Volkswagen has a Passat concept that will appeal to hypermilers set to take the stage at the North American International Auto Show next week. The Passat BlueMotion Concept is designed to maximize efficiency without the added expense of a hybrid engine or diesel power.
The Passat BlueMotion Concept starts with a 1.4 liter direct-injection turbocharged four-cylinder. The compact engine produces 150 horsepower and a healthy 184 pound-feet of torque. Active Cylinder Management is borrowed from European VWs, and enables this car to run on two-cylinder power when under light load. A stop-start system also shuts the engine off completely when the car is stopped at lights or in traffic, automatically restarting when the brake is released. The Passat BlueMotion Concept has borrowed a “coast” function on its the DSG transmission, reducing mechanical drag when by decoupling the transmission (basically putting in the clutch) whenever the throttle is released.
All of these efficiency tricks result in a 42-mpg freeway fuel economy rating, which puts the Passat BlueMotion Concept solidly into hybrid and diesel territory, and head and shoulders above its conventional competitors.
Volkswagen hasn’t yet announced plans to produce this car, though the cool Reef Blue Metallic paint will be offered on production cars. We think there’s a good chance that we’ll see a Passat BlueMotion on the streets before long; perhaps Volkswagen will have more to tell us on press conference day in Detroit next week.
