RE: VW confirms XL1 production

[JonnyVTEC]

ctallchris said:

While the insight is a good car in terms of efficeincy on a motorway the insight isnt in the same league. The low roofline keeps the frontal area of the xl1 much lower (nearly half the CdA). Focussing utterly on this and ignoring the features and practicalities of the city car "Should" allow it to be much more efficeing at high speeds. Something which the insight and prius perform only slightly better than regular cars.

Depends what it's sold for really. You are talking about the Gen 1 Insight? I don't think the Insight made a market either, it tried and failed even with £7k loss on each one.

Slightly better?

[emicen]

ctallchris said:

kambites said:

It might be an entirely new market segment if Honda hadn't done it in the 90s with the Insight.

While the insight is a good car in terms of efficeincy on a motorway the insight isnt in the same league. The low roofline keeps the frontal area of the xl1 much lower (nearly half the CdA). Focussing utterly on this and ignoring the features and practicalities of the city car "Should" allow it to be much more efficeing at high speeds. Something which the insight and prius perform only slightly better than regular cars.

Used solely as a motorway or higher speed commute car I would contest the Prius being at all better than a regular [albeit diesel] car of similar size.

[kambites]

ctallchris said:

kambites said:

It might be an entirely new market segment if Honda hadn't done it in the 90s with the Insight.

While the insight is a good car in terms of efficeincy on a motorway the insight isnt in the same league. The low roofline keeps the frontal area of the xl1 much lower (nearly half the CdA). Focussing utterly on this and ignoring the features and practicalities of the city car "Should" allow it to be much more efficeing at high speeds. Something which the insight and prius perform only slightly better than regular cars.

Of course, but it's still trying to solve exactly the same problem.

[kambites]

emicen said:

Used solely as a motorway or higher speed commute car I would contest the Prius being at all better than a regular (albeit diesel) car of similar size.

In my experience they're very similar - for similar performance and size you'll get somewhere around 60-80mpg on the motorway out of either depending on how fast you drive.