Volkswagen’s new Passat BlueMotion concept is the most efficient mid-sized sedan!

Volkswagen managed to turn quite a few heads at the ongoing Detroit Auto Show with the unveiling of one of its greenest sedans, the new Passat BlueMotion concept. Based on the production Passat, this one packs an extremely efficient powertrain beneath its hood, giving it the highest highway fuel economy rating of any non-hybrid mid-size sedan! The BlueMotion concept comes with Volkswagen’s 1.4-liter engine with direct injection and turbocharging with 150 horsepower and 184 lb-ft. of torque. That apart, the high efficiency engine also sports Active Cylinder Management (ACT) technology that intelligently deactivates the valvetrain on cylinders two and three when a driver applies a lighter throttle pressure.

The car comes with a stop/start system that automatically stops the engine when the car comes to a temporary stop, humming back to life as soon as the driver leaves the foot brake. With all of this, the car boasts a 42 mpg rating, making it extremely green, efficient and perhaps the future of eco-friendly automobiles!

[Via – Inhabitat]