RE: VW XL1: 119,000 euros
Discussion
DonkeyApple said:
That's the problem when you decide to milk and exploit the green agenda for every penny that you can rip out of it there isn't much you can the spend your money on to have fun. Is tofu fun? 
It's pretty good fried IMO, as long there is some garlic and a well made sauce in the vicinity [1]. The XL1 however is IMO pretty irrelevant, a marketing exercise by VW. The fuel economy might be very, very good, and it looks semi practical, but others have done more or less the same in concept vehicles. Not a quantum leap by any means. What VW are doing though is selling it to the press as some sort of genuine production car just because they are giving a few away to collectors.
[1] http://hubpages.com/hub/How_to_Cook_Tofu_Like_the_...
Civpilot said:
The XL-1 can do those 600miles in one day without having to stop and recharge (how many charges would a Tesla Roadster need to cover 600miles? and how long to those charges take? )
Two - if driven like any other car on the road. )The original Roadster will do 175-225 miles or more, depending on your right foot, but being a 2006 design the fastest charge time from totally empty is three hours or so.
A 2013 Tesla Model S is capable of typically 250-325 miles and could do it with one stop and recharge in half an hour … if you've got a big enough mains feed. Their superchargers can now deliver an amazing 135kwh. Progress …
However, since we're splitting hairs about EV's as usual, its worth noting that *IF* a roadster was driven in the same way as the XL1 was to get its quoted figures . . . then it will do it with just one stop. It can do just over 310 miles if driven like a monk.
But seriously, how often in your entire life have you got up one morning and driven 600 miles non stop without pulling over for a bog break or food .. ?!!?
Civpilot said:
Love the XL-1, I for one am not surprised about the price as it was rumoured ages ago it would be in the 100k bracket. God I wish I could afford one as I think it looks superb and love the idea/tech behind it!
I must be getting old, since I no longer get switched on at reading news of the latest 8 billion BHP GT-R that can do the ring in 4 minutes etc etc, despite some of the machinery I've been fortunate enough to own !!
johnOjohn said:
Concepts are easy, it's production that's difficult.
Yeah agreed, its only a very small production run though. If they could mass produce them for a sensible amount of money I think they would. But they don't so to me this is just another concept. It is a pity really as I think the car itself is rather cool.
From an engineering point of view its quite an achievement, but nothing on this car is new technology, it all currently exists in one form or another Though the 800cc engine is new its just a chopped down existing "ANY" lump!. This is a "test the market car", it's never been designed to be mass produced. Though they could it would be radically different construction wise. I like the looks, it is beautifully aerodynamic in its from, so a pretty car imho if you know what are looking at.
As mentioned the REAL mpg's are mid 100 mpgs, the 300 plus figure is due to the fudging going on with the hybrid system doing most of the test drive cycle from a fully charged state, so NOT real world. Stick this diesel engine in a MK1 insight & you get very similar real world figures (its been done already with a Lupo 3L engine & the chap gets 120-140mpg from it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgELfyYsxyM )
As the owner of the last Volkswagen eco special car which genuinely does 100mpg & was the competitor to the Mk1 Insight a Lupo 3L, I love the concept of the XL1, but its way out of my price range!
As mentioned the REAL mpg's are mid 100 mpgs, the 300 plus figure is due to the fudging going on with the hybrid system doing most of the test drive cycle from a fully charged state, so NOT real world. Stick this diesel engine in a MK1 insight & you get very similar real world figures (its been done already with a Lupo 3L engine & the chap gets 120-140mpg from it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgELfyYsxyM )
As the owner of the last Volkswagen eco special car which genuinely does 100mpg & was the competitor to the Mk1 Insight a Lupo 3L, I love the concept of the XL1, but its way out of my price range!
Edited by cptsideways on Friday 25th October 23:20
...but others have done more or less the same in concept vehicles.
And man went to the moon with nothing but Sir Issac Newton's say-so and a primitive pocket calculator. Doesn't make the shuttle any less of an achievement.
The concepts to which you refer are just that: concepts. Ideas. Showpieces. This thing however, meets every piece of EU legislation going, will start every day, last for 200,000 miles, will perform just as well at at 10,000ft and 50ºC as it will at sea level at -20ºC, and can be driven by mere mortals. To do that, PLUS everything the car claims is quite something.
And man went to the moon with nothing but Sir Issac Newton's say-so and a primitive pocket calculator. Doesn't make the shuttle any less of an achievement.
The concepts to which you refer are just that: concepts. Ideas. Showpieces. This thing however, meets every piece of EU legislation going, will start every day, last for 200,000 miles, will perform just as well at at 10,000ft and 50ºC as it will at sea level at -20ºC, and can be driven by mere mortals. To do that, PLUS everything the car claims is quite something.
Jimbo. said:
...but others have done more or less the same in concept vehicles.
And man went to the moon with nothing but Sir Issac Newton's say-so and a primitive pocket calculator. Doesn't make the shuttle any less of an achievement.
The concepts to which you refer are just that: concepts. Ideas. Showpieces. This thing however, meets every piece of EU legislation going, will start every day, last for 200,000 miles, will perform just as well at at 10,000ft and 50ºC as it will at sea level at -20ºC, and can be driven by mere mortals. To do that, PLUS everything the car claims is quite something.
Well, we don't always signoff for 50C ambient And man went to the moon with nothing but Sir Issac Newton's say-so and a primitive pocket calculator. Doesn't make the shuttle any less of an achievement.
The concepts to which you refer are just that: concepts. Ideas. Showpieces. This thing however, meets every piece of EU legislation going, will start every day, last for 200,000 miles, will perform just as well at at 10,000ft and 50ºC as it will at sea level at -20ºC, and can be driven by mere mortals. To do that, PLUS everything the car claims is quite something.
clonmult said:
VW are apparently expecting up to 261mpg out of this box. There's nothing on the market that can even begin to get close. Little in the way of real world tests so far, but one I've read managed a "mere" 160mpg. Which is still twice as good as anything else on the market, let alone vehicles that can carry 4 people.
Regardless of that I'd still prefer the original Insight.
Depends how they work that figure, I did 299mpg in Ampera going to work this morning. Doing 34miles of the 37.3 in EV mode kind of helps.Regardless of that I'd still prefer the original Insight.
I'm not rich, or a tree hugger but I'm buying one. Partly because ownership will effectively be completely free (it's bound to be worth a lot more by the time I eventually sell it), but mainly because it is possibly the most beautifully designed means of transport I have ever seen. I will really appreciate that bullet-proof VW build quality too, as I'll definitely be using it as my everyday car (except when I need more than one passenger or a lot of luggage, when I'll use my BMW 5 series instead). I took one for a very long test drive including a lot of city centre and motorway driving and it totally blew me away in every respect. Nothing, and I mean nothing, can prepare you for the first time you see an XL1 in the flesh. It is tiny, like a personal space pod for two, and so narrow it looks like a missile. The build quality is incredibly high. My car will be delivered in Spring 2015 - I'm counting the hours….
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