CAR Magazine is reporting that VW's 2002 concept car– the 1 Liter Car– is headed into production in [The Year of Our Overload] 2010. The name comes from the fact the VW uses 1 liter of gas per 100 kilometers (a standard European fuel economy format). Ferdinand Piech was seen cruising around in this puppy during his final days (or what we thought were his final days) at VW's helm. The crazy car, which looks more like a rolling fighter jet canopy, is mostly carbon fiber. It weighs an estimated 660 lbs. CAR figures it will have a two-cylinder diesel engine. The 1 Liter Car would likely be assembled in VW's prototype shop– limiting production to 1000 units per year. The price is not yet determined, but reckon somewhere between 20k and 30k Euros. With such a small production run, this sounds more like a glamour and "we can do it" car (reverse halo?) from VW, rather than a true plan to save the world. And it'll still probably breakdown in my driveway.
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Looks like the German auto industry has gone full circle back to 1950s. Shades of the Isetta and the Messerschmitt micro cars.
20-30K? What’s a ’48 Messerschmidt sell for these days?
From AutoBlog back in March – while we’re waiting for the VW:
In an effort to demonstrate the fuel efficiency of the A4 TDI, Audi France recently invited a dozen journalists to go for a drive. The teams set off in pairs driving six A4s powered by the 2.0L TDI from their starting point in Paris. They ended their journey in Madrid Spain after covering a distance of 1,260km (783 miles). The winning team used slightly less than 17.8 gallons of diesel. If they had run out the all the fuel in the tank they could have covered almost 907 miles. That comes out to an impressive 52.9 mpg (U.S.) in real world conditions. The other five teams all managed to be nearly as thrifty with their fuel allotment with even the worst team managing 49.8 mpg. The 2.0L TDI is the same engine that will be arriving in the VW Jetta this summer and an A4 TDI should be available in the U.S. next year.
Maybe VW should concentrate on building a reliable car? Walk before you can run!
Incidentally, this car will be a nightmare! Firstly, 20 to 30K for a car that will compete against the Tata Nano? Economically, it doesn’t make sense. And secondly, the car insurance for this car will be high as the carbon fibre will make it a likely target for theft. It’s a very valuble material…..
Carbon fiber that has been molded into something is valuable? I thought it was like fiberglass – mold it and then that is what it is. Not like steel which can be molded and molded again.
The only problem with the VW is that it is too small. I really like small cars but that thing looks like a big airplane gas tank from WWII.
I’d rather have on of these:
http://www.gizmag.com/go/4817/
Get me 100 mpg and we’ll worry about 235 mpg later. I have a feeling that mpg will give way to miles per charge long before 235 mpg is important.
I would like to see someone try make something out of stolen CF hubcaps.. Though i suppose you could make art out of it by glueing the bits in a random order and dripping some blood on it.
I would not buy one but this thing would be pretty cool, if not very practical, fast or good looking.
how about a motorcycle?
or one of those covered motorcycle dohickeys BMW used to sell ?
Not sure about carbon fiber theft, Katie. Once it is laid up and cured in its final shape it is pretty much useless for anything else. It isn’t like you can melt it down and recover re-useable material from it.
As for building the car, go for it. If for no other reason than to show that you can.
Is the 1 liter in reference to the engine size, or passenger room?
They can’t even get a Diesel Jetta to market, much less this der oelmotorenraketenverrücktauto!
–chuck
This car is a good idea, but it’s not practical for most people. A good start for VW would to sell a Polo in North America. It already exists in mass production form, and gets pretty decent economy – About 40 US MPG combined with a 1.4L gas engine, and about 52 US MPG combined with the 1.4L TDI option.
Ralph SS: It’s the amount of Vodka you need to consume to comfortably fit in it.
I’m still waiting for the diesel KLR650 the US military uses to come to market. Come on kawasaki!!!
Not sure about carbon fiber theft, Katie. Once it is laid up and cured in its final shape it is pretty much useless for anything else.
But repair is very difficult, so I could see a black market in stolen body parts rather than going back to VW for new pieces.
What’s wrong with this picture?
Is the concept model able to turn on its headlights? Why is that driver going through a rainstorm with the lights off?
Sitting@home
Precisely my point.
235mpg? sure, if you count the miles a VW will be riding on the tow truck
Is the concept model able to turn on its headlights? Why is that driver going through a rainstorm with the lights off?
No…it’s a VW, the electrical system failed. :P
It seems the Loremo is a far more practical concept, even at 100mpg less !
Looks comfy… kind of like a deep-sea diver’s suit.
Wow, the Messerschmitt bubble car lives!
http://www.messerschmitt-club-deutschland.de/
wow – a lot of hate here…
IF they can do it at retail, even in low production, 1000 units/year, it’s still a VERY valuable exercise to produce something like this…
it’s about learning how to mass produce something like this as much as it’s about the final product…
20-30k = expensive, though they will sell out at 1000/year…
But, how does it compare to a Volt or a Tesla?
But, how does it compare to a Volt or a Tesla?
it has slightly poorer odds of ever being profitably produced.
Wow, neat little car!
I didn’t see the top speed published anywhere. If it can handle freeway speeds, bring it on. Better yet, if it flies and folds up into a briefcase, I’m there!
But, how does it compare to a Volt or a Tesla?
it has slightly poorer odds of ever being profitably produced.
I talking out of my ass here but i would say this carbon fibre suppository has better odds of being profitably produced than either of the other two. Or at least produced.
“20-30K? What’s a ‘48 Messerschmidt sell for these days?”
Nothing…they weren’t even building them back then!