An affordable 4-seater with the potential to fill the European landscape with a future icon.
Wayne Gerdes -
CleanMPG - Sept. 25, 2011
The up! Not sure if it will be a sales success but it is a modern day and inexpensive provider of freedom to an all new generation of European drivers.
At this year’s Franfurt Auto Show, Volkswagen revealed the production version of its new small car: the up!. A four-seater, the new up! can be ordered for the unheard of low price of just $13,288 USD.
Consider the up! As a small B-segment automobile with some very efficient but what may be considered underpowered drivetrains for us here in the States. That would include two gasoline fueled engines with an output of 59 and 74 HP and a 67 HP natural gas powered variant.
Fuel economy of the 59 HP up! with VW’s acclaimed BlueMotion Technology including Stop/Start is said to be 56 mpgUS combined on the NEDC or about 46 mpgUS combined on our own 08 EPA. That's a bunch for a four seater without a diesel powertrain.
There are three trims for different budgets and needs:
- take up! is the entry-level version
- move up! is said to be a convenience-oriented model.
- high up! is the top of the line trim.
At launch, there will also be two upgraded models based on the high up!: the up! black and up! White with an entire family of up!’s planned for the future.
A new financing model called AutoCredit2 with highly flexible configuration options offers up! buyers greater flexibility including the ability to purchase their insurance at time of purchase.
While we have reported on the up! lineup a number of times over the past two years, seeing them on the turntable as a production ready unit on stage is a reason to cheer. Whether Europeans embrace the utility and capability of such a vehicle at a price that for Europe is almost shocking remains to be seen. That is shocking on the low side mind you
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