Volkswagen XL1 meets Honda Insight Mk1 and original Toyota Prius | Autocar
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 พ.ค. 2021
- They were the future, once. Back we decided that using no fuel at all was the way to go, these cars were designed to use as little of it as possible.
First up, then, the Toyota Prius, the original petrol-electric hybrid vehicle for the masses. It looks conventional (ish) but housed what was, at the time, a truly unusual powerplant.
It was followed by the first-generation Honda Insight, the radical-looking two-door coupe that put aerodynamics and compactness at the centre of its ability to return 100mpg in careful driving.
And then, finally, the most exotic fuel-saver ever created. Volkswagen's XL1 was original conceived as a 'one-litre' car, one that would sip fuel at just 1 litre per 100km (or 282.5mpg). It's impossibly light, inconceivably small, and beautifully constructed from carbon-fibre and unobtanium. VW only made 250 of them and they need very careful looking after.
Join us as we test these three landmark cars, and ask: what did they teach us, and how do they stack up today?
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As an engineer, these are three of my all-time favourite cars. The specific engineering highlights are very well explained: excellent video! If people were to really care for the planet, something like the insight or a cheaper variant of the XL1 would really make a difference. The EVs we can buy today only serve the planet in total CO2 emissions after they done over ~100.000 miles. I think only the Lightyear One comes close to the XL1 in terms of effiency.
What about the Prius?...
@@Shane-zx4ps The Prius has the most interesting drivetrain and has by far the most influence on modern cars. But I think it has not contributed to more economical cars in terms of aerodynamics, but as an excuse to build bigger cars. I prefer something smal with good aerodynamics over something big with a complicated drivetrain.
@@aDaWaN very well explained, I like the view of engineers as they tend to know what they are talking about, tell me what do you drive yourself..?
@@Shane-zx4ps I live in The Netherlands, so I do most of my commuting on a bicycle! When I drive a car I like the enjoyment of driving, so I have an MR-2 ZZW30. During my student time I built a hydrogen fuel cell race car (Formula Zero (Forze) Delft).
@@aDaWaNWow fella you know your stuff, I used to the a MR2 turbo many moons ago and not very environmentally friendly but fun , I’m boring now and drive a Lexus is300h FSport,
VW should take the XL1 and electrify it, give it the drive train and the smallest battery pack from an ID3 and call it the ID1.
great idea but I think the ID.1 name is already taken for the VW Up replacement.
or keep the diesel range extender as designed and save us all that extra weight and range anxiety
Carbon fibre structure is too expensive
@@jianyangkoh6386 Sorry for the late answer here. But I don't think it has to be that expensive. Look at the BMW i3, that is has an all-composite construction, and is not that expensive.
XL1, loved that shape since it was announced.
I don’t know why but the Insight is really growing on me. It just sits perfectly in the middle. It drives okay, it’s aerodynamic and efficient , it has space for some luggage, and it is a Honda so it’ll probably go to the moon and back no problem
Insights, except for the battery, are spectacularly reliable. There are Insights rolling around with 300,000mi on all the original suspension bushings. Depending on how you drive, brake pads can go 200k. A clutch is an easy 200k. To my knowledge, no one has ever replaced a timing chain or chain guide, piston rings, crank bearings, etc. Honda made some of those things but stopped producing them because demand was literally zero.
Before owning one, I assumed it shared a lot of parts with the Civic or Fit/Jazz of the time. It shares almost nothing with anything. All I can find is it has an S2000 steering wheel (minus the leather, due to weight). The whole car is bespoke and purpose built. Magnesium parts everywhere. It's a very special little car. Slow, and unfortunately devoid of that typically Honda energetic spirit, but still very special.
ive had 3 insights, they've all gone easily over 250k miles with minimal issues.
I’m glad to hear a reputable English journalist give the Prius especially the Ecvt the honours it deserves, I drive a Lexus hybrid which had a Ecvt, and I have to say it’s brilliant, there is no such thing as gear changes anymore as in you forget you have a gearbox cause everything is just so smooth and linear.
