Volkswagen's all-purpose racer

Economical and 'green' doesn't necessarily equate to boring and frumpy. Want proof? Check out Volkswagen's Tokyo show-starring Ecoracer -- billed as a 'coupe, roadster and speedster' in the one package.

The stunning concept is powered by a fuel-sipping 1.5-litre turbodiesel engine that cranks out 101kW at 4000rpm and 250Nm at 1900rpm. These figures in themselves aren't earth-shattering until you take into account the fact that the carbon-fibre-bodied EcoRacer tips the scales at a waif-like 850kg.

Result? A 0-100km/h dash in a claimed 6.3sec and a top whack of 230km/h. Genuine sporting performance, yet the EcoRacer consumes a miserly 3.4lt/100km, which means it can theoretically cover 1000km between refills.

Like its Golf stablemates, the fully driveable prototype uses a six-speed DSG, which provides sequential shift capability and eliminates the need for a clutch pedal.

The slinky two-seater is suspended by aluminium double wishbone front suspension and four-link set-up at the rear. It rides on 17-inch alloys shod with 175/55 R17 tyres at the front and 225/45 R17 tyres at the back.

EcoRacer's weight distribution is heavily rear-biased -- it's split 40/60 front/rear as a result of its mid-engined layout. Other interesting design elements include LED headlights and tail-lights that save weight and space. But even more innovative is the removable roof, windows and side panels that enable it to make the transition from coupe to roadster to speedster.