Volkswagen up! – production car debut at Frankfurt 2011

Volkswagen up! – production car debut at Frankfurt 2011

The star of the show at the ongoing Frankfurt Motor Show, the new Volkswagen up! is a pretty big deal to the boys at Wolfsburg. According to chairman Prof Dr Martin Winterkorn, the up! represents current core Volkswagen brand values – clean and pure Volkswagen design, maximum space over a minimal footprint, top quality, attention to detail, and affordable innovations for all.

Called a “city specialist”, the up! sits on a small footprint indeed – measuring only 3,540mm by 1,640mm. That’s actually about the same size as a Ford Ka – 3,620mm by 1,658mm – and both sets of numbers are quoted without including wing mirrors. Another vehicle in this class would be the Fiat 500.

Volkswagen up! – production car debut at Frankfurt 2011

But the up! looks like it has better packaging as it has a significantly longer wheelbase – 2,420mm compared to the Ka and 500’s 2,300mm, so this would logically translate into superior interior space. The chassis uses MacPherson struts at the front, and a semi-independent rear suspension at the rear, with an optional sports setting that lowers ride height by 15mm.

Cargo capacity stands at 251 litres, and this increases to 951 litres with the rear bench folded down. Along with a large storage bin in the centre console and the glovebox, there are storage surfaces and bottle holders in the two doors, 3 cupholders in the rear and 2 bag hooks. Volkswagen also says the up! feels more comfortable for the passengers because its occupants do not sit too low.

Volkswagen up! – production car debut at Frankfurt 2011

The steering wheel and column is also positioned higher, with the angle to the driver more horizontal, improving ergonomics. There’s also little touches like a sculpted footrest to the left of the clutch, which was possible in this small car thanks to the compact construction of the front suspension.

The up!’s weight starts from 929kg, which Volkswagen claims is a 13% or 140kg reduction over the up!’s immediately predecessor – the Volkswagen Fox. Volkswagen credits this to the use of engine downsizing technology and high strength steel, as well as relentlessly hunting for grams to shave off the car wherever the engineers can. For example, the front seats are 15% lighter than comparable concepts in other cars.

Volkswagen up! – production car debut at Frankfurt 2011

The body materials of the up! have 8.1 per cent “hot-formed” steel content including the floor and B-pillars. Combined with high-strength and ultra-high-strength steels which make up 56.5 per cent of the vehicle’s construction, the up! has a static torsional rigidity of 19,800Nm/degree, which Volkswagen claims sets new standards in its class.

The Volkswagen up! uses Volkswagen’s new EA211 family of three cylinder 12 valve engines. There are no diesel engines introduced at debut time. There are two different 1.0 litre (999cc) petrol engines – one with 60 PS output consuming an average of 4.2 litres per 100km, and another more high powered 75 PS version consuming an average of 4.3 litres per 100km. Peak torque is 95Nm between 3,000 to 5,000 rpm, with 90% of that available between 2,000rpm to 6,000rpm.

Volkswagen up! – production car debut at Frankfurt 2011

Another version of the 999cc engine carries the EcoFuel badge, which has dual fuel capabilities. The EcoFuel 1.0 litre puts out 68 PS, and consumes 3.2kg/100km of CNG natural gas. The CNG is stored in two tanks integrated into the body of the up! – one is located in front of the rear axle together with a 10 litre reserve petrol tank, while the second tank makes use of the spare wheel recess, which naturally means that the EcoFuel up! does not have a spare wheel. The CNG tanks and the reserve petrol tank give the EcoFuel up! a range of about 550km.

Two transmissions are available with the Volkswagen up! – both a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed automatic. The 5-speed manual is called the MQ100, and weighs 25kg. The 5-speed auto is interesting – it weighs just 30kg and it’s not one of those dual clutch transmissions that Volkswagen are so famous for. The new 5-speed gearbox is a single clutch automated manual (like Alfa Romeo Selespeed, Honda i-SHIFT, Proton Savvy AMT, etc), and has been given the name SQ100.

Volkswagen up! – production car debut at Frankfurt 2011

Single clutch transmissions of this type have been known to be a little jerky, so I wonder if Volkswagen managed to pull off the silky smoothness feeling of its DSG transmissions with the SQ100. This isn’t the first time Volkswagen is using a single clutch automated manual in a car – there has been a 6-speed unit called the “ASG” used in cars like the Volkswagen SpaceFox.

The up! will first be available in Europe in December this year, with advance sales in Germany to begin this month. There will be 3 different versions – the baseline take up! with the 60 PS engine and a 5-speed manual will be priced at under 10,000 Euro and will weigh only 929kg. The mid range model will be called the move up! and the top of the line will be called the high up!

Volkswagen up! – production car debut at Frankfurt 2011

The baseline take up! will come with 14 inch wheels, but that’s about the only thing that makes the car look less premium than its siblings from the outside. Volkswagen did not go to lengths of unpainted or black bumpers to bring the price down for example. On the inside, there’s features like a folding rear bench, rear windscreen wipers, EPS steering, and etc. Front and side airbags are also standard, as are ASR, ESP stability control, and ISOFIX child seat tethers. The windows are manual winding though!