Remember the XL-1 that they built with the Ducati engine? Would love a shot of that.
The XL Sport? I wonder if they ever actually built one that ran; can't seem to find anything online beyond the concept
Ducati engine, so your lucky if it starts everyday
@@dave9614 yeah I wonder that too.
@@dave9614 it was just a one-off concept car I believe.
I saw the XL Sport at the Petersen Auto Museum, in LA, last year. They had it in their vault. I was told that it was the only one.
As someone with an engineering backround, it's refreshing to see Matt talk in depth about the components of these cars - you can tell he's genuinely fascinated by how stuff works. Easily my favourite motoring journalist.
The XL1 was (and still is) one of my favorite modern car designs. You can actually find them for sale although there were never very many produced. If I was a collector, it would be near the top of my list to buy not only for its incredible (and still impressive) engineering, but for its sleek and well-executed design. It really was one of VWs high-watermark achievements which was badly marred by the 'diesel-gate' scandal that drew a dark cloud over all TDIs and turned-off many, many, many potential buyers such as me. As good as the Prius and Insight were, the XL1 was just in another class. If it wasn't for its original (and outrageous) price tag, I could have been a great success if VW could have managed to mainstream and reduce its production costs.
I've got a Gen 1 Insight and a Sinclair C5 - so I'm counting that as an XL1 by proxy ;-)
Where the insight makes sense is if your daily commute consists of long highway miles. Can confirm driving at 70 mph and getting 78 mpg diving between San Francisco and Sacramento. That lean burn and slippery chassis is just that good.
However in the city or anywhere else that doesn’t require long drives. The prius is the undisputed champ of that era. The best I ever got in city traffic was 36mpg in the insight, however my friends Prius got 47-52 mpg in town consistently. Couple that with capacity for three more passengers + some cargo room and it’s clear why Toyota gained a sizable edge.
My Local VW dealer has a XL1 that they sometimes display in the showroom or workshop, I always go for a look-see as its so interesting. Imagine if VW could have made a version which was 70/80% of its benefits for 20/30% of the price ... winner! When you mentioned the XL1 reminded you of something else, I thought you were going to say Lotus (Elise), not C5. Back in the 50s/60's Lotus were very clever making super efficient racers, with small engines & low drag that beat cars in higher classes. The seating positions, chassis tub, weight, overall lay-out... single mindedness of its design of the XL1 reminds me of the innovation the S1 Elise gave in the mid 90's.
The Mk1 Insight and VW XL1 are cars I have always coveted. I was lucky enough to have an Insight on test when they were new and loved it.
Fantastic review by Matt, loved his comments on the XL1 and also VW at that time, spot on...
I'd love to drive an XL1 around, such a show stopper.
The Aptera sEV is genuinely teardrop shaped
@ATS599 Agree, traditional car companies are stuck in their old ways of thinking and just put an electric motor in a 20th century vehicle chassis and call it a day. Batteries, electric motors, solar arrays, allow complete freedom for design innovation. We need to see more innovation like the Aptera.
In the US the Honda came out before the Prius by a few months.
The Honda is a well designed ground up hybrid car the first gen Prius was a normal car with the hybrid power plant.
The Audi A2 3L is my favourite of all the ultra-efficient vehicles.
That was also an Engineer driven project. Also not an commercial success unfortunately.
Lupo is a strong runner up.
Agreed, I’d really like an A2
@@AkaAndyKnuckles I think VW done a ultra efficient version of the Lupo version only (1L, I think I can’t remember) but it was only available in Europe. The A2 as well had a version too…
A jewel indeed. Your point about dieselgate is spot on. Tragic waste of talent and resources. Thanks for this one!
Pleasure - thanks for watching.
