Futuristic Volkswagen XL1 Promises 260 MPG

There's a new contender in the super-sexy hybrid market, and it's by the same guys who made Herbie the Love Bug. No, we don't mean Disney.

Thanks to the Chevy Volt and the Tesla Model S, people no longer think of hybrids and electrics as those wussy pseudo cars that tree-huggers and hipsters drive. Volkswagen's about to join the fray, and may just give everyone else a run for their money in both looks and energy efficiency.

Volkswagen claims that the XL1 hybrid concept can go 260 miles on the gallon. One reason for the XL1's ridiculous mileage is carbon fiber, and lots of it. In fact, it's only second to the Bugatti Veyron in terms of carbon fiber content, and weighs in at a relatively light 795 kg.

The best thing about this concept car is that it's not meant to be just a showroom beast; Volkswagen means for the XL1 to go on a limited production in Germany, then a later release for the US market. No price has been discussed, but if you're a fan of German engineering and keeping the planet green, then this one is definitely one to look out for.

[source: Mashable]