Detroit 2009: Volkswagen Concept BlueSport roadster live
by Sebastian Blanco on Jan 11th 2009 at 5:03PM 
Volkswagen's Concept BlueSport should go a long way towards making the term "diesel performance" a household name. While it might seem to be an oxymoron to some, seeing it at the Detroit Auto Show, we can tell you that if it reaches production, everyone will be a believer. While officially just a concept for now (and the interior is a dead giveaway this isn't production-ready), the two-door roadster sports a 2.0-liter turbodiesel four mounted amidships. It puts out 180 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque and pushes just 2,600 pounds via a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Expect a 0-60 of 6.2 seconds and a top speed of 140, all while returning about 35 mpg on the European cycle and upwards of 62 mpg in "Eco" mode.
The BlueSport might look a lot like an Audi TT with a Scirocco nose, but unlike its corporate sibling, the mid-engine layout provides a 45:55 front-to-rear weight distribution. It's also a tidy package at just over 13 feet in length, with a 96-inch wheelbase, a front track of 58.5 inches and a rear track of 60 inches. So it's about the same size as the TT, but in reverse. In person it seems much smaller than the Audi and reminds us of the Porsche Boxster more than anything, which isn't a bad thing. Stylist Walter da Silva explained his design inspiration in great detail for the assembled masses, unfortunately he did it in Italian, without subtitles, so we have no idea what he said. We did understand what Volkswagen Chairman Martin Winterkorn said, and that was that VW is officially committed to growth with cars that will continue to offer maximum excitement with minimum consumption, and the BlueSport is a perfect example of that philosophy. We say build it and bring it, ASAP. Hit the jump for all the details in the pres release.
Live photos copyright ©2009 Frank Filipponio / Weblogs, Inc.
PRESS RELEASE
Detroit 2009: World Premiere of the Concept BlueSport
Volkswagen celebrates comeback of the compact roadster
Wolfsburg/ Detroit, 11 January 2009 - Maximum driving fun with minimal fuel consumption: This is the standard by which Volkswagen is starting the new car year 2009 and is presenting the roadster Concept BlueSport at the North American International Auto Show. "The BlueSport proves to be a compact and passionate car with a clear Volkswagen signature. The car offers pure dynamics with a powerful 180 PS Clean Diesel engine that is combined with the characteristic Volkswagen philosophy of efficiency," confirmed Volkswagen's Chairman of the Board, Prof. Martin Winterkorn in Detroit.
The Concept BlueSport is making its appearance at the car show in Detroit with a Flex Silver exterior and orange fabric convertible top. "It is the symbiosis of outstanding technology and timeless Volkswagen design that makes this car an exceptional sports car. Its styling is clear and is reduced to the essentials; the car body itself has a lean and linear structure", explains Volkswagen chief designer Walter de Silva. The interior shows finesse in details and conveys a high level of technological fascination. Immediately visible to the eye is the intuitive and easy to operate touchscreen. Perfectly adapted to the interior are the leather upholstered seats in lightweight construction with their single-piece seatbacks.
Behind the two sport seats of the 3.99 meter long Concept BlueSport, a 132 kW / 180 PS strong Clean Diesel (TDI) with common rail injection and downstream NOx storage catalytic converter delivers dynamic performance. A 6-speed DSG dual clutch transmission – the most economical and agile transmission system in the world – transfers power to the rear wheels. In just 6.6 seconds the sports car is moving at 100 km/h; its top speed is 226 km/h. Also having a positive impact on the car's low fuel consumption of just 4.3 l/100 km and reduced emissions are two technologies that are part of the so-called Eco mode: an automatic start-stop system and energy regeneration. Together they propel the Concept BlueSport to an additional fuel savings of up to 0.2 liter per 100 kilometers in city driving.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
gorr 6:02PM (1/11/2009)
These cars don't make ANY SENCE at all.
The reason is because nobody is making energy at all since the beginning of the earth. All energy is derivated from other energy, so there is an energy crisis because no new energy is created. I said that there is enouph energy for cars, trucks, ships, electrical generation from now to the next million years to come on earth or other planets without pollution or cost. Only the device using energy cost something, of course.
Each and everyone arguing this is because he or she stole energy from another one in the past and is now opposing unlimited energy for him or others because he or she feel that before unlimited energy re-appear he or she must confess their old energy-sins to the one that is getting or using this new created unlimited energy.
I know it seem complicated but just imagine your been big-oil and tax-money and you fight terrorists for all your life then some water powered cars are been put in customer hands then you will feel more guilty of having making trillions of dollar selling toxic energy derivating from earth-waste and polluted the air and robing millions of no-head car drivers and making a war and speculated the price of oil for all the earth with an unknown trader at wall street. Then you will feel having been a fool in the past and you will feel useless for a while.
So when my water-powered car or green algae fuel or genepax powered or natural gas car will appear on sale then many many people having sell, bouth, using, talk about, see, smell, doing e.p.a annual smog test, having breath los-angeles air, having argue with opec, having taking a ride in a 1955 chevrolet automatic, having cut their grass with a gasoline lawn mower, having taking the bus to go to work, etc. All these peoples will not feel happy but they will feel guilty and they will maybe will want to explode some other buildings.
