VW to Show Golf Diesel Hybrid Concept, New Natural Gas Vehicle at Geneva Motor Show
29 February 2008
Volkswagen will make seven international premiere presentations at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show (6-16 March), including a Golf TDI diesel-electric hybrid concept and the new 150-PS Passat Estate TSI EcoFuel natural gas vehicle. Other Volkswagen world premieres will be the fuel-efficient Sharan BlueMotion, the four-wheel-drive Golf Estate 4Motion, and the completely re-engineered Scirocco sports car. The Passat CC will also be on display for the first time in Europe.
The Golf TDI Hybrid concept consumes no more than 3.4 liters of diesel fuel per 100 kilometers (69 mpg US), with 89 g/km CO2 emissions. The full-hybrid supports an all-electric mode. Power transmission to the front axle is managed by 7-speed DSG technology.
The Passat Estate TSI EcoFuel features a direct-injection turbocharged engine, and delivers 110 kW (148 hp), while consuming 5.2 kg/100 km. The Passat and the Passat Estate TSI EcoFuel are due to be launched on the market around year-end.
The Sharan BlueMotion, the latest in the BlueMotion series, offers average fuel consumption of 6.0 litres of diesel per 100 kilometers (39 mpg US)—0.7 of a liter less than conventional models. CO2 emissions are reduced from 177 g/km to 159 g/km. The seven-seat van has up to 2,610 liters of cargo volume and a permissible gross vehicle weight of 2,510 kilograms. This Volkswagen is driven by a 103 kW (138 hp) TDI diesel engine complete with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). The BlueMotion option is available in combination with the Trendline and Comfortline fittings packages. Deliveries of the vehicle are scheduled to commence this summer.
Effective immediately, Volkswagen will be offering the Golf Estate in a version with permanent four-wheel drive. This automobile is designed to enable as much as 100 per cent of the vehicle’s tractive force to be transmitted to the rear wheels if so required in extreme circumstances.
The 4Motion system is coupled with a fuel-efficient, high-torque TDI engine with 77 kW (103 hp). The Golf Estate TDI 4Motion accelerates from 0 to 100 kph in 12.9 seconds, has a top speed of 185 km/h (115 mph), with fuel consumption of 6.0 L/100km (39 mpg US). The Golf Estate TDI 4Motion can tow as much as 1,500 kilograms on gradients of up to 12%—100 kilograms more than its front-wheel-drive counterpart.
Now, when someone couples a Diesel engine with an HSD, then we'll have something. Clutches and conventional transmissions are unreliable junk in comparison.
Posted by: richard schumacher | 29 February 2008 at 08:15 AM
I want that CNG car, running on biomethane, carbon neutral!
Posted by: John Baldwin | 29 February 2008 at 08:20 AM
39 mpg with AWD is impressive! I wonder what it would do on the US fuel economy cycle...low 30's combined cycle?
Posted by: Patrick | 29 February 2008 at 09:23 AM
"Golf TDI Hybrid concept consumes no more than 3.4 liters of diesel fuel per 100 kilometers (69 mpg US), with 89 g/km CO2 emissions. The full-hybrid supports an all-electric mode. Power transmission to the front axle is managed by 7-speed DSG technology."
What's the hybrid technology? Integrated in the transmission? Through the road parallel?
Either way, take that TOY Prius!
Posted by: AES | 29 February 2008 at 10:27 AM
I'd more call the concept car a toy
Posted by: DavidJ | 29 February 2008 at 10:37 AM
As I have mentioned in another forum, VW brand's Golf platform only sold about 41k units in 2007, and only 25k units of that are the fuel-efficient models. Yaris, Versa, and even the low-volume Fit outsells Golf-variants here in US. Maybe the rest of the world buy a lot of Golf-platform vehicles, but the added price premium for hybrid *AND* diesel components means this is going to be a very expensive vehicle.
In the US, where size commands value and fuel-efficiency plays second fiddle, Golf is not even a competitive model against the Prius or Civic. If VW is going to make one, it will not be a VW brand vehicle, at least not in the US.
