Volkswagen Up details announced
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Volkswagen
Up! Concept Unveiled At IAA
18th September, 2007
22nd August, 2011
Volkswagen Up is the German brand's new small car that has been
anticipated for some years now. Volkswagen had set a goal to develop a small car with typical VW charisma, a
small car with maximum space on a minimal 'footprint', a small car with the most fuel-efficient engines or an
electric drive, a small car with intuitive infotainment and operating systems, a small car with the safety of a
larger car. The result is the Up! It measures a short 3.54 metres (a little longer than the Toyota iQ and the
Tata Nano).
European release in December
The Up will first be launched in the European market from December. There are 3 versions for different
budgets and needs: "Take Up" is the entry-level car, "Move Up" the comfort-oriented model and "High Up" is the
top version. At the car’s market launch, there will also be 2 unique models based on the High Up: the Up
Black and the Up White.
New generation of engines
4.2 l/100 km with petrol engine: Debuting in the Up is a new generation of three-cylinder petrol engines.
Output is rated at 44 kW/60 PS and 55 kW/75 PS. Combined fuel consumption as a BlueMotion Technology version
(including a Stop/Start system): 4.2 l/100 km (60 PS) and 4.3 l/100 km (75 PS). Both these 1.0 litre engines
emit less than the 100 g/km CO2 limit. A natural gas engine with 50 kW/68 PS 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 BlueMotion Technology version the natural-gas powered Up even attains a low CO2 value of 79 g/km.
There are plans for an Up with an electric drive for the year 2013.
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City Emergency Braking
A new safety technology system is the optional City Emergency Braking. It is automatically active at speeds
under 30 km/h, and it uses a laser sensor to detect the risk of an imminent collision. Depending on the vehicle’s
speed and the driving situation, City Emergency Braking can reduce accident severity by initiating automatic
brake interventions – and possibly even avoid a crash. The Up is the only vehicle in the segment to be offered
with an emergency braking function for city driving, at this time.
Dimensions
With its 3.54 metre length, 1.64 metre width 1.48 metres tall, the VW Up is one of the smallest four-seat
cars. Its overall length consists of conspicuously short body overhangs and a long wheelbase (2.42 metres) – a
body lay out that fully utilises the space available in the new design. Klaus Bischoff, Head of Design for the
Volkswagen Brand says: "If the goal is to maximise space, the ideal form for a small car would be a
rectangular box. In the Up we were able to sculpt such a box with a clean and powerful design that does not lose
sight of space utilisation." The front end of the Up reveals much about the car’s character. Klaus Bischoff:
"The face is unmistakably that of a genuine Volkswagen, but with a very independent personality. Naturally,
the familiar styling characteristics of our brand face can also be found on the Up – the emphasis of horizontal
elements and the connection of the grille and headlights to form a band, the accents created by small angles and
the characteristic light signature of the headlights. But more than on any of the other models, the Up definitely
shows a smile. The Up is simply appealing, and it appeals in a simple way!"
Interior space
Space utilisation in the car is 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
travelling in a small car, it is by not a cramped vehicle. On the contrary. Consider the boot: 251 litres 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 litres. These two values show that in its interior the Up will be a giant among small
cars.
Interior design
Essentially, the Up interior has a clean and organised lay out. 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 model level, either decor paint or one of the 5 body colours is used in the interior.
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Up boxes
The developers of the Up asked themselves whether everyday living with the car could be structured in a
simpler and friendlier way. Their answer was a decisive yes! Because it is often the small things that make a big
difference. And that is how the idea of the Up boxes came about. Small, lightweight boxes for a wide variety of
situations and needs. Take the "kid box", for example, that was designed for parents with small children; it
includes a bag for the thousand small items that are essential with small children; and, of course, a toy to
cuddle with and a lunch box for the obligatory snacks. Other Up boxes will be called the "city box" and the
"travel box". And their names are their agendas.
maps + more – the Portable Infotainment Device (PID)
For the first time in a Volkswagen, the maps + more system is now being offered, a mobile Portable
Infotainment Device (PID). In the economically priced Up, this is a system that is equally economical and was
developed to organise the navigation, telephone, information and entertainment areas. In cooperation with
Navigon, a special solution was tailored to the Up which is affordable for all buyers – maps + more. The user
simply snaps the PID into place above the centre console. Unlike many other similar systems of this type, maps
+ more melds with the car’s network of systems much better: navigation, telephone and infotainment can now be
controlled and viewed via the PID touchscreen, and the touchscreen can also be used to view important vehicle
information, such as the visual display of the ParkPilot (controls the car’s distance to the next vehicle). Apps
specially developed for the Up also let users extend maps + more to meet their specific needs.
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