313mpg VW to go on sale next year
27 September 2012
- Limited numbers of XL1 to go on sale
- Green light for electric Up and Up GT
- Bulli microbus shelved
Volkswagen has been spilling the beans on some of its forthcoming models at the Paris show.
Perhaps most interestingly, board member Professor Ulrich Hackenberg told What Car? that the XL1 – a 313mpg two-seater - will go in sale in limited numbers next year.
We've seen various versions of the two-seat hybrid concept car over the past few years, but until now VW has been cagey about confirming a production version.
An electric Up (VW's first production EV) will also go on sale in 2013, while a plug-in hybrid version of the Mk 7 Golf will follow in 2014.
The Up GT has also been confirmed for production, and will arrive next year. We drove a prototype of this car back in January, and were thoroughly impressed by its sharp handling and turbocharged three-cylinder engine.
Hackenberg also told What Car? that VW is developing a new three-cylinder diesel engine for future Bluemotion models. The lower frictional losses in a three-cylinder engine (compared with a four-cylinder) will help to significantly improve fuel efficiency.
The new wasn't all positive, though. Hackenberg admitted that the Bulli Microbus (shown at Geneva last year) won't be going into production anytime soon, due to a shortage of demand.
The Bluesport roadster project is also on ice. 'The prognosis of two-seat sports cars isn't good at the moment, so it's unlikely', he said.
By Will Nightingale
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