Have owned my 2000 Insight since new. Unfortunately, your explanation of how the Insight drivetrain works is almost entirely wrong. The IMA motor does not "surround" the clutch, but is instead mounted between the engine and the flywheel. From there it is a conventional clutch and 5 speed manual (though note that 4th and 5th are overdrive, and the gears are cut straighter than standard to aid efficiency). The Insight CANNOT run electric only except when coasting with the clutch in. Later IMA systems (Civic and later) allowed electric only operation by freewheeling the engine but the Insight does not do this. Further, thought the aerodynamics are important to the overall package of the car, the key to the Insight is the lean burn engine which used every trick in the book to be as efficient and light as possible. Including, but not limited to: 2MM offset crankshaft, "reverse" VTEC operating in "power" mode until lean burn, lean burn stratified charge combustion, indexed spark plugs, integrated aluminium exhaust manifold, carbon fibre valve cover, extensive use of magnesium (oil pan), 0W-20 oil, specially designed lean air/fuel sensors.
That VW is gorgeous. And are those bicycle tires? lol so narrow!
Tyres
It’s not the size of the tire, but how ya use it! Hahaha
@@MultiPorkpie tires
This is one cool road test.
Thanks mate
The Insight was a max-effort hypermiling gas car, with an afterthought of an electronics experiment chucked on. You can disable the hybrid system of an Insight. When the battery failed and I disabled mine, the car got slower but the efficiency did not change. It's just a SUPER efficient conventional car. Things that are normally steel, like the body and suspension arms and brake drums, are aluminum. Bits that are typically aluminum are often magnesium in an Insight. They even drilled holes in each of the transmission gears to save weight. The hybrid system just sucks.
We cannot forget that the insight already has a very good formula for low consumption the base is there with a very interesting price nowadays. However the XL1 is in another league , just the materials and technology it is up-to-date which elevates this limited production car. The concept is so good that is at least almost a decade ahead of his time.
It’s another league price wise, that’s all..
Top topic and an excellent set of vehicles there.
Insight still has a properly modern looking exterior and interior.
XL1 is on a different level and what an unbelievable coefficient of drag.
Fun fact: The Mk1 Insight was built in the same factory alongside the S2000. Hence the similarly themed gauges and steering wheel.
Used to have one. I believe the also built the acura nsx in the same factory so racing pedigree.
@@Whereswally606 yes your correct s2000 NSX and the insight were all built together
Had a citrus one just like the one shown with mima. Was outstanding. Only reason for moving to a leaf was needing more seats for children. So in one year my carbon footprint went down and up simultaneously. Miss that car though.
I’ve had a curiosity for the g1 insight and recently picked one up. The seller told me was basically nobody cares about these cars anymore. That seems to be reflected by the low views on this and other insight videos. I got mine for 1400 with a dead ima battery and it still gets nearly 60mpg at 80mph gas only. It’s a shame we can’t have more cars like this especially with a 5/6spd but I guess there’s just no interest in such a vehicle.
Very interesting video. Really enjoyed it
The insight was a very diligently engineered light weight design. Bear in mind it's a proper car with a hybrid drive train which weighs within the range of an S1-S2 Elise. I think that's quite amazing. The XL1 is another level really, it's the yang to the yin of the Veyron!
I enjoyed watching the Video
Very interesting, thank you
Loved the XL1, and still do! Tried to explain the higher fuel consumption and emissions thing to my wife by showing how much more efficient my old Mazda 6 175D was compared to her less powerful CX-5 150D and she didn’t get it. I suspect most(not all) potential SUV buyers are unaware or don’t care. It’s a shame, as you say as all the work to improve efficiency has been undone by these talk, bluff fronted, heavy cars.
I really like this video.
Just as i appreciate 1-gen Insight and XL1.
It is interesting how these cars are "revolutionary" in so many ways, some admirable; but they also represent a massive shift to the "you may not work on your own car" movement of a race to the $100,000 consumer automobile.
