EcoRacer

Volkswagen presents an incredibly economic sports car capable of 100 miles per gallon - the EcoRacer. With fuel consumption as low as 3.4 litres and a maximum speed of 230 km/h this TDI powered prototype provides you with a glimpse into the next generation of fuel economic vehicles.

Its carbon-fibre body means the car weighs a mere 850 kilograms and accelerates in only 6.3 seconds to an impressive 100 km/h.

This sports car is powered by a 100 k/w turbo diesel engine of the next generation and stands for a trend setting synthesis of rock-solid economy and an abundance of sportiness.

The EcoRacer as a coupé: The bonnet, boot-lid and doors are made of CFP (Carbon-fibre plastic), as are the roof elements. The door locks of the EcoRacer open using electromechanical technology that not only release the door catch - via Keyless-Entry-and-Go system - but also swing the associated roof wings upwards on a gas-pressure damper optimising entry to and exit from the vehicle. These roof sections and the so-called T-bar, the longitudinal web between them, can be removed completely and stowed behind the seats.

The EcoRacer as a Roadster: Within a matter of minutes, the entire roof structure including the windows can be removed or converted. First, the rear hatch, the coupé rear end, is removed. At the same time, the side elements of the front wings between the front wheel and the door hinge are taken out.

The EcoRacer as a Speedster: In the final stage, the roadster can be converted to a speedster. For this, a special catch in the area of the A column is simply released, to allow the windscreen and the upper dashboard housing to be taken off. In place of this, a reduced windscreen with its own dashboard cover is inserted. The result is a speedster in its purest form.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk