We expected the VW XL1 to be pricey, but the German automaker has exceeded even our most pessimistic expectations. According to a report from business weekly WirtschaftsWoche, the most economical production car in the world will have a sticker price of €110,000 ($144,925) in Germany – autsch…
VW has already built 50 XL1s, with another 200 to be produced and delivered starting next spring. Despite the limited run and the steep price, VW says there is great demand for the XL1, which is a popular item among car collectors and wealthy car enthusiasts. The Wolfsburg-based automaker doesn’t plan to build more cars, so the exclusivity of the Volkswagen XL1 will remain intact.
The report quotes Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management for the Volkswagen brand, as saying: “The car is more of a lighthouse than a business model.” That may be the corporate way of saying VW loses money on every XL1 made, despite the high sales price.
Dubbed the “1 Liter Car”, the VW XL1 has an official combined fuel consumption of 0.9 liters of diesel fuel per 100 km (261 mpg US/310 mpg UK), but one real-life test has revealed the car averages around 1.47 l/100 km (160 mpg US/192 mpg UK).
So what could one buy in Germany with that kind of money if he or she wasn’t a big fan of the XL1? How does a €114,700 entry-level Audi R8 Coupe sound? Too expensive? How about a Porsche 911 Carrera (€90,417), a VW Beetle (€17,375) and some €2,200 as “pocket change”?
By Dan Mihalascu
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