Always gotta love those car-guy "ifs"…where you gonna fit that full sized diesel inside that hybrid? The passenger's seat? Like when people tell me to do a K-swap on my Honda Beat…where would the transmission go, bud? My lap?
A fascinating look back at early-adopter hybrid technology and, yes, whilst the Prius is the 'Grand-daddy' and the Insight perhaps the 'rebellious teenager', the XL1 would be the 'David Bowie rockstar', generations ahead of everyone around them.
And, thank you also for putting on record the environmentally backward impact of society's selfishness in buying aerodynamically inefficient SUVs just for their company car park 'show-off' allure - unless you live out in farmland, or need trailer-hauling capabilities, a regular saloon / hatchback / estate / MPV will do everything you need, more efficiently and so with less disastrous environmental impact.
SUV drivers should be ashamed...
I couldn't believe at the time that they weren't putting the VW into regular production. 300mpg. I mean, saving a thousand quid a year on fuel compared to a regular runabout... Just so cool. Still don't understand why it isn't on sale in some shape or form.
Hang on...the Insight shares the S2000 steering wheel? Or is it just the airbag?
I agree with you, we lost the chance to actually help the environment by buying SUVs rather than XL-1s.
As a tech / engineer guy this review has me so 🤩🤩 also the insight has a s2000 steering wheel
I have crawled all over VWs own XL1 and it is a masterpiece of F1 style engineering. Amazing build quality and materials. Given the huge cost of EVs, this now makes much sense but has been killed by the blunt "no more ICE" legislation. Great shame as I really dislike EVs...
Nice jeans Matt!
Our local pizza delivery guy had one of those Honda's, what a car.
Why the hell didn't vw make a cheaper grp version with normal doors and a retuned 1200 triple diesel they used in the eco A1. 100+ mpg easily. They would have sold like hot cakes.
Also those xl1 were £100k so what honda achieved with a 3rd of that was more impressive. The biggest impact was really the 2nd gen prius. Easily believable that diesel gate occured simultaneous to production of the xl1 because it was a vanity project not a serious proposition to something which could be scaled up for the masses and make a real environmental impact. Its a beautiful piece of engineering nonetheless.
70 mpg = 3.3 l / 100km , 100 mpg = 2.3 l / 100km
Who’s Xl1 did you borrow please. I’m exhibiting mine this weekend Cheshire.
You need to put that on your you tube channel rather than what you have, which to be honest, are quite poor
Go for it, we would love to see it.
@@zakelwe yup. Fairs fair. It isn’t a channel , it’s a YT gmail account that watches only. Wasn’t greatly aware about videos uploaded. Likely to share before WhatsApp
Belongs to VW, but I don’t think it gets out much.
@@matthewprior2378 can imagine !
Amazing how far hybrids have come in a relatively short space of time.
The current Toyota and Honda hybrid power trains are a huge step ahead of these units, but as you say the shift to huge and heavy SUV's (and here in NZ to Double Cab Ute's) has meant that the move towards lighter, smaller vehicles with greater efficency has been side tracked.
The XL1 is what cars should look like today. Instead we get massive SUVs. Yes they are electric but my god are they bricks in the air. Mass is also the enemy of efficiency. We need to wean ourselves off giant cars ASAP for the good of the planet.
Cyberpunked electric versions of these I could buy :D Didn´t the SAAB 9000 Aero from 1985 have a cw of 0,24?!
put a lithium battery in the g1 insight and its still the best hybrid car today, just wish it was possible to do just that and get rid of the weak NiMh battery.
Toyota Prius is John Wick of cars
Honda should remanufacture the Insight by modernizing it and full electric: there would be many buyers, because no one else offers a small all-electric coupe...The XL1 looks good,, but at 100 000$ it was obvious that it would not sell...
If I remember well there were rumours that VW would add a Ducati engine to one of these to make a sports car.
Just move from big combustion engines to hybrid. Impressive economy 26km/l to 30km/l.
19:11 Imagine if Porsche bought the tooling, and transformed this into a 356 that could do 200mph.
