|
 I bought this car for work, but I
did have a hidden agenda: A tour around the
entire Europe one day.
To me, it was a no-brainer; I had to have a small car, doing great mileage, and
at the same time fitted for my long legs.
It
soon turned out, it was a one horse
race: VW's Lupo 3L was the only serious bid.
I have now had it for 10 years, and while
 it have been driven 400.000 km,
I have only tagged along for the last 170.000 km. It still do 33,5 km/l and feel
healthy.
 I can't help myself; I just have to make alterations to most of my belongings.
"Things have to fit me, not the other way around". That said, I do have to
restrict due to the strict Danish vehicle-rules and regulations.
The first alteration was the back-seat: I'm not going to act as a taxi anyway. A
plywood-plate, fitted with carpet, make a real spacious cargo-room.
The lack of spare-wheel worried me, and I shifted the battery to the room behind
the passenger's seat, and the  spare-wheel fitted perfect in the well.
I sew curtains to keep the light and noisy eyes out, and when I'm on tour, the
passenger's seat is removed to make room for two boxes and a plywood-board, which
align with the back. Now, I have a 210 x 80 centimetre bed.
As I'm working all evening (and part of the nights) on diary and photos on the computer,
the
airbag got lost, and the steering-wheel can be removed without tools, making
room for the computer.
Cooking is on a alcohol-burner on the "bed" - I only set
it on fire once...
I found, it earned the "GT"
sign
after 25 countries and two continents. I will call that "Grand Touring"!
Read
more about the tour on
Europe.
It was a great tour, except the de-tour  down an Albanian mountainside!
At present, I have been driving in 102 countries of the 128 I have visited around
the world, 42 in my own Lupo GT.
I should have brought it to Iceland, to hit the third continent!
SOME GENERAL FACTS.
|
Brand |
Volkswagen |
|
Model |
Lupo |
|
Generation |
Lupo (6X) |
|
Engine |
1.2 TDI 3L (61 Hp) |
|
Doors |
3 |
|
Power |
61 hp/4000 rpm. |
|
Maximum speed |
165 km/h |
|
Acceleration 0 - 100 km/h |
14 sec |
|
Fuel tank volume |
34 l |
|
Year of putting into production |
1999 year |
|
Year of stopping production |
2005 year |
|
Coupe type |
Hatchback |
|
Seats |
2 |
|
Length |
3529 mm. |
|
Width |
1620 mm. |
|
Height |
1470 mm. |
|
Wheelbase |
2319 mm. |
|
Front track |
1425 mm. |
|
Rear (Back) track |
1400 mm. |
|
Minimum volume of Luggage |
130 l |
|
Maximum volume of Luggage |
1630 l |
|
Position of engine |
Front, transversely |
|
Engine displacement |
1191 cm3 |
|
Torque |
140 Nm/1800 rpm. |
|
Fuel System |
Diesel Commonrail |
|
Turbine |
Turbocharging |
|
Valvetrain |
OHC |
|
Position of cylinders |
Inline |
|
Number of cylinders |
3 |
|
Bore |
76.5 mm. |
|
Stroke |
86.4 mm. |
|
Compression ratio |
19.5 |
|
Number of valves per cylinder |
2 |
|
Fuel Type |
Diesel |
|
Wheel Drive |
Front wheel drive |
|
Number of Gears (automatic) |
5 |
|
Front suspension |
Helical spring |
|
Rear suspension |
Trailing |
|
Front brakes |
Ventilated discs |
|
Rear brakes |
Drum |
|
ABS |
yes |
|
Steering type |
Steering rack |
|
Power steering |
Hydraulic Steering |
|
Minimum turning circle |
9.8 m |
|
Fuel consumption - urban |
3.7 l/100 km. |
|
Fuel consumption - extra urban |
2.7 l/100 km. |
|
Fuel consumption - combined |
3.0 l/100 km. |
|
Kerb Weight |
830 kg. |
|
Max. weight |
1190 kg. |
|
Tire size |
155/65R14 |
|
Wheel rims size |
4.5 J |
This is a 1243 HP "Lupo". Guess it is NOT a 3L.... |
