Volkswagen used the Detroit Motor Show to unveil a hybrid version of its mid-sized Jetta sedan, which combines a compact four-cylinder petrol engine with a front-mounted electric motor to dramatically reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
Sitting alongside the Volkswagen E-Bugster electric car concept at the Detroit show, the Jetta Hybrid is destined to become Volkswagen's second production hybrid, after the Touareg Hybrid, and makes use of a 1.1kWh lithium-ion battery.
However, the hybrid car is not on Volkswagen Australia's "must have" list, according to VW Australia's Press and PR General Manager, Karl Gehling, who told motoring.com.au there were "...no plans to bring it to Australia".
Gehling explained the car was designed for US buyers, who haven't embraced diesel passenger cars as much as those in Australia. "The hybrid doesn't fit our market when we can offer an economical diesel at a more competitive price," he said.
The same reasoning has prevented the Touareg Hybrid from coming to Australia.
Fuel consumption for the Jetta Hybrd is rated at 5.2L/100km, which compares well with Volkswagen's most frugal diesel offering available in Australia, the 103 TDI model, which drinks around 5.5L/100km.
The Jetta Hybrid is based on the regular sedan, augmented with a 20kW electric motor. Combined with a 110kW/250Nm 1.4-litre TSI turbo petrol engine, total output for the car is 127kW.
Drive is sent to the front wheels via a seven-speed DSG and the car can accelerate to 100km/h from rest in under 9.0 seconds.
Like some of its hybrid brethren, the green Volkswagen sedan can drive on pure electricity at speeds of up to 70km/h for a distance of around 2km. The driver just punches the E-mode button and away it goes.
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