Everything they learnt from the xl1 with aerodynamic and efficiency was used to make the Bugatti veyron go as fast as it does.
The Smart Roadster has about the same dimension as the LX1, it’s not as efficient, but a lot of fun! 😅😂😁
People thought hybrids were the future before EV's became successful.
Yep just look at the McLaren P1, LaFerrari, and Porsche 918 spyder.
Wrong, hybrids were just the transition before we get more energy dense batteries.
@@alanmay7929 That's what, hybrid were the future, before people became making efficient and long range batteries, what's wrong there? 🤔🧐??
@@johndavidson3424 like I said electric vehicles existed way before ICE and hybrids were never the future but present/transition to better longer range EV.
@@alanmay7929 I know EV's vehicle existed, but they never sold out well. EV's nowadays are different from the EV's of the past. I do know that very well, honestly. Cause I found an EV carriage in an abandoned juckyard, seven years ago. I mean I'm not kidding, this EV's existed when cars were running on coals too, I know that bro.
the VW is the ultimate villains car.
Try Riversimple
It is good that automakers are pursuing fuel efficiency, but if they are serious about making an impact on society, they need to make their products affordable and easy to use for everyone.
Toyota initially sold the Prius at a loss.
The Prius sold reasonably well, but people didn't think it was a special car because of its mediocre design.
Toyota gave the second generation Prius a unique design that emphasized aerodynamics, but at the same time, it gave the buyer a special feeling.
The eye-catching exterior design was favored by Hollywood stars who were sensitive to environmental issues, and the car quickly became known and popular around the world.
Today, Toyota's hybrid cars are commonplace, and anyone can buy and drive one with ease.
Just like the industrial revolution that started in England, Toyota's hybrid cars are now available to everyone.
Toyota hybrids are immensely successful. Most motor journalists don't do them any favours by constantly getting the drivetrain wrong calling it CVT rubber band bla bla
EV's render these car dinosaurs.
My 5 year average consuption for my daily driven BMW i3, driven without much care to economy is 190 mpg equivalent. And that seats 4, has a boot and frunk,, hits 60 in less than 7 seconds, and doesn't need you passengers to sit staggered to fi tin (in fact it's got avery big cabin for the size of the car). The sooner we ditch the ICE the better imo!
fun fact
the hummer ev should be as (in)efficient as a 2020 toyota prius
Does put electric efficiency into perspective doesnt it?
XL1: Will It Drift?...
I bet it would. (I bet VW won’t lend me their again car to try it.)
Can the VW stop or turn on those bicycle tires?
Well on the upside, that makes them plentiful, cheap and user replaceable, right? Paying £15 for a car tyre, that would be great!
Yes I can tell you from experience that the XL1 corners like it's on rails! Its carbon ceramic brakes are ridiculously powerful but I've never had a problem from the tyres when braking sharply.
@@paulsz6194 Actually the XL1 tyres cost £800 GBP each from VW for replacements! Specially designed for the XL1 by Michelin for maximum grip from small contact area, yet with low rolling resistance.
How did the VW group not learn anything from this, instead moving the game on to 2.5 ton EVs?!
I think they actually did learn from Tesla vs. BMWs I3 (expensive carbon-fibre to achieve a low weight), that, to get the best performance / price combination, it makes more sense to focus on efficient recuperation and lowering drag. If you would have perfect recuperation (impossible), the weight wouldn't matter at all (except for other factors, such as acceleration). If you achieve 70% efficiency in recuperation, weight already matters much less then people think.
@@MrPesto-gy2lt great reply, thanks.
Finally, a series of cars that match this presenters personality!
Toyota own Hybrids and rightfully so.
The Aptera would wipe the floor with VW's XL1
well it should do...it's been in development for nearly 20 years
You mean in terms of efficiency? May well be true. But the Aptera's looks are not going to be to everyone's taste - it just looks like a teardrop shaped plane with no wings, rather than a car (for me that all works in its favour, but then I love cars that are totally different to the norm, which is why I have owned an XL1 from new!).
