Comments on: VW’s Quest for the Fuel Mileage Grail

By: folkdancer

folkdancer — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 17:42:31 +0000

25 or so years ago Toyota experimented with engines that shut off while we waited for traffic lights and then restarted quickly when the fuel pedal was pressed. It wasn’t practical back then but this feature is now routine on the Prius and helps save fuel.
Maybe this etremely efficient VW will never be produced but it is wonderful that VW is doing these experiments and who knows what features they learned from this car will show up in the future.

By: johnny ro

johnny ro — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 03:57:59 +0000

Please give it 75 hp. Put one wheel out back, escape cardom regulations.

I’d buy it, at oh 14k if fully developed and more reliable than usual VW/audi. Please no turbo all wheel drive etc.

I dont like two seat wide, drive alone 98%.

Might have to buy a folder bicycle to fit in back.

By: Steven Lang

Steven Lang — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:23:00 +0000

I kinda like it. Brings back memories of Stark Trek III.

Wait a second. Spocks coffin was actually a modified Lincoln Mark VI. Nevermind.

By: Virtual Insanity

Virtual Insanity — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:44:50 +0000

Also, I just looked at the picture again…this just looks like they took that three wheeled set up thing they had, and put a body on it.

By: Virtual Insanity

Virtual Insanity — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:42:35 +0000

Blister:

You took the words right out of my mouth. But I don’t drive a Silverado, or smoke. Still, I eat doughnuts, and my car idles away with a wide open, catless exhaust.

Oh, and the caption for the picture just made me laugh real loud at work.

By: Johnster

Johnster — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:22:16 +0000

It looks like an updated version of the old Messerschmitt.

By: Landcrusher

Landcrusher — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:59:36 +0000

Isn’t this almost what I was describing the other day? I was actually thinking about a trike or bike so that it leaned when turning. That would make it a lot more fun to ride in, and help sell it. I have seen these sold as kits, and one of them was going for insane money.

Of course, I am like the recumbant guy without the beard or the bike.

By: Acd

Acd — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:14:15 +0000

This looks like more of an excercise in ‘What if’ than an actual production vehicle but I agree that they may learn some things that will make their actual production vehicles more fuel efficient. Maybe they are taking a page from Toyota’s playbook: make a high profile,high milage car (Prius) that allows you to produce more gas guzzling trucks (Tundra, Sequoia, 4Runner, FJ Cruiser) while keeping the reputation of being environmentally friendly.

Actually it reminds me a lot of a modern version of the prototype People’s Car of the late 1930’s.

By: jthorner

jthorner — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:48:06 +0000

A comfortable, fun and safe extreme economy commuter car like that would find a surprisingly big market if they can figure out the details.

I hope it gets made, and there really aren’t any good reasons it shouldn’t be made.

In the US many people already own more vehicles than they have drivers for and a really cheap to run commuter car for the everyday stuff has a market. It sure beats living with the delays of public transit.

By: Jay Bee

Jay Bee — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:43:03 +0000

I seriously doubt this is a production vehicle. But imagine, with the lessons learned from this exercise, what could be possible in a 50-75 mpg vehicle? At least they’re giving it the old college try…

By: timoted

timoted — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:17:58 +0000

Wow 235 mpg! Now the only other things to tackle are to make it less ugly, reliable and not require regularly scheduled “dealer maintenance” at $597.00 a pop.

By: BlisterInTheSun

BlisterInTheSun — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:00:04 +0000

This thing looks perfect for the wierd, lanky middle-aged guy with the long shaggy beard who rides his recombinant bicycle past me on his way to work every morning.

I see him all the time from the driver’s seat of my idling full-sized Silverado while parked at the Dunkin’ Donuts, sipping coffee and smoking Marlboro Reds.