The 190mpg VW coupé
The Volkswagen tandem L1 project has been in the pipeline for some time - a version was first shown in 2002 - but we're yet to see anything like a production version of a car that has always promised incredible fuel economy.
The Frankfurt Motor Show will see the latest version's unveiling, but early details have surfaced that suggest this VW coupé will change the way we think about fuel consumption possibilities: it's capable of 189.6mpg.
The L1 name comes from its metric miles-per-gallon rating - one litre of fuel used per 100 kilometres - and it achieves that by way of a two-cylinder diesel engine with 29bhp mated to a twin-clutch DSG automatic gearbox. It's wrapped in a shell weighing just 380kg - that's well under half the weight of the Lotus Elise - and there are seats for two in tandem.
The cost of producing something so lightweight is still prohibitive because of the materials involved, but sources claim VW aims to have an L1 car on sale by as early as next year.
We'll know more tomorrow (September 15th) when the wraps are taken off at the show.
The 190mpg VW coupé pictures
