VW in Record-Setting Global Drive with Most Efficient Car Ever
30 June 2000
Volkswagen in Midst of Record-Setting Drive Around the World In the Most Fuel-Efficient Car Ever - Reaches Washington Today WASHINGTON - A Volkswagen Lupo 3 Liter TDI passenger car - the best mileage
production car in the world - and its professional endurance driver have
reached Washington, D.C. on their way to establishing a new record for the most
fuel-efficient trip around the world.
Representing one of the most unique endurance tests ever, the Volkswagen
Lupo's "Around the World in 80 Days" tour began on May 16, 2000 in Berlin,
Germany. From there, the Lupo has been driven through parts of South Africa,
Asia and Australia.
Its trek is scheduled to end after 80 days on August 3 back in Germany at
Volkswagen's headquarters in Wolfsburg.
As of this morning, the car is averaging a phenomenal 97.1 mpg. It has
traveled 12,153 miles, more than half-way around the globe.
The North America stage of the Lupo's journey began earlier this month in
San Francisco and continued via Los Angeles and Mexico City, Laredo, Dallas,
Tulsa, Memphis, Atlanta, Gainesville, Miami and Jacksonville. After a stop in
Washington, the Lupo visits New York and will then be air-lifted back to
Europe to restart its road trip in London, setting its sights on North Africa,
Spain, France, North Europe and finally Germany.
All told, the Lupo's planned expedition will traverse the globe over
20,712 road miles in 80 days -- an idea based on the celebrated book by Jules
Verne (1828-1905), "Around the World in 80 Days." Remarkably, the planned
fuel consumption for this extreme test is just 264 gallons, or an average of
78.7 miles per gallon.
If successful, it will set a record for the least fuel used for a car
traveling around the globe.
Relatively unknown to the U.S., the Lupo 3L TDI made history last year in
Europe when it was introduced, becoming the first production car to meet the
longstanding environmental challenge of being able to travel 100 kilometers
(62 miles) on just 3 liters (0.79 gallons) of fuel.
A practical four-seater, the Lupo 3L TDI uses a revolutionary high-tech
Turbo Direct Injection diesel engine that is the world's most efficient
combustion engine in production today. As the name implies, this technically
advanced 3-cylinder engine uses direct fuel injection, whereby a precise mist
of fuel is injected into the engine's cylinders via electronically controlled
pump-injector units. From its displacement of just 1.2 liters, this ultra
efficient powerplant is able to produce 61 horsepower and just as importantly
103.25 lb./ft. of torque at just 1,800 revolutions per minute.
The Lupo 3 Liter TDI's engine also uses a turbocharger with variable blade
geometry, a charge-air intercooler and various friction-reducing designs that
have increased the efficiency of this engine to more than 40 percent -- an
unsurpassed value worldwide for a passenger car.
Adding to this remarkable fuel performance is the Lupo's automated direct-
shift gearbox with a stop-and-start function. This transmission offers the
convenience of automatic shifting or clutch-free manual gear changes. In the
Economy mode, the engine automatically switches off when the car comes to a
standstill with the brakes applied and then instantly restarts when the
accelerator is depressed. Additionally, the clutch is disengaged when the
accelerator pedal is lifted, so that the Lupo coasts at engine idle speeds,
thus saving even more fuel.
Yet another factor that enables such amazing performance is the weight
savings of the vehicle. The doors, flaps and wheel-arch panels of this Lupo
are made of aluminum and components of the suspension and axle assemblies are
also composed of lightweight materials.
Advanced aerodynamics that result in a drag coefficient of just 0.29 and
low-friction tires with silica in the rubber mix cut rolling friction and make
an additional fuel-saving contribution.
