Volkswagen execs hint at production possibility for Bluesport concept

Volkswagen has made no secret of its desire to revive the compact roadster market with numerous concept cars over the last decade. The most recent of these was the Bluesport roadster that was unveiled this week at the Detroit Auto Show. The latest design takes the compact roadster concept to a new level, with almost production-ready specs and a real possibility of getting the green light for global sales.

One VW exec, Ulrich Hackenberg, even went so far as to suggest that the concept vehicle could reach the production stage. Speaking with Auto Motor und Sport, Hackenberg said that if given the green light production could start around 2014. He also revealed that the new model would be priced between €22,000 and €24,500 depending on which engine option was selected.

Similar in size to cars like the Mazda MX-5 and the Pontiac Solstice, the VW concept is unique in that it is powered by a highly efficient turbodiesel engine. However, Hackenberg revealed that a number of engine options would be possible for the roadster, including VW’s award-winning TSI range of petrol engines.

Hackenberg wasn’t the only VW member to hint at the production possibility of the Bluesport. The company’s engineering chief Thomas Inglenath said that it could hit showrooms as early as 2012, and that its running gear was based on a brand new design called the front-engined MQB platform.

This platform is likely to be used for another roadster from Audi, the long-rumored R4.