Volkswagen is launching a small car that is full of charisma with great potential to become the leader of A00 segment. The award winning up! will be introduced below Volkswagen Polo Vivo and Polo, which have been the top two best-selling passenger models in South Africa since 2010.
With its pure design, maximum space on a minimal footprint, quality and attention to detail as well as affordable innovations it embodies the core values of the Volkswagen brand.
At 3,540 mm in length, 1,641 mm in width and 1,489 mm in height, the up! is one of the smallest four-seater cars on the market. Its overall length consists of short body overhangs and a long wheelbase of 2,420 mm. Thanks to these dimensions the turning circle of the up! is an unusually compact 9.8 metres.
Use of space inside the car is exceptionally good, with space for four adults. This is due to the wheelbase, which is one of the longest in the segment, combined with an engine that is mounted well forward. The 251-litre boot is also significantly larger than is typical in this class. When the rear seat is fully folded, cargo space increases to 951 litres.
Powering the up! is a new generation of three-cylinder petrol engine with outputs of 55 kW. Combined fuel consumption is 4.7 l/100km with CO2 emissions of 108 g/km.
Two derivatives are available: Take up! and Move up!. Both are competitively priced and offer a high level of standard equipment. A raft of safety features including ABS and four airbags are available as standard features.
Viewed from the front, the up! appears to smile, due to the prominent lines of the bumper. And it is intentionally smiling, according to de Silva, having been designed to incorporate the elements of both ‘simplicity and sympathy’. He explains: ‘Sympathy is part of the up! concept. It combines the friendliness of the Beetle with the rational perfection of the Golf.’
Integrated in its friendly face is the Volkswagen logo, the only chrome element at the front end. The up! can make do without large air cooling intakes due to its small petrol and natural gas engines and electric motor that will follow later. The headlights are significantly smaller than those of other Volkswagens, yet they are visually very prominent.
In side profile, the significant flares of surfaces and alternation of convex and concave forms define the car’s styling. A slight concave groove above the side sill creates an accent in the continuous surface, but the side profile does not show any seams or edges except for the wheel housings and the look of the side windows. The wheel housings are prominent and their lateral surfaces – the so-called wheel mirrors – are very large, making the diameters of the small wheels (14 to 15 inch) appear even larger.
The design of the windows gives the up! an unmistakable look as well. A short angle in front creates a formal connection between the lower-lying window edge and the bonnet. A long ascending line in the rear third of the vehicle matches that formed by the rear wheel and the C-pillar. This interplay of lines reinforces the image of the C-pillar being supported by the rear wheel, a characteristic which – in interaction with the long wheelbase and short overhangs – underscores the crisp proportions of the up!. Over the short, steeply-rising bonnet, there is another line that leads over the windscreen and roof to the rear. There, the car’s silhouette first follows the side windows then finishes in a near vertical curve down to the bumper.
The up! has a large bootlid, which extends right down to the bumper. This so-called hybrid bootlid consists of three basic layers. Its outer skin consists of a transparent glass element. The bootlid forms an integral unit with the vertically oriented rear lights. In detail, the bootlid is constructed of a load-bearing framework upon which a second sheet-metal layer is laser-welded in place with the integrated trailing edge of the roof. The outer third layer of the bootlid is the glass element that is joined by adhesive. It extends down from the trailing edge of the roof over the entire bootlid and incorporates the rear window as well as the lower area of the lid. The border around the rear window and the lower section are coated in black from the inside. Forming a contrast to the black are the chrome surfaces of the Volkswagen logo and the up! badge. The bootlid is opened by pressing a button in the handle beneath the Volkswagen logo.
Although they look like a part of the bootlid, the large tail-lights of the up! are actually joined to the body. Their red surfaces are very distinctive, especially in their interplay with the white C-shaped elements. The lower third of the rear section is dominated by the bumper with its wide licence-plate panel and surrounding seam. The front and rear bumpers are painted in body colour as standard.
With a Cd value of 0.32, the Volkswagen up! achieves exemplary aerodynamic performance for its class, and this results in improved refinement thanks to reduced wind noise as well as lower fuel consumption.
One only has to sit inside the up! for a short time to realise that use of space is exceptionally good, and this is because of its wheelbase – one of the longest in the segment – together with a compact engine mounted well forward and a new running gear design. Although the up! is a small car, for its driver and three passengers it is by no means cramped.
Its modular seats offer very good driving comfort. The head restraints for the driver and front passenger are firmly attached to the seats, meaning that, regardless of a person’s stature, they always fit properly. In the rear, fixed head restraints are less desirable, because they could restrict rear visibility.
The up! design team placed great emphasis on good ergonomics. The up!,’really is perceptibly more comfortable, because its occupants do not sit too low, and it offers ample leg support and knee room. Detailed refinements characterise the entire interior.
The car’s headroom in front is an impressive 993 mm, and 947 mm in the rear. The seats are positioned at a good height both front and back; for the driver and front passenger, the so-called H-point – the vertex where the seat and seatback meet – is at a height of 306 mm; in the rear the H-point is at 378 mm. This somewhat higher seating position for rear passengers affords them a better view over the shoulders of the driver and front passenger.
Controls for the air conditioning system, radio-CD system (optional in Take up!), hazard indicator lights, seat heating (only available as an option in Move up!) and rear window defrost are all located in the central dashboard module between the driver and front passenger. The entire unit is located up high – so that it is easy to see and use – and it is painted in gloss black.
The interior of the up! is not only designed to be functional, stylish and simple, it is also intended to offer fun and a high level of quality.
At 251 litres, the boot has one of the best values in the segment for cargo capacity. When the seatback of the rear bench is completely folded down, the up! can handle 951 litres of cargo and on a nearly flat cargo surface. The boot itself is upholstered with carpet, and so is the cargo area cover, which opens wide and can be quickly removed if necessary. When the rear bench seat is folded down, the upper cargo floor position creates a nearly level cargo surface, and small objects can also be stowed beneath the cargo floor in this position. The lower cargo floor position is used if especially large and bulky objects need to be stowed in the boot.
The up! Is powered by one-litre three-cylinder, 12-valve petrol engine. This 999 cm3 engine has a power output of 55 kW and fulfils the Euro 4 emissions standard. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.
The up! is front engined and front-wheel drive. It uses a running gear which was specially designed for it. Its very short overhangs on the front and rear axles as well as a long wheelbase and stiff body structure form the basis for good vehicle dynamics and chassis set-up.
The up! is available in two trim levels: Take up! and Move up!
The up! can be customised with a number of factory fitted optional features such as 15-inch Waffle alloy wheels, Sound “Plus” package with 4 speakers in front and 2 in rear, driver package (cruise control, rear park distance control and multi-function display), winter package (heated seats and front fog lights), comfort package (front electric windows and height adjustable driver seat) and panoramic sunroof.
Volkswagen up! is available in six colours, namely Candy White, Mayan Blue, Sunflower Yellow, Tornado Red, Light Silver Metallic and Deep Black Pearlescent.
Retail Prices (VAT and emissions tax included):
- 1.0 MPI Take up! (55kW) – R133 500
- 1.0 MPI Move up! (55kW) – R140 500
Alan Straton
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