Volkswagen XR1
 

How the Honda Insight should have been done the first time:

Volkswagen XL1 Could Spin Off Into XR1 Sports Car | AutoGuide.com News

I would actually drive this car for a fun sports car or even a commute car. Not sure if it will actually make it to production at this point but it has a lot of potential if it does. Sub 2000 lbs, mid engine, RWD, over 200hp/200tq on an engine that has a lot of current aftermarket support, and an aerodynamic body. Too bad it is still a VW.

Paging Joe Perez

I am really surprised no one else has chimed in. This car is right up this sites alley.

A few years ago they had the mid engined TDI sportscar that did like 65mpg or something. Hopefully they bring something out instead of teasing us.

It probably won't happen which is why someone should just build a 914 with a TDI + DSG.

Unfortunately, it's just a test bed. Never see it in production in the current form. It'll be slower, heavier, get worse mileage and cost more than it's worth. All that coupled with legendary VW reliability.

While I agree completely with the fact that it will likely cost more then its worth and have VW reliability the rest of the article seemed promising. They stated that the XL1 which is being produced and sold elsewhere is "the test bed" with all of the really exotic parts. If they made the XR1 it would use more conventional glass, no carbon fiber, etc. The weight of 1875lbs was after they made it heavier. I am not saying it will be an end all be all but I still think if it makes it to production it would be a really great platform.

I love the idea. I've always wondered why no manufacturers have noticed similarities between performance and efficiency, and tried to merge the two. Honda seemed to stumble on the idea with the CR-Z, then disappointed terribly with their poor mileage, under powered, overweight, overpriced, crap mobile hybrid.

I'd love to see this turn into something. An inexpensive, sub 2000lb, 2.0T would absolutely bend lotus over for some prison style pick-up-the-soap kinda destruction.

I am hoping that they bring it to reality and don't kill too much of its aerodynamics in the name of style. What would make this design so cool is that it would be crazy fast and should return really really good mpg. I bet its going to be rather expensive though.

I'll become moderately aroused when it goes on sale in the US for a reasonable price, weighs less than 2,000 lbs, and returns >70 MPG.

I'll be downright horny when it goes on sale in the US for a reasonable price, weighs less than 2,500 lbs, and is a range-extended plugin with at least 30 miles pure-EV range.

Until then it's just a concept car and some vague specs written on paper.

What do you think a "reasonable price for a car like this would be?

Keep in mind that it would still have to meet current safety standard which means more expensive materials to make weight and will probably accelerate from 0-60 in under 4.6 seconds.

lets not ruin a good concept.

this car is a good concept?

yes

hmmmm.

I should draw wheels on the dead/dying bird in my sig and call it a good concept as well.

What is the drag coefficient of your dead bird? What kind of mpg does it get? Does it have enough room for two? I bet it hauls ass off the line and through the turns.

depends on the bird:

http://jeb.biologists.org/content/204/6/1167.full.pdf

The XL1 supposedly is going in to or has gone in to production:

2014 Volkswagen XL1 First Drive – Review – Car and Driver

Price tag north of $100k, though.

Quite a lot less than $100k:
At that price point, it's just another Tesla Roadster- a low-production status symbol for the very rich.



More expensive materials as compared to the cast-iron that most automakers seem to be building their chassis out of? Probably.

But materials-cost is not a binary concept, it occupies a continuum. For example, replace the words "carbon fiber" with "fiberglass," and "titanium" with "aluminum," and you can get 80% of the benefit at 20% of the cost premium as compared to materials produced in the blacksmith's forge.

There are a number of companies (such as Aptera) which have actually succeeded as designing ultra lightweight, mass-producible cars without resorting to exotic materials. Unfortunately, they have also tended to be under-funded and go way overboard in terms of hippy-ness, resulting in a car that nobody actually wants to buy, followed by bankruptcy.

It would be far less than $100k. The XL1 was built as more of an exercise in technology than as a practical car.

The first article I linked discussed that they would be cutting the most exotic lightweight materials that the XL1 uses and replace them with more cost effective alternative for the XR1. They are trying to make a business case for this type of vehicle which is why they would be using the 2.0T that is in every audi and vw. What I am getting at is that if you want it for <$30k then it is just not going to happen.

What do you think would be a reasonable price for a car with all of the capabilities the article suggests?(Which is basically a lotus elise that gets 70mpg)

I saw a new telsa on the side of the road yesterday.