At the 83rd Geneva International Motor Show automaker Volkswagen unveiled what it bills as the "world's most efficient car."
The XL1, a two-seat diesel plug-in hybrid will, by VW's estimates, get an astonishing 261 miles per gallon and have an all-electric range of 32 miles.
When Volkswagen first announced its plans for the XL1 in 2011, the car was still in conceptual stages. Last month, VW said it planned to unveil the XL1 at Geneva 2013, but many speculated it would only unveil a concept car.
"It's the sort of car that would normally do the rounds at a few motor shows, probably whirr slowly up the hill at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and then disappear into a museum," wrote Richard Hammond in an article for The Mirror.
Hammond went on to express some pleasant surprise that VW will produce 50 of the XL1s. However, CNN Money reported that 250 of the hyper-efficient cars will be produced. The official press release from VW does not indicate how many of the cars it intends to produce. What is clear, however, is that the car is clearly not just a futuristic concept anymore.
VW said the XL1 is the most aerodynamic car ever produced. Its drag coefficient is 0.19; the smaller the coefficient drag, the more easily a car slides through the air. A Chevrolet Corvette, by comparison, has a 0.29 coefficient drag.
In addition to the energy saved by reduced drag, the car's diesel engine will add to its overall fuel economy. Diesel engines are generally more efficient than gasoline engines, and the XL1's 0.9-liter two cylinder diesel along with its hybrid electric powertrain will boost the car's overall efficiency.
What it won't boost, however, is speed. For all its sleekness, the XL1 is not fast. It's 47 horsepower will take car nearly 13 seconds to go from zero to 62 mph and it's top speed is only 99 mph.
There is no official price announced for the XL1, but AutoGuide reported a rumor that the car will sell for close to $100,000. CNN Money reported that VW CEO Martin Winterkorn said at Geneva that there will be "Interesting financing offers" for customers.
Further production details and a full slide show of XL1 pictures can be seen here.
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