Groundbreaking pre-production Volkswagen XL1 caught testing on the ice

Just over one year ago, we heard reports suggesting that Volkswagen would actually be building a production version of its Formula XL1 concept for limited consumption. And while the skeptics among us were quick to dismiss these reports with a resounding "yeah, right," this latest set of spy shots show that Volkswagen is indeed making progress on an honest-to-goodness road-going model of its 1.0-litre fuel economy warrior.

It's still unclear exactly what will power the production XL1, though the concept car featured a two-cylinder TDI diesel paired with an electric motor, lithium-ion battery pack and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. All in, this is said to be good for an astonishing 1 L/100. It might look big and sleek, but the XL1 is about as long and wide as a Volkswagen Polo. It should be ultra-light, too – the concept version tipped the scales at just under 800 kg (1,753-pounds).

The XL1 might look sleek and sporty, but performance will be anything but. The latest reports state that the production car will be limited to a stop speed of about 120 km/h, and that it'll take 32-seconds to shoot from a stand-still to 80 km/h!

We'll keep our eyes peeled for future XL1 prototypes as development continues, but for now, scroll through our attached high-res image gallery to see the space-age VW for yourself.

Image Credit: Brenda Priddy & Company