Volkswagen still considering small roadster

Despite the on-again, off-again rumors surrounding a small Volkswagen roadster, it would appear that a small droptop two-seater is still on track. CarScoops, citing a report in Germany's Auto Motor und Sport magazine, states that there are many people within Volkswagen who still believe that this sort of vehicle would be good for the brand.

"I'm not the only one in our company who is convinced that a small roadster wouldn't be the worst thing for Volkswagen," the automaker's design chief, Walter de Silva, told AMS, according to CarScoops. "This is a vehicle that we particularly like, and we always have in mind."

Volkswagen showed the BlueSport concept (pictured above) at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show, but the project was quickly put on hold, with earlier reports stating that there simply wasn't a business case for the car. Those reports were contradicted early last year, and it's good to hear that spokespeople within the company are still looking to move forward with the project.

The BlueSport concept debuted with a 2.0-liter turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine, good for 177 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. According to Volkswagen, the BlueSport would hit 62 miles per hour in 6.6 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 140 mph, and able to hit fuel economy numbers as high as 54.7 miles per gallon. Of course, a small turbocharged gasoline engine could also work in this application, andCarScoops states that this sort of vehicle could also find homes within the Audi and Porsche brands, as well.

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