It’s called a Light Component Prototype because the goal was to make the car from components that were, well, light. Plastics, magnesium, and aluminum were used, selected for their light weight and recyclability, and carbon fiber was even used for the door frames, which was a huge deal back in 1983. The entire floorpan of the car was a single plastic piece, to which the rest of the body was attached.
The result of all these novel materials is that the car weighs under 1600 lbs!
The drivetrains were interesting, too; two options were developed, both three-cylinder turbodiesels: one 1.3-liter magnesium engine that made 50 horsepower, and a cast-iron 1.4-liter engine making 90 hp. Heat-insulated without a cooling jacket in the cylinder head and using the engine oil as coolant instead. It ran on any oil fuel, like rapeseed oil, which gave the car a nice smell of fish & chips when it drove past. All LCPs had front-wheel drive, and either a five-speed manual transmission or an electronically controlled CVT.
The combination of the light weight, CVT transmission (which Volvo got from their purchase of DAF), and efficient turbo diesel engines meant that the LCP2000 got 56 MPG city/81 highway, which is as good as a Prius in the city, and way the hell better on the highway.
Full story with pictures:
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