The Volkswagen Concept BlueSport is a mid-engined roadster concept car presented at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It combined a 2.0-litre TDI diesel of around 180 hp with a six-speed DSG gearbox in a small two-seat body, and Volkswagen quoted 0 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds and a top speed of 225 km/h. A production car was studied but never appeared.
Volkswagen BlueSport at a glance
| Maker | Volkswagen |
|---|---|
| Shown | 2009 North American International Auto Show, Detroit |
| Layout | mid-engined, rear-wheel drive, two-seat roadster |
| Engine | 2.0-litre TDI four, about 180 hp (134 kW), 353 N·m |
| Gearbox | six-speed DSG |
| 0–60 mph | 6.2 s |
| Top speed | 225 km/h (140 mph) |
| Platform studied | Mimo (Mittelmotor) or 9X1, to be shared with Audi and Porsche |
| Earlier roadster concept | Volkswagen Concept R, 2003 |
| Production | none built |
Written from the English Wikipedia article on the Concept BlueSport; the car remained a concept and no production version exists.
History of the Volkswagen BlueSport
The Concept BlueSport followed an earlier roadster study, the Volkswagen Concept R shown at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show, and moved the idea from a front-engined car to a mid-engined one. Its 2.0-litre four-cylinder TDI produced around 180 hp (134 kW) and 353 N·m, and with a six-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox Volkswagen estimated 0 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds and 140 mph (225 km/h). The point of the concept was to show that a quick open car could also be economical, since a diesel of that size used far less fuel than the petrol engines usual in small roadsters.
Reports at the time said a production BlueSport was under development on a platform codenamed Mimo, for Mittelmotor, or 9X1, which was to be shared between Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche. The Audi version was linked to the Audi e-tron Detroit concept car and to the names Audi R4 or R5. A Porsche variant was speculated as a spiritual successor to the Porsche 356 roadster, positioned below the Boxster as the company’s entry model.
None of these cars reached production, and no Concept BlueSport was ever built or sold. The idea of a small, affordable mid-engined Volkswagen remained a show-car exercise, while the roadster role in the range stayed with the front-wheel-drive cars and the Golf-based cabriolets.
Design and features
- Mid-engined layout: the engine sat behind the seats for balance, unlike the front-engined Concept R of 2003.
- Diesel performance: a 2.0 TDI of about 180 hp and 353 N·m.
- DSG gearbox: a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.
- Frugal idea: roadster pace with diesel economy.
- Group platform: the Mimo or 9X1 platform was intended for Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche.
Volkswagen BlueSport versions
- Concept R (2003): the earlier front-engined roadster study.
- Concept BlueSport (2009): the mid-engined diesel roadster shown in Detroit.
- Planned Audi R4 or R5: a related Audi version that was never built.
- Speculated Porsche: a possible entry model below the Boxster.
The BlueSport was a show car rather than a production model; the sporting side of the range was carried by the Scirocco and the Golf. More cars are in the Volkswagen collection.
Video: Fifth Gear Web TV Edition 5 – Volkswagen BlueSport
Video by Fifth Gear on YouTube.
Sources
- Volkswagen Concept BlueSport, English Wikipedia: show debut, engine, performance, planned production
