Shropshire Star

Ultra-rare Volkswagen XL1 heading to auction

Limited-production, efficient machine expected to fetch up to £115k under the hammer

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One of the rarest Volkswagens ever made is set to head to auction — and could fetch up to £115,000.

This is the Volkswagen XL1, one of just 200 examples made. Unveiled in 2011, it was billed as ‘the car of the future’ and is designed with nothing but maximum efficiency in mind.

(Silverstone Auctions)

Those spaceship looks aren’t just for show. The sleek, compact bodywork gives the German-built machine a drag coefficient of just 0.182 — for reference, a Ford Fiesta’s comes in at a comparatively inefficient 0.32.

On top of that, it weighs just 795kg thanks to a carbon fibre-reinforced polymer construction, along with the addition of magnesium wheels and ceramic brake discs.

(Silverstone Auctions)

That allows the car to achieve 313mpg from its diesel-electric powertrain, which develops a combined 74bhp — all while emitting just 21g/km of CO2. That powertrain is paired up to a seven-speed DSG gearbox.

While it can cover the 0-60mph sprint in 11.7 seconds before hitting a 99mph top speed, most impressive is the fact it can reach 62mph using only 8bhp as a result of its slippery design.

This particular example was built in 2015 and has only ever been registered to Volkswagen UK — covering just 79 miles in that time.

It’s set to be sold by Silverstone Auctions at NEC Classic Motor Show, taking place in Birmingham on October 10 and 11. The XL1 is estimated to sell for between £95,000 to £115,000.

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