[Cartoday]
Volkswagen’s ambitious plan to sell more than five million cars a year by 2018 may not necessarily mean we’ll be swamped in a sea of minicars and crossover SUVs. The German firm has just announced that it has reinstated plans to introduce a compact, mid-engined coupe/roadster model to its line up as soon as 2011.
According to company chairman, Martin Winterkorn, a concept version of a lightweight two-seater styled by Walter da Silva will be unveiled at the Los Angeles Motor Show in November. Volkswagen will then gauge the public’s reaction to such a model before deciding whether to commence with any further development.
The new model will be powered by a range of mid-mounted four-cylinder engines, including a 125 kW version of the company’s 1,4-litre TSI petrol unit and possibly a 1,6-litre TDI engine developing 93 kW. The powerplants will be mated with a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission sending power to the rear wheels.
Obviously, it’s too early to accurately predict the car’s performance credentials, but figures of a curb weight under 1 000 kg and a 0-100 km/h time of 7,0 seconds have been bandied about.Autocar has described the car as “a cut-priced alternative to the Lotus Elise, designed to be stylish and lightweight while offering genuine performance and class-leading fuel economy.”
There is also speculation that the car will be built around an aluminium spaceframe, possibly implicating Audi’s involvement in the project which could spawn the long-suspected ‘R4’ - a compact sibling to the R8.This is not the first time that Volkswagen has gone the mid-engined coupe and roadster route. Back in 2003, the company unveiled the Concept R, which would lend a number of its styling cues to the Eos, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The 2005 Tokyo Motor Show also saw the spartan Eco Racer R&D project, break cover. Hopefully, this latest installment in the VW compact roadster saga will produce something more than a stillborn concept.