The newest Volkswagen sports car has its sister brand’s DNA. That sister brand, however, just happens to be Ducati, VW’s motorcycle line, and the DNA is none other than the V-Twin engine found in the Ducati 1199 Superleggera.
The XL Sport is based on sibling XL1, a sibling Volkswagen sports car.Only 250 XL1 units were built and Superleggera production run is also limited to 500 units, so the XL Sport is also likely to arrive – when it will arrive wasn’t revealed – in limited numbers.
With an engine that revs up to 11,000 rpm, it accelerates to 62 mph from 0 in 5.7 seconds. It’s no wonder that Volkswagen bills the engine as one of the world’s most powerful 2-cylinder engines, to go along with unique details such as magnesium-alloy clutch, cylinder head and oil pan covers, along with two throttle valve discs and two fuel injectors per cylinder.
The torque from the V-Twin is directed to the rear axle through a 7-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission. The XL Sport produces 197 hp and has a coefficient of drag of 0.258 and the low frontal area of 1.7 sq m, which combine to give a CdA of 0.44 sq m, “one of the best values ever achieved and a major triumph,” Volkswagen touts in a statement.
The XL Sport’s monocoque and most of its body are made from carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) using the Resin Transfer Molding process. The car’s chassis includes steel subframes that resemble a racing car with upper and lower control arms at the front actuation for the dampers and control arms at the back with pushrods. The magnesium-alloy wheels shave off 53 pounds from aluminum-alloy rims and are fitted with 205/40 R18 front and 265/35 R18 rear tires.
The Volkswagen XL Sport has e-Mirrors instead of typical door mirrors. These are cameras that send images of the car’s surroundings to the two displays inside the cabin.
The XL Sport is longer and wider than its sister XL1, with the prototype shown in Paris measuring in at 168.9 inches long (versus 153.1 in for the XL1), 72.7 inches wide (65.5 in), and 45.4 inches high (45.4 in). The wheelbase is 95.4 inches, up from 87.6 inches.
Photo Credit: Volkswagen
