Skip to main content

Born from the fuel-sipping XL1, Volkswagen’s XL Sport has the heart of a raging Ducati

When Volkswagen’s revolutionary 1.0-liter prototype was first shown in 2002, it came with some bold claims: a 0.159 drag coefficient (Cd), 285 miles per gallon, and a 404-mile driving range on one tank of fuel.

Over the years, the car evolved in both looks and design, and was eventually released as a limited production vehicle in 2013. It may not have been as eco-friendly as we originally thought, but the futuristic XL1 was still a marvel in many ways.

Somewhere along the line, however, a Volkswagen engineer had the novel idea that the XL1’s extreme aerodynamics could benefit much more than just fuel economy. Thus, the XL Sport was born.

Related: How VW milks 261 miles from a single gallon of gas with the record-breaking XL1

The XL Sport combines the slipstream silhouette that helped the XK1 reach 261 mpg (give or take 100) with the heart of a furious Italian sport bike, and the result is absolutely phenomenal.

The XL borrows the 197-horsepower V-Twin engine from the Ducati 1199, and with that comes the Superleggera’s 11,000-rpm redline and surprisingly guttural soundtrack. Despite having a motorbike powerplant powering the rear wheels, the XL Sport’s 1,962-pound curb weight allows it to hit 60 mph in 5.7 seconds. Top speed is a similarly impressive 168 mph.

VW Ducati XL Sport 10
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The new car isn’t a slippery as its gas-sipping cousin (Cd is now 0.258), as VW has removed the enclosed wheel wells of the XL1 and added aggressive venting throughout. The XL1 always had a subtly aggressive front fascia, but now the dagger-like headlight undercuts have bolder, sharper lines to play off of. It looks impressive.

With the XL Sport, Volkswagen has mated “the most fuel-efficient production car of all time” with a bike that has “the best power-to-weight ratio of any production motorcycle in history.” If the offspring is anything less than a prodigy, I’d be very surprised.

The XL Sport will be showcased in its entirety at the 2014 Paris Motor Show.

Andrew Hard
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Andrew first started writing in middle school and hasn't put the pen down since. Whether it's technology, music, sports, or…
Alpine sale: Up to $160 off speakers and subs for your car
alpine speaker sale crutchfield march 2024 car and amp setup on table

If you’re looking to kit your car out with some superior speakers or a subwoofer, Crutchfield is the place to go today. Right now, there’s a huge sale on Alpine subwoofers and speakers with nearly 50 different items forming the sale. As there are so many options, the best idea is to hit the button below to see what’s around. If you don’t know where to start though, read on while we take you through some great items in the sale.

What to shop for in the Alpine sale
Buying the best aftermarket car speakers are important for anyone who spends a lot of time on the road and is currently dealing with a mediocre sound system. One good starting point in the Alpine sale is the 2-way speakers for $104 instead of $130. You get two 2-way speakers with a polypropylene/glass fiber/mica woofer with a specialized rubber surround. There’s a one-inch silk dome tweeter with speakers able to handle up to 80 watts RMS with 240 watts peak power. The grilles aren’t included but the factor ones should be fine for most purposes.

Read more
Mercedes to trial humanoid robots for ‘low-skill, repetitive, demanding’ jobs
Apptronik's Apollo robot at work in an auto plant.

Humanoid robots have been coming on leaps and bounds in recent years, and some major companies are starting to take note.

Mercedes-Benz, for example, has just entered into an agreement with Texas-based robotics specialist Apptronik to collaborate on identifying applications for highly advanced robots that the auto giant could deploy. The deal will involve a trial that will see Apptronik's Apollo humanoid robot work alongside Mercedes' human workers on the factory floor.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 9: price, release date, range, and more
Hyundai Ioniq 9 Front

Hyundai has been at the forefront of EV development for a while now, largely thanks to the success of the crossover-sized Hyundai Ioniq 5. But the company is readying another new EV that could be even more popular than the Ioniq 5 -- or at least more desirable in the U.S., the land of big cars.

The upcoming Ioniq 9, previously set to be called the Ioniq 7, will be Hyundai's take on an electric SUV. It will be to Hyundai what the Kia EV9 is to Kia. It will have three rows and carry over design elements from the Ioniq 5.

Read more