VW Passat delivering 18kmpl to be shown at the Detroit Motor Show

The automotive industry worldwide has seen a shift in trends with the focus now being on improving efficiency and even sports car makers adopting to stretch every mile out of their products. Amidst this scenario Volkswagen has come up with the Passat Bluemotion concept which will be shown at the Detroit Motor Show next week. It is to symbolise how everything need not be hybrid to extract the best fuel economy figures.

A US-spec Passat formed the base for the Passat Bluemotion study. Using a 1.4-litre TSI engine with cylinder de-activation technology mated to a dual-clutch DSG gearbox, the car delivered an impressive 18 kmpl. This figure is the best-in-class for a non-hybrid petrol car. The 1.4-litre TSI with direct fuel injection and turbocharger is the first ever small capacity petrol engine to feature a cylinder deactivation technology. The Active Cylinder management technology deactivates the valves on the second and third cylinder when the driver applies minimal throttle while maintaining city speeds. 

The Blue-motion technology also gets a coasting function that is used on the Jetta hybrid and start/stop system. This aids in even better fuel efficiency figures. The tech-laden Passat Blue Motion concept is not to be mistaken to hamper performance; the engine produces 150bhp and 249Nm of torque always available on tap. This kind of delivers the best of both worlds; extract maximum kilometers during the week and enjoy the petrol engine to the fullest on weekends.