235 MPG Volkswagon

[FrostedxB]

*removed*

Volkswagen's CEO, Martin Winterkorn recently confirmed the company is working on a car that will get 235 mpg (1 liter per 100 kilometers) fuel economy.

With its 235 mpg fuel economy, it can travel 400 miles on its 1.7 gallon fuel tank...all the while achieving a 75 mph top speed.

Its slow as anything :/

The VW 1-liter is made entirely of carbon fiber composites with the outer carbon fiber-reinforced skin tensioned over a spaceframe made of magnesium, which is lighter than aluminum.

 

[Russian Mafia]

I've read about this car a couple of months ago. I wouldn't mind having one just for in-town use, hell I don't think I would ever even need to go up to 75 mph.

 

[Raziaar]

Who needs to go faster than 75? Jesus.

 

[Escaep]

Too bad you'll probably get destroyed in even a minor accident.

 

[Krynn72]

Who needs to go faster than 75? Jesus.

Highways here have a speed limit of 75 :|

Why do companies keep making such stupid cars? FFS make a practical one already.

 

[FrostedxB]

Who needs to go faster than 75? Jesus.

people who drive long distances.
people who race (on and off the track)

Krynn - This is practical if more companies would open up to the idea of amazing fuel economy, while making a larger car so the passengers won't die if it gets hit by a bicycle.

 

[Tyguy]

people who drive long distances.
people who race (on and off the track)

Krynn - This is practical if more companies would open up to the idea of amazing fuel economy, while making a larger car so the passengers won't die if it gets hit by a bicycle.

what would tiny assholes with a little-big man complex drive then? Can't get rid of the gas guzzlers, we wouldn't know the hierarchy of driver coolness.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

people who drive long distances.
people who race (on and off the track)

Who goes looking for car with good fuel economy (whatever it may be) with the intention of also racing it? heh!

I do motorway driving in the UK, and our national speed limit is 70mph, but when you need to overtake I do push on to around 80ish, which I think should always be included in any car. The fuel economy in this car is so awesome, I would consider it if...

...it didn't make you look like a cock.

 

[Qonfused]

I guess it's the Americkuhan in me, but, eh, that looks pretty dumb. Why can't we aim for something that gets 80MPG and looks rather normal? I'm sure it's possible since that gets an insane MPG rating.

 

[Dekstar]

people who drive long distances.
people who race (on and off the track)

Krynn - This is practical if more companies would open up to the idea of amazing fuel economy, while making a larger car so the passengers won't die if it gets hit by a bicycle.

Driving long distances you're still limited by the top speed of highways and roads, and if you're the kind of person who buys a car like this, you won't want to race, because that ruins the point of high mileage.

Also if you RTFA, you'd see it still packs in excellent safety features.

 

[Warped]

i think the 150mpg and a 100 mph max speed is the ideal model for a vehicle. aim for this car companies and you'll be king!

 

[FrostedxB]

Driving long distances you're still limited by the top speed of highways and roads, and if you're the kind of person who buys a car like this, you won't want to race, because that ruins the point of high mileage.

Also if you RTFA, you'd see it still packs in excellent safety features.

carbon fiber-reinforced skin

Carbon fiber falls apart in car crashes, regardless of reinforcements.
Also, Smart Fortwo.
Has similar reinforcements and bounce-back technologies.

Unless the damn thing is armor-plated, I don't see it surviving a crash with anything bigger.

 

[VirusType2]

Too bad you'll probably get destroyed in even a minor accident.

If you read the article, it states that it uses race car type roll protection and the front will collapse in an accident, absorbing much of the impact. Plus it has ABS [Anti-Lock Brake System] and SRS [Supplemental Restraint System] (an airbag).

I've seen plenty of accidents in Formula 1 race cars that have this kind of safety, at speeds of as much as 180 miles per hour at point of impact, and drivers walk away from it. Those cars don't even have a roof; the driver is exposed, and I've seen F1 cars drive over top of other cars and the driver doesn't get injured.

Highways here have a speed limit of 75 :|

So there you go.

people who drive long distances.
people who race (on and off the track)

the 75 MPH cap is absolutely crucial to the fuel economy, and I'll bet that it doesn't get nearly as good fuel economy as advertised at it's top speed.

