VW reveals first details of new luxury model

17 October 2001: Volkswagen has released the first official pictures of the production D1 Project luxury car.

The saloon’s appearance includes arrow-shaped contours of the bonnet, a low-swept chrome grille and large headlights. The rear has LED tail-light clusters. The car is more than five metres (5055 mm) long and almost two metres (1903 mm) wide,

A total of five engines will eventually be available in the D1, including the world’s most powerful passenger car diesel unit, a refined 5.0-litre V10 TDI, producing 313 bhp and maximum torque of 750 Nm. A completely new six speed automatic gearbox will be introduced with this power unit.

At launch, two petrol engines will be available: a 3.2-litre 241 bhp V6 and a 6.0-litre 420 bhp W12. Both are characterised by their outstanding torque curves and outputs, with the 3.2-litre producing 315 Nm and the 6.0-litre a massive 550 Nm.

All versions of the new saloon will feature 4-system pneumatic suspension with stepless, mapped electronic damper regulation. Combined with this, 4MOTION four-wheel drive will be available on some models.

The doors, boot lid, and bonnet of D1 will be made from aluminium.

The car's 4-Corner Climatronic draught-free system supplies indirect flows of air to defined zones of the interior via automatically opening and closing vents to give the desired temperature.

The final name of the Volkswagen's new luxury class car will be announced at the opening ceremony of the Transparent Factory in Dresden towards the end of this year.

Project D1 will be on display at the Geneva Motor Show in spring 2002, and sales are forecast to begin in the later part of that year.