Volkswagen EcoRacer Concept

[GMPenguin]

At the Tokyo Motor Show (October 22nd ? November 6th 2005), Volkswagen presents an incredibly economic sports car. The EcoRacer?s average fuel consumption is as low as 3.4 liters and it reaches a maximum speed of 142 mph.

Thanks to its carbon fiber body, the middle engine sports car weighs a mere 1873 lbs and needs only 6.3 seconds to achieve 60 mph. This sports car is powered by a 134-horsepower turbo diesel of the next generation and stands for a trend setting synthesis of rock-solid economy and an abundance of sportiness.

The body design with its new sports car front configuration, LED head and rear lights-system, solid proportions and strong lines, demonstrates that even very economical cars can be a fascinating drive.


The rest of the crap: http://www.rsportscars.com/eng/cars/volkswagen_ecoracer.asp

[Fire It Up]

Thats awesome!

[Raghavan]

BUILD IT VW!!!

[Raza]

I'd buy it.  It has room for some more raw speed, but getting that in diesel is a huge turn on!

[Raza]

This car is on C&D's home page...



Eco-friendly and sports car are terms that make unlikely allies, but VW?s nifty little two-seater concept suggests a thriftier fuel future doesn?t necessarily mean the end of fun-to-drive. A roadster with a removable hardtop, the Eco Racer?s carbon fiber body helps keep weight low ? under 1900 pounds, enhancing the 136-horsepower punch of its 1.5-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine. It adds up to 0-62 mph times of just 6.2 seconds, a top speed of over 142 mph, and fuel economy potential of almost 70 mph, according to VW.

*They probably mean MPG.  Bad editors!

[giant_mtb]

I'd take one!  Tune it up a bit...and you can make people double take (or triple) when you start revving your DIESEL engine at a stop light and peel out and rocket forward.  :D  

[SaltyDog]

I'd love to see this.  I might even buy one if the price is right.  Under 20k would be good.

[Run Away]

Awesome stance.

[Raghavan]

The side profile is perfect, but the front is bleh. And WTF is up with those hinged roof things?

[Secret Chimp]

I don't like how it looks at all, but if it drives good, so what.

[SaltyDog]

I don't like how it looks at all, but if it drives good, so what.

Oh man, I really took that the wrong way when I first read it  

[Raza]

The side profile is perfect, but the front is bleh. And WTF is up with those hinged roof things?

It's like a T top roof with a removable center pillar, so you can have it as a coupe, a targa, or a T top, depending on how the mood suits you.

[Raza]

It looks more like an Opel than a Volkswagen, but in any case, I think it's beautiful.  

[Run Away]

That's cool, but a bit redundant.
T-tops AND targa? There's barely a difference.

[Raghavan]

The side profile is perfect, but the front is bleh. And WTF is up with those hinged roof things?

It's like a T top roof with a removable center pillar, so you can have it as a coupe, a targa, or a T top, depending on how the mood suits you.

But why's it hinged?

[Raza]

The side profile is perfect, but the front is bleh. And WTF is up with those hinged roof things?

It's like a T top roof with a removable center pillar, so you can have it as a coupe, a targa, or a T top, depending on how the mood suits you.

But why's it hinged?

Probably to make it easier to remove.  Hinges might be easier to manage than the latch system like a Corvette.

[Raza]

That's cool, but a bit redundant.
T-tops AND targa? There's barely a difference.

Maybe redundant, but it might give it a broader appeal.  Plus, with a multipiece roof, they can be lighter pieces that are easier to remove than a single, large pane.  T tops never really interested me that much, but I know people who love them, and I absolutely adore targas.  

[Raghavan]

That's cool, but a bit redundant.
T-tops AND targa? There's barely a difference.

Maybe redundant, but it might give it a broader appeal.  Plus, with a multipiece roof, they can be lighter pieces that are easier to remove than a single, large pane.  T tops never really interested me that much, but I know people who love them, and I absolutely adore targas.

They're pretty much the same.

[Raza]

That's cool, but a bit redundant.
T-tops AND targa? There's barely a difference.

Maybe redundant, but it might give it a broader appeal.  Plus, with a multipiece roof, they can be lighter pieces that are easier to remove than a single, large pane.  T tops never really interested me that much, but I know people who love them, and I absolutely adore targas.

They're pretty much the same.

They do look different, and change the cabin airflow.  So they're similar, not the same.

[Raghavan]

That's cool, but a bit redundant.
T-tops AND targa? There's barely a difference.

Maybe redundant, but it might give it a broader appeal.  Plus, with a multipiece roof, they can be lighter pieces that are easier to remove than a single, large pane.  T tops never really interested me that much, but I know people who love them, and I absolutely adore targas.

They're pretty much the same.

They do look different, and change the cabin airflow.  So they're similar, not the same.

eh, what ever.

[Raza]

You keep missing the details.  It's like saying that a sunroof is the same as a convertible.

[Raghavan]

You keep missing the details.  It's like saying that a sunroof is the same as a convertible.

No, there's a little bar on t tops that the targa doesn't have. big deal.

[Raza]

I can't stress how much that changes the character of airflow in a car when you're driving at speeds.  I'd imagine it also increases wind buffeting.  

[Raghavan]

I can't stress how much that changes the character of airflow in a car when you're driving at speeds.  I'd imagine it also increases wind buffeting.

Oh noes!!11!!!!1!  

[Raza]

 

[Raghavan]

You're getting all worked up over a small metal bar.

[JYODER240]

You're getting all worked up over a small metal bar.

I bet you could extact an extreme amount of power from that diesel engine, I know that the deisels the Ford, Chevy, and Dodge trucks use, you can get  another 100-200 hp and 100-200 lb-ft of torque just by reprogramming the computer and adding a new intake and exhaust.  My dads friend has a chevy 2500 HD and he did that to it, he gained  like 120hp and 190lb-ft of torque, kills his gas-mileafge though.  

[SaltyDog]

You're getting all worked up over a small metal bar.

I bet you could extact an extreme amount of power from that diesel engine, I know that the deisels the Ford, Chevy, and Dodge trucks use, you can get  another 100-200 hp and 100-200 lb-ft of torque just by reprogramming the computer and adding a new intake and exhaust.  My dads friend has a chevy 2500 HD and he did that to it, he gained  like 120hp and 190lb-ft of torque, kills his gas-mileafge though.

I sure hope he's not running gas in his diesel engine.  That would kill more than mileage  :D  

[JYODER240]

You're getting all worked up over a small metal bar.

I bet you could extact an extreme amount of power from that diesel engine, I know that the deisels the Ford, Chevy, and Dodge trucks use, you can get  another 100-200 hp and 100-200 lb-ft of torque just by reprogramming the computer and adding a new intake and exhaust.  My dads friend has a chevy 2500 HD and he did that to it, he gained  like 120hp and 190lb-ft of torque, kills his gas-mileafge though.

I sure hope he's not running gas in his diesel engine.  That would kill more than mileage  :D

I meant MPG