Volkswagen's Forgotten Miata Fighter

The BlueSport had a projected curb weight of about 2,640 pounds, a bit heavier than the Miata but still rather light on its feet. One might expect an open-top concept car to use a heavy, cumbersome top. Instead, it used a no-frills, manually-operated one. The entire assembly weighed just 59 pounds. Volkswagen even said that it could be used from the driver’s seat. Engineers made ample use of the automaker’s extensive parts bin. Steering and front suspension components came from the Polo. The rear suspension and instrument cluster, meanwhile, came from the Golf.

The name BlueSport is derived from BlueMotion, Volkswagen’s term for cars that emphasized fuel economy and low pollution. Both of these were major focuses for the roadster. Its engine, for instance, was a mid-mounted 2L turbodiesel that made 180 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Volkswagen said that it emitted 113 g/km of CO2 (allegedly) while returning 55 miles per gallon combined. The BlueSport also used start/stop technology and braking regeneration.

The company said that the BlueSport was a design study that was not intended for production. It received such a positive reception at the show that it began to reconsider. Most automakers would have followed a debut like that up with radio silence. Volkswagen capitalized on the press by inviting journalists to test drive the car in June.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 INTRO
0:30 BLUESPORT OVERVIEW
3:15 REVIEWS
5:53 PRODUCTION HOPES
8:14 DOWNTURN AND CANCELLATION