VW XL1 May Evolve Into XR1 Sports Car

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Group is the king of platform sharing, but it is still amazing to hear that Volkswagen is considering using the platform from the XL1 green supercar for an economical sports car.

The concept would work like this. The carbon fiber reinforced plastic body and platform would be carried over to the new sports car that is being codenamed the XR1. Either the engine from the GTI or GTD would replace the mid-mounted two-cylinder hybrid. The car would weigh around 850kg (1874lb), and the combination of light chassis and potent, small engine should put performance on par with much more powerful cars. But it could still give impressive fuel economy.

The car would have to be widened enough to fit the four-cylinder engine, but the change would be partially offset by ditching the heavy battery packs. Although, some of the other features of the XL1 would also have to go because they are too expensive like its carbon-ceramic brakes and magnesium wheels.

With the XL1 not even entering production yet the XR1 still being just an idea in Volkswagen’s heads, a production XR1 is still four years away at least. 

Source: Car