Automobiles Review

Tag: Volkswagen Hybrid

  • Volkswagen reveals efficient and agile concept vehicle

    2018 Volkswagen XL1 Hybrid ConceptLet’s talk about a supercar that is, above all, super efficient. Summer visitors of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu can witness Volkswagen’s latest and definitely strangest vehicle – the XL1 Hybrid that offers cutting-edge low emissions, smooth driving experience and advanced technologies. So, let’s delve into Volkswagen’s ideas, shall we?

    Presented as a Super Efficiency Vehicle, the XL1 is fitted with both electric motor and a compact 800cc two-cylinder diesel engine, paired to a dual-clutch seven-speed gearbox, delivering power to the rear wheels. As you might well expect, being a super-duper ecologically friendly machine, the XL1 can be driven solely on electric power for about 30 miles with a single charge. However, once the battery power drops below 14%, the diesel motor engages and together the vehicle can make a pretty impressive run of up to 340 miles with a single gallon of diesel. Neat!

    2018 Volkswagen XL1 Hybrid Concept

    By now you should have noticed the body style. It resembles a Jetta in wheelchair. Frankly said, we are unimpressed by the design work – the vehicle really looks as it would not live without the aid of a lifesaving system. However, Volkswagen team came up with an explanation and sort of an excuse: the body shell is constructed from carbon fiber reinforced polymer, and all component weight a fraction of the steel equivalents. And by installing polycarbonate windows, the XL1 has reached super-low overall weight: 795kg. Although we do understand the intention behind the lightweight construction, we still believe that the design hasn’t reached its prime state and form.

    SEE ALSO: Ford Performance reveals limited run of new Mustang machines

    However, we are still eager to see this guy performing. Although not super-impressive performance rates are recorded, we see the results as satisfactory and capable of doing the job just fine – XL1 can speed from 0 to 62mph in 11.9 seconds and chase an electronically limited top speed of 99mph. Not bad for an efficient vehicle, right?

    2018 Volkswagen XL1 Hybrid Concept

    Named as “car of the future, built today”, XL1 is a result of almost two centuries of hard work – the first concept was revealed back in 2002 and the second seven years later in 2009 and featured tandem seating, while the 2011 version was offered as staggered side-by-side seats. Neat!

    2018 Volkswagen XL1 Hybrid Concept

    2018 Volkswagen XL1 Hybrid Concept
    2018 Volkswagen XL1 Hybrid Concept
    2018 Volkswagen XL1 Hybrid Concept
    2018 Volkswagen XL1 Hybrid Concept
    2018 Volkswagen XL1 Hybrid Concept

    Source: Volkswagen 

     

  • Volkswagen Reveals Concept Called C Coupe GTE

    2015 Volkswagen C Coupe GTE ConceptVolkswagen team presented the 2015 C Coupe GTE At the Shanghai Auto Show 2015. This is a four-door concept vehicle, especially designed for the Chinese market. It is over five meter long and is crafted with passion and desire. Not only the striking visuals are what catches the eye, but also the plug-in hybrid drive system is definitely an interesting feature to show.

    The C Coupe Concept shows refreshed design and an interesting approach for the interior. The VW crew built a car, that is aggressive and confident looking, but at the same time has some beautiful stylish lines. The low-profile side windows and the horizontal lines are really a must see features.

    But the most interesting part about the 2015 Concept is the engine. This car is geared with one of the most advanced plug-in hybrid systems. It contains a turbocharged petrol engine, a 8-speed automatic transmission and a electric motor. The petrol engine delivers 210 hp (154 kW) and the electric motor has an overall output level of 124 hp (91 kW). And the combined power, deliver by both engines brings exactly 245 hp (180 kW) at 500 Nm. One of the best features about the Concept is that the electric motor can be recharged even while driving. How cool is that?

