Friday, March 14, 2008

VW TDI hybrid

Volkswagen for the win... from AutoBlogGreen:

The Golf TDI hybrid pairs a 74 hp/132 lb-ft 1.2L 3-cylinder diesel with a 26.6 hp/103 lb-ft electric motor. At low speeds, the car will run in EV-only mode, with the TDI joining in if/when necessary. The tandem should be good for for 69 US mpg...

That's quite a figure!


And she's a looker too.
Where this Golf concept veers from the norm somewhat is in its use of a 7-speed DSG instead of a CVT. According to VW, using the dual-clutch transmission helps maximize fuel economy. What's left unsaid, but is known to anyone who has driven a DSG-equipped VW or Audi, is that it should also make it much more engaging to drive, given that the operator can manually shift if he or she wants to.

TDI, for those that don't know, stands for turbocharged direct-injection and is the designation for the VW turbo diesel engines. These cars have a huge fan base and are typically prices a lot higher than you might expect for used examples. They were pulled off US markets for a bit while we came to our senses about the benefits of diesel fuel. They last for hundreds of thousands of miles and give great MPG while dispelling a lot of the old diesel stereotypes - they stink, they're slow, they're loud.

This is great news and yet another car to add to my ever-expanding wish list.

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