Volkswagen Golf

Buy blue, get green. That’s the message from Volkswagen, which will unveil a hi-tech Golf BlueMotion at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show that can return an impressive 62.8mpg and cover 750 miles between fill-ups! It also pumps out only 119g/km of CO2, so would be exempt from congestion charging schemes under new proposals we revealed in Issue 974.

The eco-friendly Golf – which uses technology already seen in the Polo and Passat – goes on sale in the UK in spring, powered by a 1.9-litre turbodiesel engine developing 103bhp and 250Nm of torque.

Modifications include the addition of a particulate filter, while the ECU has been remapped to reduce the engine’s idle speed. There are longer third, fourth and fifth gear ratios and the overall average revs are down, too. The chassis is slightly lower, and the front end has been restyled for better aerodynamics.

Inside, a gear recommendation indicator shows when to shift for optimum economy, while higher-pressure tyres produce low rolling resistance. The result is 62.8mpg fuel returns – compared with the standard car’s 55mpg – and a 12 per cent decrease in CO2 emissions. Prices have yet to be confirmed.