2014 Volkswagen XL1: The Futuristic Fuel Efficient Coupe

Jul 14, 2013 Jyotsna Ramani Car Reviews, Volkswagen 0

Car manufacturers around the world are striving hard to introduce better fuel efficient cars that can attract more buyers. Volkswagen has finally managed to come up with the most fuel efficient production car in the market, the all new 2014 Volkswagen XL1. Volkswagen believes that this car offers the right kind of balance that is required between the performance and appearance and therefore they have put this car into small scale production at the moment.

Let’s take a quick look at the top features of the vehicle in the 2014 Volkswagen XL1 review below:

Exterior

When you take a first look at the 2014 Volkswagen XL1 it looks like a futuristic car but Volkswagen designers have worked hard to introduce that new finishing look that XL1 will carry in the future.
The front fascia of the vehicle is very streamlined and aerodynamic and therefore it gets a very thin grille on the front with headlights that blend well into the design factor. The lower intakes are black in color and they are connected with low air intakes that deflect the air to boost better performance.
Towards the rear end you will find a tapering body design which looks very different from any other production car in the market. The new XL1 also gets gull wing doors that add more style factor to the exteriors. The car is almost the same length as Ford Fiesta but sits five inches lower than Porsche Boxster.
Volkswagen has introduced the teardrop design to the car with carbon fiber monocoque chassis that reduces the overall weight of the car to 1,749 pounds.

Performance

Under the hood, this coupe is powered by two 800cc turbo diesel engines combined with an electric motor. The car gets Volkswagen’s direct injection common rail 1.6 TDi engines that produce around 47 horsepower and 89 lb feet of torque. The engines are mated with seven speed paddle shift DSG automatic transmission that improves the performance.
The engines are combined with an electric motor that produces 27 horsepower and 103 lb feet of torque. Combined together the engine and the electric motor produces 68 horsepower and 103 lb feet of torque. The car accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 12.5 seconds which is not among the swiftest numbers. Volkswagen estimates that the car can offer fuel economy of 261 mpg becoming the most fuel efficient production car.

Safety

2014 Volkswagen XL1 gets all standard safety features like ABS, stability control, traction control, front side and side curtain airbags that offer better protection to the occupants.

Interior

The interiors of 2014 Volkswagen XL1 are nicely done and it feels like a modern day car. The seats that Volkswagen has used for the interiors are made from carbon fiber to cut down the overall weight. The steering wheel is not completely round but squared at the bottom.
The dashboard is simple and clean and therefore there are no complications about choosing from multiple options in the center console. While there are no rear windows or side mirrors driver can make use of rear view video camera feed that offer better view of the cars behind.
There is enough headroom and leg space for both the driver and the front passenger so the cabin experience is spacious and comfortable.

Price

2014 Volkswagen XL1 will be available by fall 2013 but so far Volkswagen has not commented on the retail price. However, the estimated price is around $50,000 and above.

Conclusion

2014 Volkswagen XL1 may be into small scale production but it still remains a prototype that has yet to see market reactions. The car does well in terms of fuel economy but the exterior styling and interior space can be a bigger issue for many buyers that need an overall package while buying new cars.