The Volkswagen XL1 (VW 1-litre) is a two-person limited production diesel-powered plug-in hybrid produced by Volkswagen. The XL1 car was designed to be able to travel 100 km on 1 litre of diesel, with a fully charged battery, while being both roadworthy and practical. The Volkswagen XL-1 is a very special car, as only 250 of these were built for the world. The XL-1 also a $150,000 car that’s both an economy car and a supercar — and it’s full of bizarre quirks and features.
source.image: Doug DeMuro
Today I’m reviewing the XL-1, and I’ll show you all the quirks and features of this weird car. I’ll also drive the XL-1 and show you what it’s like behind the wheel of such an unusual car. For aerodynamics, the car seats two in tandem, rather than side-by-side. There are no rear view mirrors and it instead uses cameras and electronic displays. The rear wheels are close together to allow a streamlined body.
source.image: Doug DeMuro
The external dimensions of the car are 3.47 m long, 1.25 m wide and 1.10 m tall. There is 80 L of storage space. The car features an aircraft-style canopy, flat wheel covers and an underbelly cover to smooth the airflow. The engine cooling vents open only as needed.
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The engine is a one-cylinder 299 cm3 (18 cu in) diesel producing just 6.3 kW (8.4 hp). It drives through a six-speed transmission that combines stick-shift mechanics, weight, and drive efficiency with automatic convenience and efficiency controls. There is no clutch pedal.
The gear selection (forwards, reverse or neutral) is made using a switch on the right-hand side of the cockpit. The engine is switched off automatically during deceleration and stops, and auto-restarted when the acceleration pedal is pressed. According to Volkswagen, the vehicle consumes 0.99 L/100 km (238 mpg‑US; 285 mpg‑imp), giving it a 650 km (404 mi) driving range on one tank of fuel.
