Maybe it’s a lesson that everyone can buy in to: if you reduce your weight, you’ll consume less. (This obviously works the other way around.) Perhaps the new Volkswagen Golf (and VW’s new fleet) will serve as inspiration beyond simply improving gas mileage to other areas of everyday life, too (like eating less).

The weight improvements announced by Volkswagen are impressive and useful; the company has lopped 220 pounds off the frame of its forthcoming seventh-generation Golf. Use of stronger steel has minimized metal content, leading to a 23% drop in fuel consumption. These improvements will be shared across 40 additional small and mid-size models, helping reduce production costs and manufacturing time.

That means customers will likely see lower prices for base models of Volkswagens (the money the company saves will be used to upgrade in-car entertainment and help fund new vehicle development). U.S. customers will have to wait for these lightweight Golfs until 2014, though, as VW plans to continue selling the sixth-generation Golf through next year here in the States. When you’re ready to buy one in the States, check out VW of Santa Monica.

All told, the Golf will be lighter, more fuel-efficient, and will churn out 13.9% less CO2 per car.

(Why haven’t car companies figured out the benefits of lighter cars earlier? The new Audi A3 is 176 pounds lighter, and Peugot’s compact car weighs 220 pounds less than the previous iteration. We’re only doing this now?)

All these extras will only help increase Golf sales in Europe, where 493,855 were purchased in 2011, making it the best-selling car in the region.

A lighter society is a happier society!