Posted by: Charles S | 29 February 2008 at 10:40 AM
In researching how VW will bring a Golf-variant upmarket, it turns out that VW Jetta and Audi A3 are based on Mark-V Golf platform. The Jetta sold reasonably well in 2007, about 99k units, but it was a decline of 4% from 2006. Since most hybrids are sold as top of the line vehicle in the family, premium version of the Jetta starts at around $22k (without diesel or future hybrid option). Base version of Audi A3 starts at $25k and goes beyond $35k+ for sports model.
If fuel-efficiency can command price premium in the VW or Audi brand, then I guess we could see something like this in the US. Since Mercedes diesel doesn't seem to be doing so well for now, let's see how well Acura diesel will work out for the luxury brand market.
Posted by: Charles S | 29 February 2008 at 11:03 AM
Richard Schumacher, what's the fixation with Toyota's technology? It is not magic and it is certainly not the only way to get that job done.
AES, the situation here is that the diesel engine is a 1.2 litre 3 cylinder, supposedly with the US Tier 2 bin 5 emissions package similar to upcoming Jetta TDI. The drivetrain has a mechanical clutch between the engine and everything downstream (allows engine-off operation), and there is a single electric motor on the input of the 7 speed DSG gearbox. Electric-only drive is possible by decoupling the engine at the mechanical clutch.
Unlike Toyota's system, this system uses only a single motor/generator and frequency drive (saves $$$) and the power flow allows the engine power to go 100% mechanical drive no matter the ratio between engine and wheels (Toyota's system does not allow this - and mechanical gear-to-gear drive is more efficient than generator-to-rectifier-to-inverter-to-motor.)
Posted by: Brian P | 29 February 2008 at 03:31 PM
VW should package their diesel hybrid as a distinct hybrid-only model (pas per Prius) so as to cash in on the 'I'm green' cachet. Toyota has shown that this is the way to get people to pay for hybrids.
Just saying...
Posted by: Nick | 29 February 2008 at 07:18 PM
Here is some info on the Golf.
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/02/vw-unveiling-an.html
Posted by: sjc | 29 February 2008 at 07:55 PM
Because this new drivetrain is fully EPA Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions compliant, I think one place we will see it on a US-bound Volkswagen model is the Jetta SportWagen. Getting over 50 mpg on daily driving may not be so far-fetched with such a vehicle.
Posted by: Raymond | 01 March 2008 at 07:31 AM
Charles S-
VW could sell alot more diesel Golf/Jettas in the united states if they only had them here to sell.
When I went out to buy a red Jetta TDI with all of the bells and whistles I was told by the dealers that:
1- VW doesn't ship red TDI jettas to the US
2- there were no fully loaded TDI jettas in any color in stock in the tri county area
3- If I was interseted in an anthracite blue, fully loaded, Golf, there was a dealer about 75 miles away that had one in stock.
Not being the type of person who just believes things that dealers tell me, I called another dozen dealers in 2 states (i live near the border of michigan and ohio).
They all said exactly the same things, except that some of them weren't able to locate the blue Golf that the first dealer had found for me.
This was 3 years ago, when VW was still shipping PD TDIs to the US. All of the salesmen, without exception, tried to steer me into buyind a lower economy gas jetta.
When i went to purchase the Golf, I found out that all of the incentives and promotional deals offered by VW were for gasoline models ONLY. and the larger, less efficient vehicles had much better incentives than the smaller cars.
I am not the type of person who is easily discouraged from doing something that i have set my mind to, but even i was almost convinced to just buy a different car.
There would be alot more efficient golf/jettas sold in the us if VW were only willing to provide them.
Posted by: coal_burner | 01 March 2008 at 08:18 AM
coal_burner:
I went through the similar experience when I bought my Honda Insight. Does that mean if Honda made MORE Honda Insight, that Honda would sell more?
It may be true that VW could sell a few more Jetta TDI, but it doesn't mean that it is enough to make it worthwhile for VW. VW may enjoy selling them as a niche vehicle, but if there was a real consumer interest, we can be sure that all other manufacturers would participate.
Posted by: Charles S | 03 March 2008 at 10:15 AM
Hmmm all very interesting and expensive. I say just start drilling in the US and tell the "Green" Weenies to go pound sand.
Posted by: looter | 10 July 2008 at 02:10 PM