One of the most memorable movies quotes of all time is from the 1994 comedy-drama Forrest Gump, in which Tom Hanks’ character said: “Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get”. Fast-forward to today, and eBay seems to be the proverbial box of chocolates with some truly sweet surprises, like this VW Beetle-based 1973 Air Force project car, named Talon.

According to plaques bolted to the dashboard and driver door, the fiberglass Talon was built by cadets at the United States Air Force Academy over a 5-month period, between January and June 1973. Other than that, there’s no information about the purpose of this car and the seller got nowhere after an investigation of his own. He claims to have called an aviation museum, researched the names of the cadets on Facebook and posted pictures on multiple Volkswagen websites, but to no avail.

The Talon was once motivated by a variant of the Beetle’s flat-four gasoline engine (the owner doesn’t know which one exactly), mated to a manual gearbox. Currently, the powerplant doesn’t run and, judging by the pictures, the chassis is also in a pretty poor condition. Luckily, the fiberglass body aged well and the potential buyer will surely find enough Beetle parts to be able to restore this oddball creation.

The current bid at eBay stands at just US $1,300, making the Talon an offer worth considering. We know it’s a long-shot, but if anyone can offer us some information on this seemingly one-off project car, we would be much obliged.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: eBay

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The Volkswagen Group's Qatar Motor Show rollout continues in full force today, as the German automaker lifted the veil off two all-new SUV concept cars bearing the Touareg nameplate. The Race Touareg 3 Qatar is a street legal version of the racecar that took part in this year’s Dakar competition, while the Touareg Gold Edition is a one-of-kind special decorated with 24-carat gold parts.

So, different cars for different needs, although we’re pretty sure that there are plenty of thrill seeking sheiks with a gold fetish out there interested in buying both, should the concepts ever make it into series production.

Powered by an unspecified 310HP engine, the Race Touareg 3 is a no compromise beast capable to sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than six seconds, built with know-how acquired in one of the toughest rally races in the world.

To make it road legal, Volkswagen slightly modified the 2-meter wide body and replaced the competition model’s 16-inch wheels with more appealing 18-inch BBS alloys painted in gold. The same color is found on the “Race Touareg” inscription on the vehicle’s sides, while VW claims that the “Morning Magic” white paintjob also has a slight gold shimmer to it.

Inside, the only thing left untouched from the racecar is the safety cage. Everything else was completely redesigned, as the Germans were striving to create a so-called “stealth look”. True to its driving machine designation, the Race Touareg 3 comes with Recaro bucket seats, sporty steering wheel, digital instrument panel and a sequential gearbox. Many of these elements are dressed in high quality materials, such as carbon fiber and Nappa leather.

While the Race Touareg is all about performance, the 360HP Golden Edition redefines bling with its gold-plated 22-inch wheels, roof rails, protective guard strips, window frames, mirror caps, boot sill trim and parts of the fascia. The finishing touches are represented by the same “Magic Morning” body color and “Touareg V8” inscription.

The interior is an ode to opulence with most of the dials, switches and other elements receiving the 24-carat gold treatment, complemented by Walnut Burr accents and exquisite leather. The seats are wrapped in cream Nappa leather with ornamental stitching, while the dashboard is trimmed in contrasting, natural brown leather.

By Csaba Daradics

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At this week's Qatar Motor Show, which runs from January 26 to 29, Volkswagen will unveil the third and latest iteration of its two-seater diesel-electric hybrid concept series, the new XL1 Super Efficient Vehicle (SEV). The first two vehicles of the series were the 1-litre concept car unveiled back in April 2002 and the L1 study from the 2009 Frankfurt motor show.

With the new and evolved concept model, VW has managed to further improve the car's fuel economy to a staggering 0.9 lt/100 km, equal to 261 mpg US and 313 mpg UK while emitting a mere 24 g/km of CO2.

Technical advances aside, the major difference between the XL1 and its predecessors is VW's more conventional approach with the automaker dropping the narrow packaging and tandem seating of the L1 in favor of a much better looking and practical design with the driver and passenger placed next to each.

The XL1 is motivated by a small 800 cc TDI two-cylinder common rail diesel engine developing 48-horsepower. It’s linked to an electric motor producing an additional 27HP, resulting in a combined output of 75HP.

That might not sound impressive, but keep in mind that the XL1 tips the scales at just 795 kg or 1,752 pounds, thanks to the extensive use of lightweight materials throughout including Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer parts for the body, magnesium for the wheels, ceramics for the brake discs and aluminium for dampers, steering system and brake calipers.

The car is equipped with a seven-speed DSG gearbox with an automatic clutch mounted between the diesel engine and eclectic motor. VW says the electric motor can either work independently of the TDI engine or in tandem when accelerating. In pure electric mode the XL1 can reach speed of up to 35 km [22 mph] before the diesel engine cuts in. Accelerating from rest to 100km/h [62 mph] comes in 11.9 seconds, while the electronically limited top speed is 160 km/h [99 mph].

The styling of the XL1 is borne out of functional requirements – easy access to the interior is granted via a pair of elegant scissor doors that hinge on the A-pillar while the profile of the car has been honed in the wind tunnel, the result being a remarkable coefficient of drag figure of 0.186.

The XL1’s overall length (3,970 mm) and width (1,682 mm) are similar to those of a Volkswagen Polo, but its height, at just 1,184 mm, is more akin to that of a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder. Other notable highlights include the scissor-style doors that hinge on the A-pillar and the impressive coefficient of drag figure of 0.186.

Volkswagen said it does not have any plans to put the XL1 into production, but added that many of the concept's features including the powertrain and lightweight materials may find their way into the firm's next generation of eco-friendly vehicles.

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