Who goes looking for car with good fuel economy (whatever it may be) with the intention of also racing it? heh!

Exactly

I guess it's the Americkuhan in me, but, eh, that looks pretty dumb. Why can't we aim for something that gets 80MPG and looks rather normal? I'm sure it's possible since that gets an insane MPG rating.

Well, it's the whole package not the sum of it's parts.


This car goes 235 miles on a gallon of gas. Baby steps guys, this is a monumental achievement in a car that may go into production next year.

Plus it only looks a little stupid because we're not used to it. If every car looked similarly, then it would seem normal.


BTW carbon fiber and magnesium, this car is going to be very expensive.

Carbon fiber falls apart in car crashes, regardless of reinforcements.

Bullshit. Carbon fiber is five times stronger than steel and has twice the tensile strength.

And just about any car accident, your chances of survival in a high speed front impact are very low, but yes the light weight does make it more vulnerable.

 

[xcellerate]

I'm pissed off VW never followed through with production on their GX3:

Amazing dynamics for less than $ 17,000: The GX3 will be driven by a VW 1.6 liter engine. The four-cylinder delivers 92 kW / 125 hp. So far, so good. However, the GX3 is a pure driving machine, a motorcycle with two seats positioned side-by-side. And that’s why you can find 125 hp and 112.5 ft-lbs (152 Nm) in a mere 1,257 lbs (570 kg) Volkswagen. This results in a power-to- weight ratio of 10 lbs/hp 4.56 kg/PS). In just 5.7 seconds, the GX3 can reach a speed of 62.5 mph (100 km/h) and the possible lateral acceleration reaches 1.25g – values typical of sheer performance cars but delivered from a vehicle under the $17,000 price range. No comparable sports machine in the world, however, can come even close to the low fuel consumption of the GX3: 46 mpg.

 

[FrostedxB]

BTW carbon fiber and magnesium, this car is going to be very expensive.

Its only estimated to cost 4000 yuan(Shanghai) which is only 600 US dollars.

Also, my father was in a car accident a few years ago. He had a 2006 Scion xB (Toyota bB to you Europeans) with a carbon fiber hood. The hood split nearly in half upon impact.

 

[VirusType2]

Its only estimated to cost 4000 yuan(Shanghai) which is only 600 US dollars.

I didn't see that in the article. That's not believable. My hood cost about that much.

Also, my father was in a car accident a few years ago. He had a 2006 Scion xB (Toyota bB to you Europeans) with a carbon fiber hood. The hood split nearly in half upon impact.

Well shit, it's not indestructible, I'd imagine that if it was steel it would have crumpled up like aluminum foil.

Carbon fiber was designed by the US military. There is more than one reason they use it on stealth fighters and NASA's space shuttle.

Besides, carbon fiber defeats radar guns, so you could be doing 75 in a 50 MPH zone and be undetectable.

 

[FrostedxB]

I didn't see that in the article. That's not believable. My hood cost about that much.

I don't either, I stole this from another forum, the OP there claimed it.

 

[VirusType2]

It is a small car though so there isn't a very large quantity of carbon fiber necessary.

I'd guess that carbon fiber will probably cost the manufacturer about 1/4 or less than what we pay. So that's pretty cheap TBH.

 

[xcellerate]

Also, my father was in a car accident a few years ago. He had a 2006 Scion xB (Toyota bB to you Europeans) with a carbon fiber hood. The hood split nearly in half upon impact.

Well yea...CF can't flex like metals do, so there's no such thing as a crumple zone. They just break.

 

[Letters]

None of this shit matters until they can price them at around $20,000.

 

[repiV]

Who needs to go faster than 75? Jesus.

Who wants to scream the engine constantly and be at the absolute limits of the car's capabilities just to cruise along slower than most of the surrounding traffic?

To maintain 75 comfortably, you need a top speed of at least 100. And besides which, there are many reasons why you might need to go faster than 75 - and need acceleration that isn't complete shit. Safe overtaking for one...

New technology is always interesting, but can we try not to make ill-informed decisions on what other people may or may not need? You don't even drive, do you?

And besides, I wouldn't spend good money on something that wasn't any fun. My friend has a 2.8l Golf, that's a right hoot. If I was getting a car, I'd be after one of those...

 

[Krynn72]

So there you go.

