25 years ago, Volkswagen released this 3-liter diesel car; This was half that of the Polo TSI.
Volkswagen’s obsession with creating high-performance cars finds its maximum expression in the XL1, a futuristic front-to-back two-seater. A car that consumes less than a liter per 100 km thanks to its shape, low weight and plug-in hybrid system combining a 2-cylinder diesel engine with a 20 kW electric unit.
Long before the XL1 project, which was considered a failure due to high production costs and very low public acceptance, Volkswagen achieved success with the release of an ultra-efficient version of its beloved Lupo.
In 1999, the German brand launched the Lupo 3L on the street, a name that indicated the price of the car, which cost around 2,100,000 pesetas, that is, about 12,000 euros at the exchange rate. Yes, the Lupo 3L offered a consumption of 3 liters per hundred, although in fact the car was claimed to have 2.99 liters. A car that set an efficiency record in 2000 by traveling around the world in 80 days. During this time, he drove 33,333 kilometers across 5 continents, crossing 22 continents with an average consumption of 2.38 liters per 100 km. And how was such efficiency achieved?
VW Lupo 3L, lighter on wheels
To achieve these records, at least in theory, Volkswagen developed a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine with 61 hp. and 140 Nm of torque and a 5-speed automatic transmission with Start&Stop function. Another thing we worked hard on was reducing the car’s weight to 830 kilograms, which was achieved by eliminating certain car equipment that we consider basic today, such as air conditioning, power steering or power windows.
The car’s aerodynamics have also been studied in depth, with the aim of reducing the aerodynamic permeability coefficient from 0.32 for the standard Lupo to 0.28 for the 3L. This reduction of 0.03 tenths was achieved due to low rolling resistance tires (Bridgestone B381 were installed on them) and special bumpers.
How much does the VW Lupo 3L cost?
The Lupo 3L is currently 25 years old and does not have an eco-label, so it is not the best option for getting around major cities like Madrid, where it will unfortunately not be able to travel from January 1, 2025. However, on the used market its price is around 5,000 euros.
Volkswagen Lupo 3 L TDI 1999 – photo
The evolution of the Lupo has taken off!, the natural successor to the Seat Mii and Skoda Citigo, all of which were sold with only two engines based on the three-cylinder 1.0 TSI petrol engine (60 and 75 hp). There was even a 110 hp GTI variant produced, which arrived in Spain only in the Canary Islands under the guidance of a local importer.
Carlos is an expert automotive and automotive journalist who has been working in the media for over 16 years. He joined Car and Driver in 2007, where his primary focus is product testing, which he delivers to audiences through YouTube videos and extensive web and paper analysis of the latest news stories presented. As a car enthusiast, you can also read as he interviews various industry leaders, brings you the latest driving-related news, and reveals the most unexpected tidbits about leading brands.
His extensive career also includes work in other media such as El Mundo, Coche Actual and AutoScout24, and he made his first television appearance in the interview program “El Circulo Neox”, broadcast on the Atresmedia channel of the same name. Long before that, almost as a child, he was a reader of Car and Driver, when the title was directed by the Formula 1 driver Emilio de Villota, with whom he was lucky enough to work.
While at the Hearst España publishing group, Carlos wrote engine sections for magazines such as Qué Me Dices, Emprendores and deViajes, and now he does so every day for Car and Driver and occasionally for Esquire. If he’s not in the office, you’ll find him on a plane heading to any part of the world for the sole purpose of driving the latest thing on the market, whether it has batteries or not. Oh! And he is an ardent defender of the classics, although he no longer has his own Volkswagen Golf GTI mk3.
Through his work, he was lucky enough to race a Mercedes-AMG GT at Laguna Seca, and made his debut as a driver at the legendary Nordschleife in a BMW M2. He also visited exotic destinations such as the Dhofar Mountains in Oman, which he visited on board an Audi RS 3 Sedan; the spectacular Vancouver Island, which he toured in a Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo; and the beaches of Essaouira thanks to the wild Ford Ranger Raptor.