Volkswagen SuperlightCar project reduces weight of Golf shell by 30-percent
Volkswagen Up! - Click above for high-res image gallery
We just learned about a project from Audi that resulted in an experimental lightweight S5 that was capable of lapping the famed Nürburgring racetrack in Germany eight seconds quicker than the normal S5, despite having a 100 horsepower disadvantage. It seems that a number of other automakers are also in on the project, including Renault, Volvo, Opel, Daimler and Volkswagen, Audi's parent company.
VW reportedly assembled three separate five-door Golf bodyshells, one solely using steel, one using a mixture of low-cost materials and one using nothing but exotic, high-tech materials. According to Autocar in the UK, these concepts reduced the overall weight of the Golf's shell by between 20- and 41-percent, with the best combination of price and weight savings boasting a 30-percent weight reduction.
Besides the desirable weight loss program, these shells also needed to be at least as safe as a standard steel bodyshell and be viable for mass production. The first production vehicles using this innovative process are expected in 2012.
Gallery: Volkswagen up! concept
[Source: Autocar]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
David Martin 4:47PM (6/10/2009)
From the gallery it looks as though they have also paid attention to the seats, and have reduced their thickness.
I wonder if they are using basaltic fibre in the body?
That seems to me a very interesting material, nearly as strong as carbon fibre but around 1/10th cost, just a bit dearer than fibreglass, and 2.5 times stronger than steel.
It is on the EDAG concept car, which also used OLED screens all over the back:
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/03/03/geneva-2009-clever-edag-light-car-open-source-is-like-safety/#continued
Volkswagen have said that they think EV cars are viable if they can do around 200km per charge.
The MiEV is supposed to manage around 160km with a 16Kwh battery, and if you use this lighter body shell and some of the new low rolling resistance tyres you might manage around that figure, as I am sure VW are well aware.
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jharlan 1:43AM (6/11/2009)
Publicly they say EVs are a long ways off. Privately they are in a crash program to develop EVs. Pretty smart, those Germans! In the mean time they are kicking ass with diesel engine development. It's amazing!
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Richard 2:59AM (6/11/2009)
Wow! That looks IDENTICAL to the Pininfarina B0 that will go into production in a matter of months!!!
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/12/26/pininfarina-hopes-for-big-things-from-b0-electric-car/
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William 3:01AM (6/11/2009)
"Pretty smart, those Germans! In the mean time they are kicking ass with diesel engine development. It's amazing!"
huh?!? aren't the Germans trailing EVERYBODY else in diesel development? LAST WEEK VW released their 1.6litre common-rail engines on the Golf. That's over 2 years later then the 1.6litre Multijet engines and over a year later than the French dCi and HDi variants!!!!!!!!! and it used to be a lot worse: the lag used to be far greater than 2 years, as the Germans had steered away from (and have been the last to adopt) the common rails. Recall also that the Mini uses a Peugeot diesel, Mercedes have bought over 2 billion euros worth of Fiat Multijets for their trucks, and 55% of Opels/Vauxhalls have Multijets today.
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Michael Hippenhammer 4:45PM (6/11/2009)
Can you tell me where you can buy a Vauxhal, Opel, Peugeot, Fiat in America? We only get German cars in the US. I know, but Fiat isn't here yet.
William 8:09PM (6/11/2009)
Presumably EVERYBODY includes the Japanese as well......