If the speed limit is 75, then you definitely do not want a vehicle that tops out at 75. You can't pass anyone, you're pushing the engine to the very limit all the time which will ruin it very quickly, and it would deafen you.

I wouldn't buy any car with a top speed being under 120mph. Not because i want to drive 100+ but because i dont ever want to get close to maxing out my engine during regular every day driving.

EDIT: yeah, basically what backwards Viper just said.

 

[Kinslayer]

Who wants to scream the engine constantly and be at the absolute limits of the car's capabilities just to cruise along slower than most of the surrounding traffic?

To maintain 75 comfortably, you need a top speed of at least 100. And besides which, there are many reasons why you might need to go faster than 75 - and need acceleration that isn't complete shit. Safe overtaking for one...

New technology is always interesting, but can we try not to make ill-informed decisions on what other people may or may not need? You don't even drive, do you?

And besides, I wouldn't spend good money on something that wasn't any fun. My friend has a 2.8l Golf, that's a right hoot. If I was getting a car, I'd be after one of those...

What you should get from this: This car isn't being sold to people like you.

 

[Krynn72]

Though to be fair, its not being sold to anyone.

 

[repiV]

What you should get from this: This car isn't being sold to people like you.

White goods on wheels annoy me. Driving is an art, not a household task - and if anyone can actually drive a car with a 75mph top speed outside of urban areas and not find it inadequate, they probably shouldn't be driving.

In itself, I can deal with that. But then these people who neither know anything nor care about driving, get into positions of power and influence and start making or influencing policy.

Current pet hate being the douchebags that drive at 40-45mph through 30 zones, and then, for some unfathomable reason, continue driving at 40-45mph when the speed limit ends and the road opens up. Then have the audacity to complain about "reckless" drivers who can actually drive competently and at pace on the open road.

It's important to challenge sentiments such as "who the hell needs to go faster than 75?".

 

[Krynn72]

Driving is definitely a household task at this point. And people tend to drive as fast as they think is safe, not really heeding speed limit signs, which is why they'll drive faster in some areas, and not so fast in others.

Other than that, I agree with the rest of what you said though.

 

[repiV]

Driving is definitely a household task at this point. And people tend to drive as fast as they think is safe, not really heeding speed limit signs, which is why they'll drive faster in some areas, and not so fast in others.

Other than that, I agree with the rest of what you said though.

I know it is, but that's an extremely basic level of driving and what is aspired to and targeted should be much more advanced (and not set or influenced by people with basic driving skills). It's like holding up Wii Sports as the pinnacle of gaming.

I drive (well, ride) as fast as I think is safe - which may be 40-45 in a 30 zone, but usually slower in rush hour. And is usually a hell of a lot faster outside of the villages. But I see no sense in the monospeeders who seem to make up the bulk of the driving population these days - they sit at a constant speed everywhere, disregard the speed limits through villages but then drive at exactly the same speed (now dawdling) when they have a real opportunity to make progress. And obstructing the traffic behind them.

I mean, the mind boggles. I just really don't get it. How much attention can these people be paying to what's going on if they can't even adjust their speed to the conditions? And then they all sit in a chain playing "follow the leader", too scared to overtake but also not leaving enough space between vehicles to allow others to overtake. So everyone has to go at the pace of the slowest ****ing tractor or doddery old man.

It doesn't normally bother me, as on the bike I can pass everything anyway (and it's fun to overtake the dawdlers!). But I got a lift to work the other day, and by christ when you have to follow these idiots you really see how utterly diablolical people's driving is.

But, I digress...

 

[Escaep]

If you read the article, it states that it uses race car type roll protection and the front will collapse in an accident, absorbing much of the impact. Plus it has ABS [Anti-Lock Brake System] and SRS [Supplemental Restraint System] (an airbag).

I've seen plenty of accidents in Formula 1 race cars that have this kind of safety, at speeds of as much as 180 miles per hour at point of impact, and drivers walk away from it. Those cars don't even have a roof; the driver is exposed, and I've seen F1 cars drive over top of other cars and the driver doesn't get injured.

.

Ok, tell me how many F1 drivers survive smacking straight into a wall at 180 mph? The reason many of those drivers survive those crashes is because the energy is spread out throughout the crash. It doesn't matter if it is carbon fiber, it simply still will not have enough mass to protect itself during a major crash. You'd have better luck driving a trashcan. I'm no physics expert but I don't see that being very safe. Unless it has some super transformer ability that unfolds into a monster truck.

