Although the sixth-generation Golf is still new to this world, Volkswagen's already toying with the idea of a fuel-thrifty variant.  Their latest concept, the Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion, seems just that: it's capable of delivering 74 mpg in European combined cycle testing.

That's an impressive figure, considering VW's implemented no futuristic technologies to achieve it.  Motive power for the Golf BlueMotion comes from a 105-hp, 1.6-liter turbo-diesel I-4, which is coupled to a five-speed manual transmission.

While the TDI range of diesels has always proven to be efficient, VW tweaked the Golf to improve fuel economy figures even further.  As a result, the Golf BlueMotion uses low rolling resistance tires, modified gear ratios in the transmission, and a host of aerodynamic changes (although we're hard pressed to find them).

Although we doubt it will reach production with these celebratory graphics, Volkswagen says it hopes to have the BlueMotion model on sale in Europe in the summer of 2009, approximately six months after the new Golf hits dealers across the continent.