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Volkswagen's research team created a prototype vehicle called “FUTURA”. The power unit is a low-consumption, low-emission unthrottled petrol engine employing a high-pressure pump to inject petrol directly into the combustion chamber. At partial load, evaporation cooling additonally helps to reduce consumption because component and oil temperatures are regulated to suit engine output. This concept represents a solution to CO2 problems in spark igniton engines. At this stage, it is impossible to say whether this concept could be developed into a mass-production engine.

The VW Research Car Auto 2000 with the spark ignition (SI) engine is intended to achieve a high level of driving performance at low fuel consumption rates while simultaneously emitting the lowest possible levels of exhaust emissions and noise. This report contains the considerations that led to selection of a 1,06 liter engine with charging by a positive displacement charger. It gives the findings of preliminary studies of the combustion chamber, charging procedure, knock limit control, and low idle-speed level. The vehicle achieved a top speed of 186 km/h, acceleration from stand still to 100 km/h in 11.7 seconds, and a fuel efficiency of 16.9 km per liter with the selected engine and a four-speed automatic transmission. At the same time, the present European limits for exhaust emission and noise regulations were fullfilled.