Volkswagen's XL1 has gone on sale in the UK, priced at £98,515, with up to 30 examples of the 200-strong production run coming to this country.
VW says a number of UK customers are already in line to buy the model, while the first delivery was made to a German buyer in May.
The car is touted as the world’s most efficient production vehicle, achieving a claimed 313mpg on the combined cycle.
The XL1 achieves its efficiency through a combination of a low, lightweight, aerodynamically-optimised composite body and a bespoke diesel-electric powertrain. The engine is a two-cylinder 800cc diesel unit coupled to an electric motor to produce a total of 67bhp while emitting no more than 21g/km of CO2. Power is driven through a seven-speed DSG.
The car weighs in at 795kg, and has a 0-62mph sprint time of 12.7 seconds with a limited top speed of 100mph. We were impressed with its performance when we first drove an XL1 last year.
Volkswagen believes that the XL1 serves as a preview of things to come, stating that the technology employed in the company’s latest model is set to make its way into its future production models.
Future variants of the XL1 could include a hotted Ducati-engined version. A concept version of the performance model, which features the two-cylinder petrol engine taken from a Ducati 1199 Panigale superbike, was shown last year. Volkswagen since confirmed that development and testing on the 187bhp model was underway.
UK buyers are being invited to register their interest in the XL1 on Volkswagen's website.
James Howe
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XL1 or BMW i8?
Perhaps BMW could do a few laps of Wolfsburg in an i8?
what a ugly car... and
It's a halo model at the end of the day
Any of the 200 buying it are probably either a) VW Group senior executives, or b) car collectors. I doubt there are many out there buying it as their sole everyday car.
Personally I think it looks cool and packs a lot of tech which will obviously filter down throughout the VW range over time.