Volkswagen in Record-Setting Drive Around the World In Most Fuel Efficient Car Ever Reaches US
8 June 2000
Volkwagon's LUPO 3 liter TDI Around the world on 264 gallons of fuel
SAN FRANCISCO - A Volkswagen Lupo 3 Liter TDI passenger car -- the best
mileage production car in the world -- has reached San Francisco, marking the
fifth continent visited by this car and its professional endurance drivers on
their quest to establish a 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.
The North America stage of the Lupo's journey starts in San Francisco and
continues via Los Angeles and into Mexico City. On the East Coast, the cities
of Washington, DC and New York will be visited before the car is air-lifted
back to Europe to restart its road trip in London, setting its sites 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
long-standing 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.
The Lupo's 80-day tour will be covered by German television and print
reporters.