Ever thought a sports car that can do 0-100km/h in 6.3 seconds and achieve a top speed of 230kph can have a fuel consumption of 3.4 litres fuel per 100km? That’s exactly what the Volkswagen EcoRacer does.
Volkswagen unveiled this concept at the 2005 Tokyo Motor Show. The Volkswagen EcoRacer only weighs 850kg, thanks to it’s carbon-fibre plastic body. Plus it’s aerodynamically designed for minimum air resistance. To save on weight, headlamps and rear brakelights are implemented using LED.
The car’s roof is pretty flexible. In normal form, it’s a coupe. Take the roof off and it becomes as roadster. You can also replace the front windshield with a short upright panel to turn it into a track speedster.
The Volkswagen EcoRacer is powered by a 1.5 litre TDI turbodiesel. The engine makes 250Nm of torque and and 136 horsepower. The engine is paired to a DSG double-clutch automated manual transmission. When you drive the car economically (don’t drag the gears, don’t speed, etc) you can achieve more than 1000km mileage from a 30 litre fuel tank. Amazing! The car rides on 175/55/R17 tyres on the front and 224/45/R17 tyres at the back.
The cockpit is focused on the driver. Instead of a meter cluster, there is a TFT LCD panel which displays all the gauges and other information. This LCD panel moves together with the steering when you adjust the steering tilt angle. Speedometer and rev meter graphic displays can be set to either analog or digital form. There is even a built in shift light function, where a ring lights up around the rev meter once the desired shift point is reached in the rev ranges.
Here’s the car with the top up. This is the coupe form.
I just know someone is going to comment about the middle position of the exhaust outlet! 
If you take the top out, it becomes a roadster.
Here is the speedster mode, with the windshield switched to a wind deflector module. The deflector is designed to channel the slipstream over the cockpit.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
SLuurRP!!!!
i'm actually attracted to its fuel economy, but overall it's a good car too… i wonder if they'd allow POTONG to assemble it if they becomes partner… this car seems to hold some promise in fuel efficiency…
Wah!! the roof and the Windshield can be removed????
I wish to see how the Windshield can be moved down or Cut half.
Paul, can you explains HOW???
YAU MO KAU…….CHOU!!
See Fu: its not cut in half, just unplug the windshield and plug in the new small deflector. it doesn't go into the car like power window.
Serious arr Paul.
1000km mileage!!!
Absolutely stunning!
Looks more like a TVR than a VW. But, why a diesel? This eco thing is getting out of hand. I hope they'd make a version with the 2.0 litre FSi Turbo from the GTi or the 3.2 litre V6 from the R32.
ASO KA!! Not like Power window mei!!
Thanks PAUL, But I'm still don't understand how to PLUG and UNPLUG it lei???? By Screws? or BY SNAP ON??? Any photos?? I guess no BODY KNOWS at the moment, WHO WANT TO BE the one to EXPLAIN??
I guess this car is BULLShit, first it is not logic to change the Glass or roof at Shopping center or outdoor. Next, It is not safe to drive in town cause SOME F**KER will remove your WindSheild or ROOF easily. Some more…….Raining time WHERE to hide man???
If needs Screws or nuts to fix the glass and ROOF, then it is Stupid. Who want to drive it, I think it is Unsafe to use if the glass was not locked or accidently DROP OFF. SOme more VIBRATION!! how….how…how!! Just another show car.
YAU MO KAU…….CHOU!!! Hate this Yellow too. But One thing good about it, I LIKE CARBON-FIRBE plastic BODY!! Like LOTUS and TVR did! Strong and light weight.
couldnt thy jus put all that luvly technology in a beter designed car..this car is so pukable!
the interior of this car looks okie….but too bad the overall….and that silly sports rims looks fugly…it should have that citreon MPV sports rims…then it will still score some points in looks……damn….:X
alright….the muffle tips…..
middle…..
same….
hahaha…
I don't really care about the design of the car so much, but that engine and transmission system. Let's see it in a Polo.
oh…
Potong learn to put their exhaust pipe on the middle fomr VW….
cool
see fu: come on, this is a track car mah. those features you mentioned are there for you to use, but they dont force you to use it. you can have the roof up all the time if you want.
haiyya i think that car cannot sell la in msia. removable top.. wake up in da morning n the top gone already..
but diesal is way to go! biodiesal is fuel of the future. i heard people in argentina is selling biodiesal at half the price of normal diesal. wow thats super cheap. work with any diesal engine too..
like a bullet shape for me… damm nice the design.. yummy!!!!
diesel? ah, use hybrid system ma.
woo… only 1.5l.. can be so good looking yet drink less fuel……
hopefully VW can pass this down to our dear proton……further more.. plastic body (Malaysia is world no.1 rubber exporter……do somehting on this….)
No no no…i much much much prefer the looks of the Nissan GTR Proto compared to this design….
this is awesome, the fuel consumption plus the TFT LCD screen and shit, the roadster mode and all, this mean machine is sexy!
way to go Eco car.. if biodiesel is usable here, then we are on to something better. the paltform is key, i guess Proton JV would be able to utilise it in the samll/compact sectors.
still.. hybrid is best, be it diesel/Electric or petrol/Electric
my car needs 15 liter to go 100 km, now beat it, noob.
Guys, dont be stunned. Dont slam P1 blindly, cant u guys smart enuff to discover it is of Elise chassis……….Lotus n P1 is helping VW to make cars ler dude…..
a-forking-mazing O_o
super lotus factor..
30L for 1000km? i wonder how much is the prepay price..
wow….the fuel consumption very low,
wandering what is that engine?
I think the diesel engine is what really makes it cool. The horsepower numbers may not impress, but then look at the torque! It should be fun to drive, yeah. Bio-diesel is one of the most promising alternatives to gasoline, so this could really be a peek at the sports car of the future. Pity it doesn't look a bit. . . sexier. Lotus could still drop a diesel engine into their Elise and get the jump on VW, if they have the gumption to try it.
Volkswagen EcoRacer Concept is going to be a monopoly in its genre.it does look like the new audi TT a little.but never the less it a excelent lookin car.
Yet another concept that makes lot of sense and takes 100 years, if ever to be mas produced. What will be the price of it…..1,000.000 ??!. Shame that manufacturer didn't ask global comunity to contribut financialy towards building of this marvelous car, so that soon, all of us, can order one and help to save this indangered speacies from them self's.
This is the kind of car that i like… Fuel economy, low displacement and good to the environment without sacrificing much in terms of performance. Might be a little heavy in the pocket though. I prefer this car over those mugen tuned mega loud ear piercing cars that the ah beng-ah beng love to idolize
The concept showcase in this EcoRacer is using a small diesel engine with turbo- and super-charge at the same time we will make a high performance but yet fuel economical car. They also want to demo that high perfomance can come with efficiency as well.
And why with a diesel? Biodiesel is one of the promising alternative. And diesel engines are 30% more efficient then gasoline engines.