Volkswagen L1 Concept

It’s as long as a Volkswagen Fox but only as tall as a Lamborghini Murcielago – say hello to the VW L1 Concept!

The two-seater is the star of the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, thanks to fuel economy of 189mpg and CO2 emissions of only 38g/km. Its 800cc two-cylinder TDI diesel engine produces up to 29bhp, but thanks to a kerbweight of only 380kg, the narrow commuter vehicle can still accelerate from 0-60mph in 14.3 seconds.

How has Volkswagen achieved such stunning figures? Well, the L1 features a hi-tech carbon fibre chassis that is both incredibly strong and light. The car's streamlined teardrop shape has also been honed in the wind tunnel, resulting in an incredibly low drag co-efficient of 0.19Cd. As a result, its tiny 10-litre fuel tank provides a range of 416 miles between refills.

Neat touches include an iPod-inspired touch-sensitive control to open its jet-fighter style canopy, while rear-view cameras are used in place of traditional door mirrors.

The L1 is an up-to-date reworking of VW's 1-litre car, which was unveiled in April 2002. Since then, production costs of the car’s carbon chassis have decreased, giving the tandem two-seater a genuine chance of reaching production.