Gas Prices Got You Down? This 261-MPG Volkswagen Solves That—For $140,000

Volkswagen built just 250 examples of the wildly efficient XL1. Now, a barely driven example is up for grabs.

Photo by: Catawiki

By: Nico DeMattia

Nov 5, at 4:22pm ET

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Volkswagen built just 250 examples of the XL1, an ultra-efficient diesel plug-in hybrid that debuted in 2013.
The futuristic two-seater achieved a remarkable 261 mpg on Europe's test cycle and could travel 31 miles on electricity alone.
One is now up for auction in the Netherlands, with an estimated value of around $140,000.

In 2013, VW launched one of the most fascinating experiments in fuel efficiency ever made. The Volkswagen XL1 took 12 years to develop and ended up costing a whopping $150,000 at the time. However, as an engineering exercise, it was brilliant. And since VW only made 250, it's even rarer than a Bugatti Veyron from the same era.

If you're looking for an extreme answer to high gas prices, today's your lucky day. There's currently an XL1 in the Netherlands up for auction on Catawiki. The 2016 model up for grabs has just over 1,000 miles on the odometer and is apparently in excellent condition inside and out.

The XL1 project was spearheaded by Ferdinand Piech, VW's top boss at the time. Not known to ever give up on his lofty, ambitious goals, Piech fought for 12 years, and through several iterations, to finally achieve his "one liter" car, something that could burn just one liter of fuel per every 100 km. VW pulled out all the stops to make it extraordinarily efficient; the result was something closer to a supercar than a Toyota Prius.

Photo by: Catawiki

That teardrop-shaped body is made from carbon fiber, as is its chassis, saving weight. It debuted a full year before BMW's i3, an EV/PHEV which only had a carbon chassis but a plastic body. The car has butterfly doors and two seats that are offset to optimize the car's aerodynamic shape.

Power comes from an 800cc, two-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine behind the driver—this makes it mid-engine, like a supercar—plus a plug-in hybrid system centered around a 5.5 kilowatt-hour battery. The plug-in hybrid powertrain wasn't originally planned, and didn't come about until near the end of its development, so it needed a massive 50-pound removable charging box in the trunk so you could plug it in.

With a funky hybrid powertrain, a curb weight of just 1,852 pounds, and a drag coefficient of just 0.189, the XL1 was capable of an EU-tested 0.9 liters per 100 km, which equates to 261 mpg. It can also travel 31 miles on battery power alone, registering an insane efficiency of 6.2 miles per kWh, about double today's more conventional EVs. VW said at the time of the XL1's launch that it only needed about 8 horsepower to sustain a steady 62 mph.

The main downside is performance: It only makes 68 horsepower, so it takes almost 13 seconds to get to 60 mph.

Photo by: Catawiki

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This specific car up for auction is expected to fetch around $140,000, according to the auction house. So even with its incredible fuel economy and currently outrageous fuel prices, the XL1's financial breakeven point is still a long ways away. Plus, it runs on diesel, which has seen even steeper price spikes than regular gas. A used EV cuts you off from the gas station entirely, and is a better all-around choice of course.

But for someone who wants an amazing piece of automotive history, the XL1 could be worth the price. Plus, it'll sip on fuel like no other for many of your daily errands—and look cool doing it.