Here"s proof that VW...

Here"s proof that VW has seen the Lite! Youò€™re looking at the worldò€™s most fuel-efficient four-seater ò€“ a forward-thinking concept as revolutionary as the original Beetle. Called the Up! Lite because of its amazingly low kerbweight, it wowed visitors at this weekò€™s LA Motor Show.

The Lite is the latest member of VWò€™s super-efficient Up! city car family, due to debut here in 2012. It returns an astonishing 115mpg and emits only 65g/km of CO2. Thatò€™s because it weighs a mere 695kg ò€“ as the body is made from a combination of aluminium, steel and carbon fibre ò€“ and uses a breakthrough diesel-electric powertrain.

The newly developed 50bhp 800cc TDI is the same unit as used to power the ultra-frugal L1 concept seen at Septemberò€™s Frankfurt Motor Show. It works with a 13bhp electric motor to propel the car forward using as little fuel as possible.

During full-throttle inputs, the engine and motor work in unison, while under braking the latter operates in reverse, charging the lithium-ion battery pack. Over short distances and at low speeds, a full-electric zero-emissions mode is possible ò€“ earning the Up! Lite its right to be called a full hybrid.

A stop-start system shuts off the engine when the car is at a standstill, but also when itò€™s coasting, with the seven-speed DSG box in neutral. Despite a total output of only 63bhp, the Up! Lite delivers decent pace: 0-60mph in exactly 12 seconds and a top speed of 100mph.

From the outside, itò€™s easy to see that some of the design cues from the L1 concept have been carried over ò€“ just look at the Up! Liteò€™s pinched shoulders and extended roofline. At the front, the familiar Up! face has been modified with new lights and tweaked bumpers.

At 3.84 metres long ò€“ only 13cm shorter than the latest Polo ò€“ the newcomer is lower and longer than the E-Up! concept also displayed at Frankfurt. The changes in dimensions are designed to improve the aerodynamics, giving the car a super-slippery drag coefficient of 0.237 ò€“ significantly lower than that of a Toyota iQ or a Fiat 500.

Also, the radiator grille opens and closes automatically, to meet the engineò€™s cooling needs. Other clever features include the ò€˜passive park ventilationò€™ system, which

forces hot air out of the car when itò€™s parked up during the summer months.

Cameras are used in place of rear view and wing mirrors, and a central touchscreen controls the on-board Internet, phone, MP3 player and radio.