    The 2015 C Coupe delivers some wonderful performance and incredible energy efficiency. But despite the smooth drive, this car has some sporty ambitions: it can reach from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph)  in 8.6 and has a top speed of 232 km/h (144 mph)

    2015 Volkswagen C Coupe GTE Concept
    2015 Volkswagen C Coupe GTE Concept
    2015 Volkswagen C Coupe GTE Concept
    2015 Volkswagen C Coupe GTE Concept
    2015 Volkswagen C Coupe GTE Concept
    2015 Volkswagen C Coupe GTE Concept
    2015 Volkswagen C Coupe GTE Concept
    2015 Volkswagen C Coupe GTE Concept

    Source: Volkswagen

  • Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid – Speed Record at Bonneville

    After becoming the world’s fastest hybrid at Bonneville in August, the Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid LSR returned to the Salt Flats on October 5th to break the Southern California Timing Association’s (SCTA) H/PS land speed record. The class is for production cars with engines of less than 1.5 liters that use forced induction.

    Motor Trend Associate Road Test Editor Carlos Lago averaged 186.313 mph over two runs during the SCTA’s World Finals event, eclipsing the previous record by 18.8 mph. In the course of making his second run, Lago averaged 187.147 mph for the last mile, beating the magical 300 km/h mark. This is also the fastest run recorded by a hybrid, beating the185.394 mph set by the same car back in August.

    “We’re very proud that the Jetta Hybrid has not only posted the fastest speed for a hybrid at Bonneville, but that it has gone out and broken an SCTA land speed record as well,” said Jonathan Browning, CEO and President, Volkswagen Group of America. “Achieving this record at Bonneville shows that the all-new 2013 Jetta Hybrid is a distinctly different offering in the compact hybrid class, offering excellent fuel economy while retaining the fun-to-drive nature expected from a Volkswagen.”

    Lago drove a Jetta Hybrid specially modified to run in the SCTA’s H/PS class. The all-new 2013 Jetta Hybrid marries a 1.4-liter turbocharged, direct-injection four-cylinder TSI® gasoline engine with a seven-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission and an electric motor. The combined output of the engine and electric motor is 170 horsepower, along with 184 pound-feet of torque.

    Because the Jetta Hybrid runs in a production-car class, modifications are strictly controlled by the SCTA. The suspension was lowered, special Salt Flat wheels and tires fitted, and the interior was stripped and outfitted with full safety equipment, such as a rollcage, racing seat and harness, and a full fire suppression system. The powertrain is the area with the most freedom under the rules and was modified by Volkswagen R&D in Wolfsburg, Germany, in order to make the kind of horsepower needed to run at such high speeds at Bonneville-in this case, somewhere around 300 hp.

    Project integration and other modifications to enable the car to run safely on the salt were handled by A-Salt Racing and Advanced Product Engineering, based in Camarillo, California. The implementation and final calibration of the drivetrain in the car was supported by the engineers from the Volkswagen Test Center California in Oxnard, CA.

    “We are really proud that our new Jetta Hybrid has taken the land speed record for its class,” said Marc Trahan, Executive Vice President, Group Quality. “This was a fascinating project for our engineering team in Wolfsburg, who had to integrate the complex hybrid elements and generate a lot of additional power in a very short period of time in order to take the record. The Jetta Hybrid LSR project shows both the sporty nature of our hybrid offering and the technical excellence of our engineers in Wolfsburg and the Test Center California.”

    Volkswagen chose to partner with Motor Trend because it is one of the premier automotive enthusiast outlets in the world, with 1.1 million subscribers to the magazine, 5.5 million unique visitors to motortrend.com per month, and an increasingly popular YouTube channel that has 405,000 subscribers. Carlos Lago, who drove the Jetta, said: “It was an honor to drive the car on the Salt-and also pretty exciting. Driving in a straight line may look easy, but it’s a real art to get the power down on the salt and you had better be paying attention to crosswinds, as they can really blow the car off course. Now I have the bug, I really want to become a member of the exclusive 200-mph club at Bonneville. Maybe next year?”

    Source: Volkswagen