Actually some water-powered cars exists and some folks have produce some green algae fuel on their own but the quantities of guilty folks have overwhelm them of putting that on the market. Even here in this green site many oppose water powered cars and green algae fuel. This is silly because these technologies are simpler then a diesel-turbo tier 2 bin 5 with nox reduction and particulate filters or gasoline hybrid with lithium-ion phev with electrical outlet managed by project no-place. We are surrounded by cheap folks like mazda, ferrari, john deere, bic lighters, tony karts, coleman camping products, porsche, dodge viper, etc. All these folks collected money and didn't create energy for their devices and have rely on old energy to power their devises. They have participated in the energy crisis and let down 2-3 consumers interrested in buying a devise that create energy without substracting energy sowhere else.
Reply
Chris M 6:45PM (1/11/2009)
Gorr, you really are an expert in "not making any sense at all"!
Matt Groom 7:06PM (1/11/2009)
I'm not entirely sure what this rant has to do with the incredibly cool Blue Sport concept, but one of the fundamental rules of the universe is the law of conservation of energy, which states that energy can neither be created, nor destroyed. It is only changed from one form to another, and then into still more forms.
The Sun shines on grass, the grass turns the sunlight, CO2 (NOT A POLLUTANT), and nutrients into energy so it can grow. Cows eat the grass and drink water and breath oxygen, etc so that they can grow and procreate. We eat the cows so that we can do the same. Bacteria eats our excrement and waste so that they can grow and so on and so on.
Nobody and nothing can create energy. Using water or biomass for fuel would simply utilize the energy that are already present within those sources, not create any new energy. The Sun is now and forever will be the only source of outside energy that the Earth is ever going to see. If we can prove string theory is real and we master Zero-Point energy devices then we will simply be utilizing already existing sources of energy more efficiently, nothing new will be created.
There's no such thing as a system that creates energy without waste, but that waste is always used in another system or by another life form to perform a vital function of its existence. That means that there is no such thing as pollution since waste is always used and energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only changed from one form to another. That's the beauty of the system. Since there is no such thing as pollution, what we produce too much of may be bad for us, but it is not bad for the larger planetary system, and while some species may also go extinct because or our actions, 99.99% of all species that have ever existed have gone extinct already without our influence. The only threat that humans pose to life is to our own existence.
Turbo Diesels are the future, because they are the most efficient platform available at present technology levels and because they are the only affordable alternative energy technology. They can burn bio diesel made from biomass that was produced by Algae or the more common fryer oils, etc.
Red 7:32PM (1/11/2009)
I wonder why they didn't opt for the 1.4L TwinCharged engine, but then, the complexity of such a system probably hindered its use. Then again, the 2.0TFSI and 2.0TDI are no more complex, but I suppose the point was to show the capabilities and packaging of a diesel powertrain.
Still, cooler, more attractive and more appealing than the (admittedly more practical) overpriced Corolla hybri...I mean, Lexus IS250H.
Reply
PeterG 8:35AM (1/12/2009)
This is a concept. The Diesel is in it to raise Diesel awareness.
But remember: Concept. Hard to say if this will even be built.
Hard to say if it will make economic sense to bring it to USA if it is built.
If it does manage to get built and shipped to the USA it will certainly come with a Gas engine first with Diesel to follow later (or not at all).
If it does get built, and does get here and eventually does get a Diesel, it won't be the 180HP model. It will be the 140HP model that is passing emissions in other models.
So maybe we might see this car someday, and maybe it might have a 140HP diesel someday after that, but don't hold your breath and it will never have 180 HP diesel.
ale 6:27PM (1/12/2009)
going off what Peter is saying, and the general consensus here, I love this idea that VW has brought, and I that this car right here, right here, would be sold soon, not gasolinized, but a simple, true to the spirit of oxymoronic busting diesel sports car, that I say is cool, a sports car more accessible than the TT TDI, which will also be sweet
tark 8:34PM (1/11/2009)
The Stunning part to me was 2600#s. Please be true
Reply
Ross 1:04PM (1/12/2009)
Gorr, wtf.
Anyway, this thing looks amazing. I WANT!
2600# seems completely feasible.
0-60 in under 7sec and 55mpg are an amazing combo.
Build it, VW.
Reply
OOMPH! 11:29PM (1/12/2009)
...christ,what a f@#%kn buzz kill!! cant ya just say the car looks great and it has great economy.... Das annoyed Auto
Reply
Mirko 7:19AM (1/13/2009)
"Expect a 0-60 of 6.2 seconds and a top speed of 140, all while returning about 35 mpg on the European cycle and upwards of 62 mpg in "Eco" mode."
Sam, where is that 35 mpg figure from? The VW website says 4.3 l/100km, which is more like 55 mpg (US).
Reply
Uncle B 10:41AM (3/22/2009)
Diesel is nice, lighter weight is even better, and the ultimate: Diesel/Electric, plug-in! China will flood the North American market with a Gas/Electric plug-in soon, SEE:
“The astounding Chinese have epoched the great GM, of U.S.A. in producing an Electric/gas/plug-in car! They are driving them in the streets of China as we speak, they will be retailed in the U.S.A. by 2011, they will cost half the price of a "Volt" and they are "On Order" for Israel! GM, take a deep breath, your naughty parts have just been cut off by a Chinese high-tech competitor, and the "Volt" is still "Vapor-ware"!” See:http://www.cleantech.com/news/3983/chinas-byd-sells-first-mass-produced-plug-cars
But Volkswagen, still afraid of "Bosched" electrics will avoid the obvious, a superior "Peoples Car" with a turbo-bio-diesel engine/battery and plug-in, in Uber-light format, kicking everyone else's asses good! I know they can, They know they can, the question is When?
Reply