Volkswagen Up! revealed

The Volkswagen Up! has certainly been a long time coming. It was first unveiled in concept form at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, and now four years later the same event will see the production version’s debut.

Volkswagen Up! (2012) Front
2012 Volkswagen Up! Scroll down for more images.

A few of the radical features that were seen on the concept have gone, most likely removed on the grounds of cost, practicality or consumer response. Foremost among these is the engine position, which has now shifted from the rear to a more conventional spot at the front. Also no longer present are the air-inflated seats that, with the exception of the driver’s, could all be folded and taken out of the original car.

In the transition to showroom model the length has grown from 3.45 to 3.54 metres, while the width is virtually unchanged at 1.64 metres. Those dimensions make the Up! shorter, lower and marginally narrower than the Fox, Volkswagen’s current city car offering. It’s still claimed to be a full four-seater though, and luggage space even with the rear seats up is an adequate 25 litres.

Like the Fox, the new arrival relies on three-cylinder petrol power, although the 1.0 litre engines in the Up! are considerably more efficient.

Available with either 59 bhp (44 kW / 60 PS) or 73 bhp (55 kW / 75 PS), Volkswagen is predicting fuel consumption figures of 67.2 mpg (4.2 l/100km) and 65.6 mpg (4.3 l/100km) respectively with its BlueMotion Technology stop-start system fitted. Both motors will emit less than 100 g/km of CO2.

Later additions to the line-up will be a 67 bhp (50 kW / 68 PS) natural gas-powered engine (although this is unlikely to make it to the UK), as well as an all-electric Up! that’s due in 2013.

The Up! gets its European launch this December, and prices and exact specifications are going to be finalised nearer the time.

For now, Volkswagen has confirmed that several trim grades will be available: Take Up!, Move Up!, High Up!, Throw Up! and Cock Up!

Okay, those last two are made up, but there definitely will be special Up! Black and Up! White variants based on the range-topping High Up!

Volkswagen Up! (2012) Dashboard 1Volkswagen Up! (2012) Front Side

Volkswagen Up! (2012) Rear Side 2Volkswagen Up! (2012) Dashboard 2

Volkswagen Up! (2012) InteriorVolkswagen Up! (2012) Rear Side 1

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