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VolksWagen XL1

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This VW has exactly zero appeal to me. 0-100 km/h in 12.7 seconds. A Prius would leave it in the dust. It seats only 2 people. The window configuration makes me think that it has awful blind spots, which is not a good thing to have when the engine has so little passing power. The tires are rail thin. The steering and brakes are reported to have an odd feel.

This is just not a good car from any angle. It doesn't look good, it's not fast, it's not fun to drive, it has limited passenger and cargo space, and I don't think it's safe on American roads. This is exactly the wrong way to go about building a more environmentally friendly car, because it's a car that very few people will buy.
 
This VW has exactly zero appeal to me. 0-100 km/h in 12.7 seconds. A Prius would leave it in the dust. It seats only 2 people. The window configuration makes me think that it has awful blind spots, which is not a good thing to have when the engine has so little passing power. The tires are rail thin. The steering and brakes are reported to have an odd feel.

This is just not a good car from any angle. It doesn't look good, it's not fast, it's not fun to drive, it has limited passenger and cargo space, and I don't think it's safe on American roads. This is exactly the wrong way to go about building a more environmentally friendly car, because it's a car that very few people will buy.

You are totaly right, anticitizen13.7. That car is only good for taking from A to B with highst efficency and lowest costs. I am interested in driving for low costs, but it's not the only aspect.

VW said this car is a little bit a car that shows what can be build, in my opinion that's true but they left the point, "design" and "usability".
 
This VW has exactly zero appeal to me. 0-100 km/h in 12.7 seconds. A Prius would leave it in the dust. It seats only 2 people. The window configuration makes me think that it has awful blind spots, which is not a good thing to have when the engine has so little passing power. The tires are rail thin. The steering and brakes are reported to have an odd feel.

This is just not a good car from any angle. It doesn't look good, it's not fast, it's not fun to drive, it has limited passenger and cargo space, and I don't think it's safe on American roads. This is exactly the wrong way to go about building a more environmentally friendly car, because it's a car that very few people will buy.

But you could sit in your uncomfortable little car for a very long time, while taking a tiny fraction of your family and almost no luggage on a very very long road trip!
 
I have to admit I don't understand the interest in the XL1 at all. It's basically a Prius with better mileage, 3 fewer seats and no luggage space costing $145k. Why not buy a much more capable Prius and use the remaining $120k on gas? Or buy a $125k fully specced Model S and use the remaining $20k on electricity?

Maybe we're only talking about collectors who are interested?
 
Actually, maybe the BMW i8 is the best comparison. The VW XL1 is similar to the BMW i8 in that it is a plug-in hybrid costing roughly as much, it has the same number of seats and carrying capacity. It's just that the XL1 doesn't have any performance, looks or premium badging, but it has somewhat better mileage.
 
The cost of this vehicle and the lack of any other reason to buy it means it is DOA. Why would I spend so many of my own resources on something that will never earn those resouces back AND has no other redeeming qualities. I would rather buy a Tesla Roadster or Model S.
 
I don't think this car looks fascinating, or anything like the future. It looks like it has the best possible mileage an ICE can give you, and it comes at a high price, both in currency and dignity. If they sold that thing for under $15k, it would be interesting.But if it is going to be priced like that, buy a roadster or a model S and don't hate yourself every time you push the accelerator. Hell, buy a volt (or two) if you insist on burning dinosaurs.
 
I would have no problems driving an XL1. But for obvious reasons I’d rather drive a Tesla MS85. Both the XL1 and the Tesla Roadster seem ‘a bit impractical’. And since a gen3 will be plenty practical, I would switch from Tesla MS85 to gen 3 as soon as I could get my hands on one from the general production (as in a non-signature version).