 

[Krynn72]

Unless it has some super transformer ability that unfolds into a monster truck.

How would that be any safer? Your body would be mutilated and chopped and mushed into hundred of pieces when it transformed.

 

[Saturos]

Volkswagen makes good efficient modern cars and most of them are much cooler than a Toyota Prius.
I personally like the new diesel model that's on the market now. (can't remember the name) Get's a cool 53 mpg.

About the debate that people don't need to drive over 75, well I agree with repiV on this Raziaar. The reason why many cars are sold to go over 120 is not so people can blatantly disregard speed limits, it's because driving a vehicle that only goes to 75 would put a serious strain on the engine. The extra speed is there to prevent this unnecessary strain and also to pass safely without getting run over. I for one can be a witness to this as I had a severely underpowered car once, and I hated passing when it was necessary.

 

[VirusType2]

The car is designed to do the speed limits. You think they are going to manufacture a car that only does 50 or something? It wouldn't even be allowed on the highway if that were the case, and as such, it would be worthless for long distance travel. It's not your ordinary car. Just because its top speed is 75 doesn't mean it's bouncing off the rev limiter.

And never in my life have I needed to go over the highway speed limits.

 

[Krynn72]

Looks super safe.

 

[Saturos]

And never in my life have I needed to go over the highway speed limits.

Do you have a job?

Your either extremely disciplined or extremely punctual. I doubt either though.

 

[smwScott]

The inside looks like a ****ing coffin.

I do like the idea, but it just would not be suitable for highway driving.

 

[Saturos]

The inside looks like a ****ing coffin.

I do like the idea, but it just would not be suitable for highway driving.

I never did like tiny cars like those. I once heard that if someone got into a wreak in something like that, just stick handles on the sides and tote them to the graveyard!

 

[VirusType2]

Looks super safe.

Why is it any more unsafe than any other economy car? Do you think the carpeting on the floor, or the empty space occupying the passenger seat of your car is going to protect you? It's looks safer than most cars. It's just small. But it's tough as a brick shit house.

Do you have a job?

Your either extremely disciplined or extremely punctual. I doubt either though.

I'm late all the time, but I never had to break the speed limit to pass the guy that was going 5 mph too slow for my tolerance or any actual emergency where it was a legally justifiable reason to speed.

And I never said this car was right for me. Some people are always on time without speeding.

The inside looks like a ****ing coffin.

I does look like one of those horror movie coffins lol.

It looks fine for highway use. I'm heavily entertained that you guys act like it has to negotiate IED's and land mines.

You guys must have never heard of a motorcycle? Yeah, they are small, there is no seat belt, no roof, only 2 wheels, etc.

I've never been in an accident regardless of what car I've been in. We all take risks in life, just living it, you know. Ask a biker that and he'll tell you the same.

I don't care if you keep your 25 MPG 'economy cars' from now until gas is $15 a gallon so you can feel safe, but you guys seem like you are opposed to this vehicle's existence. It's not like there aren't other cars for you to choose from, ones that suit you better. This is it, the only car available! You guys are stuck driving it now, haha hahahaha

 

[lePobz]

My car does 30 mpg, which is pretty expensive when I do 250 to 300 miles a week. Could get a bluemotion golf I suppose, or a diesel lupo ... both good for around 80 mpg

I wouldn't dare take the little VW concept mentioned above on a motorway, looks like it'd be so hard to see by other road users, it'd be instadeath.

 

[Saturos]

I say we take one to a demolition derby.

 

[jverne]

i'm sort of an environmentalist, but i still think this is bullshit.

a car that does 6l/100km is perfectly fine....it's adequately safe (big), strong, comfortable and is not to bad on the environment.
going 1l/100km is just retarded...because you sacrifice too much.

problem is that alot of people have cars with mileage way worse or they drive alone all the time.
i always do like new technology but this is just unpractical. for the city it's perfect but otherwise not that much.

 

[VirusType2]

Make no mistake, in the design of this car, every known measure towards fuel economy has been taken. It's an example far to the extreme. It's not going to be a best seller.

I would feel 100% safe driving it. It's probably safer than many of our cars honestly.