in MOTORING Released next January, the ‘up!’ will be priced from £8,000 for the entry level model rising to £12,000 for one with all the goodies.
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hen Volkswagen first announced the ‘up!’ concept, talk was of a rear-wheel drive supermini with a small capacity engine mounted under the rear seats - a master of packaging that could find space in even the smallest, erm... space. But, alas, this was only a concept and as is often the way with these things, the ‘up!’ which will be making it into production is a far more conventional front-engined frontwheel drive package. In fact, its transverse layout was first seen in the Austin Mini. Like the original Mini, the ‘up!’ will be one of the smallest cars on the market, 58 in MAGAZINE
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RMINI S THE SUPE
with a stubby nose and chopped off rear-end, shepherding it round city streets should be a doddle. Its wheel-ateach-corner cutesy looks lend the ‘up!’ a certain cheeky charm, which is no doubt enhanced by the VW badge displayed proudly on the grille, and the perceived quality this brings. The ‘up!’ shuns the popular move towards retro styling opting to follow Volkswagen’s penchant for solidity, which is aided by confident crease lines, while the smiley face at the front and smoked glass at the rear, aid the modern, cheeky theme.
that of any other Volkswagen model. So, you can expect a functional dashboard layout with quality feel soft-touch plastics and a logical layout, though large splashes of coloured gloss will mark this as a car aimed at the younger market. The ‘up!’ will also come with an info-pod which can mate with your mobile phone to provide entertainment and navigation, and is detachable. Available for around £350, the info-pod will also double as speedometer and provide useful eco-driving tips. The ‘up!’ will also come with big car features like Urban Safety, which brakes the car to a stop to prevent low-speed collisions of less than 20mph, available for £180.
The inside mirrors the packaging outside; its relatively long wheelbase means the ‘up!’ will feel a lot more spacious than other cars of a similar size. The design of the ‘up!’ follows
AT LAUNCH THE ‘UP!’ WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THREE TRIM LEVELS; TAKE UP, MOVE UP AND TOP SPEC’ HIGH UP. Words by Russell Campbell