder engine – essentially half of the Euro-market 1.6-liter turbodiesel four-cylinder used in the Golf and Passat – paired with a 27-hp electric motor. Power is routed to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. With a full charge on the lithium-ion battery pack, the XL1 can travel up to 50 miles in pure EV mode. A 220-volt outlet can recharge the battery in just over an hour.
A small footprint (153 inches long, 65.6 inches wide, and 45.3 inches tall) and an extensive use of carbon fiber keeps weight to just 1795 pounds, according to VW. The XL1’s slippery shape achieves a drag coefficient of just 0.189. The combination of the frugal drivetrain, small size, and aerodynamic shape add up to an impressive estimated 261 mpg rating and a range of nearly 700 miles. Just 8.3 hp is needed to cruise at 62 mph. The tradeoff for fuel economy comes at the expense of acceleration, with 0-62 mph taking 12.7 seconds and top speed limited to just 100 mph.
Production of the Volkswagen XL1 is expected to begin soon at the former Karmann plant in Onsabruck, Germany, where Golf cabriolets and Porsche Boxsters are currently built. Volkswagen has kept mum on pricing, on-sale date, and annual production numbers, but we expect pricing to land around the $60,000 price point when it does go on sale.
See photos of the red-hot hybrid from the 2013 Geneva Motor Show floor below.
A small footprint (153 inches long, 65.6 inches wide, and 45.3 inches tall) and an extensive use of carbon fiber keeps weight to just 1795 pounds, according to VW. The XL1’s slippery shape achieves a drag coefficient of just 0.189. The combination of the frugal drivetrain, small size, and aerodynamic shape add up to an impressive estimated 261 mpg rating and a range of nearly 700 miles. Just 8.3 hp is needed to cruise at 62 mph. The tradeoff for fuel economy comes at the expense of acceleration, with 0-62 mph taking 12.7 seconds and top speed limited to just 100 mph.
Production of the Volkswagen XL1 is expected to begin soon at the former Karmann plant in Onsabruck, Germany, where Golf cabriolets and Porsche Boxsters are currently built. Volkswagen has kept mum on pricing, on-sale date, and annual production numbers, but we expect pricing to land around the $60,000 price point when it does go on sale.
See photos of the red-hot hybrid from the 2013 Geneva Motor Show floor below.
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