Ducati Power for VW’s XL1 Two-Seater

Volkswagen AG is moving forward with a plan to put a Ducati motorcycle twin engine in its ultra-lightweight XL1 two-seater to create a fuel-efficient sports car.

VW's head of R&D, Hans-Jakob Neusser, tells Autocar that engineering, development and testing of the Ducati-engined XL1 is well underway. VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech revealed plans for the car in September.

Called the XLR, the little coupe would use a 1.2-liter, 187-hp engine from a Ducati 1199 Panigale superbike in place of the XL1's 0.8-liter, 74-hp turbodiesel-electric powertrain.

VW, which acquired Ducati last year, estimates the extra power would enable the 1,750-lb XL1 Sport to sprint from zero to 62 mph in 4 seconds, compared to 11.9 seconds for the original model.

The standard XL1 began production this year in Osnabruck, Germany, with 250 of the $143,000 cars scheduled for delivery by spring 2014.

Neusser declined to confirm when the XLR would be revealed. But unnamed VW sources tell Autocar the new car could debut at the 2014 Geneva auto show and go into limited production soon thereafter.