Volkswagen EcoRacer

Volkswagen EcoRacer at the Volkswagen Museum car park.

The Volkswagen EcoRacer is a Volkswagen concept car first shown to the public at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show.

It was designed by Cesar Muntada, a Barcelona-born designer, who previously worked in the Design Center of PSA Peugeot and of Honda. Muntada is also the acclaimed author of the successful project "Showdown", a Harley-Davidson based concept-bike allotted to be made by 2020.

Performance

The EcoRacer accelerates from 0–100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 6.3 seconds. The top speed is 230 km/h (143 mph). The average fuel consumption is 3.4 liters per 100 km (70 miles per gallon).

Engine

It has a diesel-powered, turbocharged internal combustion engine with a displacement of 1.5 L. Despite the small displacement it delivers 100 kilowatts (136 hp) with 250 N·m of torque at 1900 rpm. The engine is of the common rail type, which is more efficient and quieter than the conventional rotary pump injection systems. It is equipped with a particulate matter filter. The engine is linked to a Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG) with 7 gears, and is a mid-mount in front of the rear axle

The Car

The EcoRacer seats two people, and has a small luggage compartment. The body is made of carbon fibre, which resulted in a relatively low weight of 850 kilograms (approximately 1875 lb). It is 3.765 meters long (148 in) with a wheelbase of 2.48 meters (97.6 in).

The car is a veritable transformer, with three modes: coupe, roadster (no roof) and speedster (no a-pillar/windscreen).

External links

• ECORacer concept info as archived 2008-08-15
• Pictures of the EcoRacer