What a load of bollox about the Honda Insight, Ive had mine for 10 years the electric motor only works when the engine is on and working. It gives a top up assist to the ICE engine when you ask for it with throttle pedal position
first one here
Are these new jeans? 😏
Yes they are!
If we made Cars like this , there’d be more Cars on the Road,and, I dare say the same pollution as today, if no more, and, as you say, ten years ago, this VW cost £100,000, what’s that in today’s money?
Is that a McLaren F1 lol
While I'm impressed with the XL1, I'm way more interested with the Ducati-powered XL Sport. Come to think about it. both Toyota and Honda can make a GR Prius and Type-R Insight. That'd be interesting to watch.
If the XL1 was electric instead it'd probably have sold a decent amount especially if it sounded like a Tesla roadster. No one wants their spaceship with a tractor engine lol.
Oil companies hated these cares because it was going to take away from their consumers wallets
I totally doubt it. They can still make money with fuel efficiency.
Yet more German car sycophancy from Autocar. Sad. 😂
The XL1 is interesting but as you note, it was a product of nazi VW and was in no way an honest effort. I don't recall it going into production as you say, that was for show as the price ensured.
Even as an honest effort, I think you have to expect small size to limit success somewhat, even though it has very rational merit. At 800kg there was really no need to make it from carbon fiber. HS steel or alu would have done just as well. Audi A2 was 900kg, Golf 7 I believe started at 1050kg so 800kg in that small size should be very doable. As a pure electric I think it could have been a quite interesting car, especially if they had the foresight to make it brisk like Teslas which is free value in an EV because it's so easy. A 4 second car sells cars as Tesla showed. But of course VW was and still remain cliche corporate evil, it's funny they can't help themselves even though there is zero real advantage to them. Tesla exceeded the value of all other car companies combined which is more than a little profound. XL1 could have been beautiful.
Where did you get this one? an actual owner or on loan from the Wehrmacht museum?
let's be very clear, what critical differences were there between the state of the Nazi Germans and the British and American Empires that inspired it? It was the British Army that commissioned the rebuilding of the bombed Wolfsburg plant.
@@toyotaprius79 you mean because the british were so gracious as to help post war germany recover, that they were equally guilty? I hope the rhetorical question is amply clear.
Dan, I get the feeling your overly intense dislike of the company means you over egged your argument so much it undermined it completely. You'll be saying next Roswell did actually have aliens and was a government coverup ! Oh, you did ... snigger ...
"Nazi VW", "Cliche corporate evil", where do you get this rubbish from?
You wrote: "I don't recall it going into production as you say, that was for show as the price ensured". I can assure you it did go into production, otherwise I wouldn't own one now. When I phoned VW UK in 2014 to ask if it was going into production I was told that it was so I immediately ordered one, and it was delivered some months later. I have been driving it for 6 years now. I am nobody special, just a guy who called VW and ordered one of their cars!
So to me it is very much a 'production' car.
And if you will entertain some constructive criticism, rather than tired jeans and tired dad jacket, try clean colored 2 color contrast outfit, say black pants of a synthetic material for lasting sheen (for instance golf style pants) and a white shirt or polo with contrasting lines. Dressing well is quite easy and inexpensive. You want subscribers, you are in showbiz. Spare whatever tired well rehearsed indifference to style you may harbor. Just do it.
Golf slacks and a polo shirt. Jesus.
😂😂😂
If your worried about what people are wearing you’re on the wrong channel.
Excuse me, if you’re after best dress, might I suggest a channel promoting a Gala Ball rather than car reviews? Get a grip you utter wet wipe!
So constructive and entirely warranted. ;-)
Perhaps you can post some pictures of your own sartorial excellence, to help us see hight of the pedestal you are preaching from, and offer some editorial pointers to help poor Matt improve his journalism?