2012 Volkswagen Up!: Frankfurt Motor Show Preview

Volkswagen has officially unveiled the new Up! city car ahead of car’s planned debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

The Volkswagen Up! is set to make its public premiere at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show on September 13th and will first be launched in the European market in December.

The Up!, which will be built in Bratislava, Slovakia, where VW also makes bodies for Porsche Cayenne SUV, is 3.54 meters (11.6 feet) long and 1.64 meters wide, marginally bigger than the Toyota Aygo which measures 3.42 meters and 1.62 meters.

There are 3 versions for different budgets and needs: Take Up! is the entry-level car, Move Up! the comfort-oriented one and High Up! the top version. Directly at the car’s market launch, there will also be 2 independent models based on the High Up!: the Up! black and the Up! white.

Power will come from a new generation 1.0-liter, TSI three-cylinder gasoline engine with 44 kW / 59 hp on base models and 55 kW / 74 hp on upgraded models.

Combined fuel consumption as a BlueMotion Technology version (including a Stop/Start system) for the base model is 4.2 l/100 km (56 mpg US) and 4.3 l/100 km (54.6 mpg US) on the combined European consumption cycle.

Both of these 1.0-liter engines emit less than the 100 g/km CO2 limit. A natural gas engine with 50 kW / 68 hp with the same basic configuration will follow. Its combined fuel consumption of 3.2 kg/100 km (natural gas) is equivalent to a CO2 value of 86 g/km; as a BlueMotionTechnology version the natural-gas powered up! even attains a low CO2 value of 79 g/km. There are also definite plans for an up! with an electric drive for the year 2013.

The 2012 Volkswagen Up! can be furnished with an emergency-brake function to avoid collisions at speeds of less than 30 kilometers per hour (18 mph).

Space utilization in the car is exceptionally good, because of its wheelbase – one of the longest in the segment – combined with an engine that is mounted well forward. Although the driver, front passenger and 2 rear passengers are traveling in a small car, it is by no means a cramped vehicle. On the contrary. Consider the boot: 251 liters are significantly more than is typical in the vehicle class of the up! When the rear seat is fully folded, cargo space even increases to 951 liters.

Essentially, the up! interior has a very clean and well-organised layout. The new Volkswagen also offers numerous clever and detailed solutions, fun styling and a level of quality that will enhance the market segment. Especially high-end is the Dash Pad, an instrument pad extending crosswise in front of the driver and front passenger. Depending on the equipment line, either decor paint or one of the 5 body colors is used in the interior.

Volkswagen introduced the Up! minicar at the 2007 IAA International Motor Show in Frankfurt last with the two-door Up!.

Six weeks later, the larger Space Up! microvan made its debut in 2007 Tokyo Auto Show.

Twenty days later and 9,000 air kilometers further eastwards, in Los Angeles was presented with the third variant of the New Small Family – the zero-emission Space Up! Blue van.

At the 2007 Bologna Motor Show, Volkswagen introduced all three variants of its "New Small Family" Up! concept vehicles side by side for the first time.

Volkswagen has also confirmed plans for a plug-in electric version of the Up!, as previewed at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show by the Up! E-Motion concept.

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