Volkswagen's carbon-fiber, two-seater diesel L1 Concept is wowing crowds at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

But is it really a car? With the passenger sitting behind the driver, it looks more like a motorcycle with four wheels. Indeed, it makes the Smartcar look like a limousine.

Certainly its small proportions and lightweight - 840 pounds - combined with a small two-cylinder 0.8 liter turbocharged direct injection engine make it fuel efficient. And it's slouch. It can be run in eco mode at 7 horsepower or at sport mode at 29 horsepower which gets it up to 60 mph in about 14 seconds with a top speed of 99 mph, according to Britain's Daily Telegraph.

The practical applications for such a vehicle may be debatable but it sure shows where the future might be leading. Especially when one considers that VW is also showing off its new $1.6 million Lamborghini Reventon.