It came from outer space Wolfsburg

Parked on a suburban side road, David Power's Volkswagen XL1 looks as though it has just landed from outer space.

- V\JOHN EVANS

One of its two butterfly doors is open, attracting curious passers-by. “Everyone stops to look at it,” he says, clearly enjoying their delight. This miniature two-seat coupé (the occupants sit slightly offset) is a diesel-engined plug-in hybrid with a carbonfibre body, digital side 'mirrors' and a drag coefficient of just 0.186 – 2.5 times lower than a contemporary Volkswagen Golf. Its 800cc two-cylinder engine produces only 46bhp and its electric motor 26bhp, but it weighs a mere 795kg.