What happens when you take the ultralight, 261-mpg hybrid car of the future, yank out its hybrid guts, and then throw in an engine from a high-strung Italian sport motorcycle? You could get something truly amazing. It's what the folks in Wolfsburg reportedly want for the Volkswagen XL1. Where do we sign up?
Austrian autos website Autorevue, citing a presentation by VW chief Ferdinand Piëch at the Vienna University of Technology, says Volkswagen is working on "Project XL1 Sportster" — a variant of the XL1 that uses a Ducati engine. Remember, Ducati is a part of the VW family now.
Instead of the XL1's normal 800 cc twin-cylinder diesel hybrid engine, the Sportster would use a 1200 cc, 190 horsepower engine from the Ducati Panigale. With the goal of keeping weight under 1,750 pounds, it could be a serious performance machine.
Sadly, Autorevue doesn't make it sound like the XL1 Sportster is headed for production. They say it could be just a concept built for R&D purposes. Still, the idea sounds fantastic, and I hope we get a chance to have a go in one like we did with the XL1.
Please, VW? Pretty please with sugar on top?
Hat tip to Autoblog!
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Volkswagen Is Reportedly Making A Sick XL1 With A Ducati Engine