Here in Detroit everybody was trying to see bits of other cars in VW's Concept BlueSport mid-engined roadster.Porsche Boxster was mentioned a lot, as was the Honda S2000 and even the MGF. But everyone was in agreement that it looked great, was the perfect sports car for now and that VW shouldn't waste any more time and put it into production.It now looks like we may get our wish. Insiders are talking about an on sale date in early 2010 and yes it will have the super-frugal 113 g/km diesel of the concept car.I wouldn't mind one with the Golf GTi's 2.0-litre turbo either, mind you.Read the Autocar news story on the VW Concept BlueSport
It's one of those cars that just instantly looks right as soon as you see it. I can't understand how VW could make the Eos look so boring but then hit the jackpot three times in a row with the Passat CC, Scirocco and the Bluesport.
I wouldn't be surprised to see the essentials of this appear in well-disguised form as a sub-Boxster baby Porsche if the slump lasts long enough and demand for Cayennes collapses.
roadtester - " can't understand how VW could make the Eos look so boring but then hit the jackpot three times in a row with the Passat CC, Scirocco and the Bluesport."
- answer: Walter de Silva, VW Design boss. De Silva canned the initial design of the Golf VI. He changed the whole design theme for VW's corporate face from vertical to horizontal, as evidenced most by the new Golf and Scirocco and the Golf Plus to come. The Eos was hideous. The last roadster concept, the Concept R from 2003 was equally so. De Sailva could see what apparently the blind? previous VW design bods and mangement board couldn't and had the guts to demand it changed.
Chas, according to Auto Motor Und Sport it will get the 1.4 litre turbocharged and supercharged petrol engine producing around 200PS and will weigh 1,100 kilos instead of the 1,200kg for the NOx cat equipped Euro6 2 litre diesel unit shown at Detroit. It seems to be going down a storm with the home crowd too(AMS readers) who are pushing for it to appear a.s.a.p. and with lower powered(1.4 TSI 122PS), cheaper variants to take it under €20,000. Whaddya know, an old-fashioned, unhyped hit!
I think that Martin Winterkorn also can take some credit for the design. He was the one who demanded a new look for VW and one that took them far away from Audi (the Iroc concept previewing the Scirocco was deemed to be too close to a certain four-ringed brand).
As for the BluesSport concept - yes the 1.4 TSI would make a good engine for the car. I hope that the diesel isn't thrown out however. I like the perversity of it - and the 168bhp diesel in the TT is a real treat.
The Concept BlueSport is a fantastic looking car.
I think manufacturers always miss a trick with roadsters by not packaging in a decent boot, as the pictures here would indicate. For a start, it makes one of the great roadster pleasures - throwing a couple of soft bags in the boot and heading to the coast for the weekend with your partner - impractical. It also means that you can't use the car for all kinds of purposes - picking up a child from school (have you seen how much stuff they carry?) or even a quick run to Tesco. I've got an old TT Roadster without four wheel drive and, consequently, a pretty deep boot which allows me to use it for just about any trip I make. There's no point having the wind in your hair when you've had leave the gear you need in the house.
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