The original bad news came from VW's communications manager Christian Haacke at the launch of the new 2010 Polo. "The state we are at right now regarding Concept Bluesport is we are carefully calculating how to earn money with a niche car,' said Haacke. "It is a niche product and especially in crisis times like this it will be a challenge to come up with a volume we could require to earn money with it."
While this appears disastrous for fans, VW has once again hinted at the roadster’s production at an exclusive public outing for the concept. Speaking with Auto Motor und Sport, Mario Fabiano, the concept’s project leader, said that a new mid-engine platform designed for the Bluesport could allow a production version to come to market with a price tag around the $30,000 mark.
The Bluesport concept was not just a sporty two-seater - it had real eco-cred as well. Powered by a 2.0L four-pot turbodiesel, it cranked out 180hp (134kW) and a doubtless grin-inducing 260lb-ft (352Nm) of torque, nipping to 60mph in 6.2 seconds, all while managing 35mpg in the combined cycle. A production version could also feature the 265hp (198kW) 2.0L petrol engine destined for the Scirocco R, revealed Fabiano.
To keep costs down, VW would share parts with a number of its other models. Take the concept for example, the brakes come from the Golf R32, the electromechanical steering system from the Polo and the suspension and 4Motion AWD system is a mix of both Polo and Golf components.
Its current estimated release date is 2012.
