71mpg VW Diesel Hybrid Prototype

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

This looks too ready for production not to go on sale. I think it would sell very well here because of it's sheer frugality. Anyhow, here's the article.

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/03/vws-golf-diesel.html

Would you buy one if it were comparable in price to other similarly sized hybrids? I might as it is 25mpg or so better than the Toyota Pious is rated at.

(and yes, the mis-spelling was intentional....)

 

[Peter]

well vw realizes that hybrid don't have to look horrible, this is a good example of a good looking hybrid and i don't think anybody would have any shame driving this

 

[Tony_SS]

Now thats a SMART car. Bravo to VW... others should take note.

 

[Geesie]

How much power/MPG do you think U.S. (or worse, California) emissions standards will sap from this if it gets imported?

 

[megaladon6]

absolutely none. the new VW tdi's are ULEV complient with a lower HC and CO levels than a prius and about the same NOX. i don't know if you guys saw it but this is a CONCEPT car. and VW is not the only one working on the diesel-hybrid. (although their only real competition is BMW and ME/BE. and those three already work together on diesel tech.)
what impresses me is that it's still a 73hp motor. that means about 115tq. (for reference my old 86 non-turbo had 50hp and 90tq and my 97tdi has 90hp and 150tq. and the tdi easily keeps up with 6cyl cars on acceleration) it won't be extremely fast but it'll blow the doors off a prius! especially with a 7spd DSG. those trannies are FUN!

 

[dan2286]

What is a dsg transmission?

 

[megaladon6]

Direct Shift German something or another lol. it's a clutch-pedalless stick shift which has an automatic mode. (as opposed to most trannies which are auto's with a manual mode) it still has a clutch (now a really cool dual wet clutch system made by one of the companies in the corporation i work for--god i wish i got a discount :lol: ) the clutches control every other gear (ie one clutch does 1,3,5,7 and the other rev,2,4,6) and are computer controlled so that there is no need to let off the gas, and no lag time. it's an extremely good, well tested system that is rare in the US.

 

[85_SS]

Very cool, but I'd never buy a VW after all the piddly problems we've had with the fiancee's '03 Jetta. German Engineering

Unfortunately the warranty just ran out - so all those problems are going to not only be nuisanse, but they will cost us money...

 

[megaladon6]

let me guess, 2.0l? or maybe the 1.8t 20v? like i've said the gassers suck. actually the problem is more the mexicans who build it than the design work. the same car, built in germany, is a lot better. the gassers are still only designed to last about 3years though.
PM me with the problems i may be able to figure some out.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

I think DSG stands for Direct Sequential Gearbox. It basically is a system that has your next gear already engaged and awaits the time to switch to it. It has 2 clutches, one for 1,3,5 and one for 2,4,R on a 5 speed box. It uses a series of dog clutches to do this, and the computer engages either the next highest or lowest gear depending on how you are driving to try and anticipate your next gear change. It's hard to explain, but I think VW was the first to develop it. Usually, DSG cars use F1 style paddle shifter on the steering column for manual mode.

As far as it goes, I have heard that even some of the European VW's are built in the same Mexican factory as US models. Many European companies are also outsourcing manufacturing to other countries due to problems dealing with indigenous labor unions. Some, like Mercedes, also have contracts with other manufacturers in other nations to produce their cars for those markets. Mercedes, for example, uses Tata to make it's cars in India, and also has manufacturing facilities in South Africa and the US, to name a few.