Detroit NAIAS 2009: Volkswagen Concept BlueSport gets 180-hp and 55 mpg

Posted: Jan 11, 2009

Filed under: Auto Shows, Hybrids, Green News, Volkswagen

• Competes with: Honda S2000, BMW Z4, Nissan 370Z Roadster.
• 2.0 TDI common-rail injection making 180-hp.
• 0 to 62 in 6.6 seconds; Top speed of 140 mph.
• Fuel-economy rated at 55 mpg in Eco-mode.

The embargo seems to have broken (by auto motor und sport and NetCarShow) on Volkswagen’s Concept BlueSport a couple hours before schedule – so we’re not going to delay the info anymore. Later today at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit – Volkswagen will take the wraps off of its new Concept BlueSport – a study that hints at a compact roadster for the future.

The Concept BlueSport makes its debut in a Flex Silver exterior with an orange fabric convertible top. The interior of the concept shows a “high level of technological fascination” with a compact touchscreen and other ergonomic controls. Volkswagen says that the leather upholstered seats were made using lightweight construction.

Click through for more details and the high-res image gallery.

Volkswagen Concept BlueSport:

The Volkswagen Concept BlueSport packs a 2.0 TDI with common rail injection. The engine sits behind the two sport seats and pumps out a total of 180-hp that allows for a 0 to 62 mph time of 6.6 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph. Power is transferred to the rear-wheels via Volkswagen’s 6-speed DSG dual clutch transmission. Volkswagen says that the Concept BlueSport is estimated to have a fuel-consumption of 4.3 l/100 km (that’s 55 mpg in U.S. terms) when the roadster is in the so-called Eco mode (an automatic start/stop system and energy regeneration).

V-Dub has not yet said anything about production plans but according to previous reports, the car should hit showrooms in early 2011.

Volkswagen Concept BlueSport:

zermatt

With the disparity in cost for diesel fuel vs. gasoline, I think that diesels will be a hard sell in the US for the time being.

This is really too bad as the fuel economy is substantially better than gas powered engines and in many cases is better than hybrids. Another big factor is that there is minimal performance loss with a diesel especially when you compare them to hybrids.