The mid-range car is the move up!, which adds body colour wing mirrors and door handles, full wheel covers, chrome element inner headlight housings, glossy black air vents and center dash trim, a height adjustable driver’s seat, chrome interior door handles, wireless remote central locking, a 60:40 split rear bench, and electric power windows up front.

Volkswagen up! – production car debut at Frankfurt 2011

The high up! adds 15 inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, a more customisable interior (dash pad available for order in black pearl, pure white, red, light blue and dark silver), a chrome surround around the speedo and air vents, and various other enhancements. The audio system is an RCD 215 radio-CD system with MP3 function.

In addition, there are two special versions of the high up! called the up! black and up! white, which are colour themed and add other features like larger 16 inch alloys.

VIDEO: VW up! white and up! black

For customisation, a buyer can add “packs” to his car. For example, the RCD 215 is not exclusive to the high up! – you can add this to the move up! or take up! if you want it. Other packs include a large panoramic tilt/slide sunroof, and a “comfort pack” that includes electric windows, a dual tone fanfare horn, central locking and etc, or a “winter pack” that adds seat heating, fog lamps and heated door mirrors. The “drive pack” was developed for the move up! and high up! with cruise control system, ParkPilot at the rear, multifunctional display (MFA) and City Emergency Braking.

Volkswagen Group Malaysia hasn’t given any indication if they are considering bringing the Volkswagen up! into Malaysia, but it is certainly a big thing for Volkswagen globally. Look after the jump for a full photo gallery of the up!

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • fadzly on Sep 19, 2011 at 11:42 pm

    maximum space over small footrint?
    sound like EMAS doh..oops, VW buy Italdesign-Giugiaro, my bad :-p

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  • Proton Emas had a great concept but looks like VW beat Proton to the production line with Up

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • It’s not a competitor to the EMAS, it’s a competitor to the Daihatsu Mira (Perodua Viva). Both carry the same pricetag in Europe: €9500=RM40257 (incl. 20% tax). Okay, not really, the VW is RM211 more… ;)

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      • Unforgiven on Sep 20, 2011 at 10:14 am

        Some people will still buy Proton, one of the guy in this forum is Mofaz I think…

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  • ismazri on Sep 20, 2011 at 6:57 am

    What’s up!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • dirtyoldmen on Sep 20, 2011 at 7:48 am

    hope VW can bring this in or CKD locally.
    provided GOM doesn’t screw up! the price.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • meet_the_zonan on Sep 20, 2011 at 10:02 am

    good luck for u proton.. more people now choose small car instead big and bulky design.. but if persona change front lamp like saga flx, sure i buy..

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  • I wish VW swallowed proton then and this is our “Viva”.

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  • DarkAvenger on Sep 20, 2011 at 11:09 am

    Introducing…the VolksWagon Myvi!!! LOL.

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  • shahrul on Sep 20, 2011 at 11:32 am

    i think proton should make a collaboration with vw based on this model, this model could be myvi or viva killer if 5 door

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  • Jerry on Sep 20, 2011 at 11:41 am

    It’s interesting – one can only guess the reason for having SQ100 in the Up is the weightiness of DSG ‘boxes.

    VW Group’s Lambo Aventador gets the ISR instead of a dual clutch ‘box because the former is lighter than the latter.

    Therefore may we conclude that the future of DSG/PDK hinges on efforts to reduce their weightiness?

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    • The informations about lambo’s ISR are misleading. In a DSG gearbox, the not-engaged clutch has all the time it wants to change it’s gears, as the other cluch with it’s gears is engaged already. So the shifting time of the gears (!) in a DSG is not for much interest. The change between the clutches takes 40ms only, no ISR can change gears that fast. Not even with an ‘Independent Shifting Rod’… ;)

      The reason for using an ‘automated manual’ in the ‘up!’ is not the weight. It’s simply cheaper to manufacture as the ‘up!’ is a low-cost car. The clutch pedal and the shifting stick are replaced by actuators (i.e. small servos), the rest is software.

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      • Jerry on Sep 20, 2011 at 5:15 pm

        It’s good to know, Mohd! Thanks for the leg up! Erm, no pun intended :)

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  • bring it here with price tag 60k…

    it will sell like hot cake…=)

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  • OMG…the new Myvi nicer than this.

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  • Puzzles on Sep 20, 2011 at 3:39 pm

    Design totally uninspiring,vw sells on it’s engine tech

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  • Cheah Tat Cheong on Sep 20, 2011 at 5:50 pm

    No matter how VW dress it up, a cheap global car will always look cheap. Technology of the single clutch auto is nothing to shout about. Savvy AMT is also a single clutch auto, just like the one used by Smart forfour and fortwo, etc. FYI, the Lambo ISR gearbox’s origin can be traced back to Murcielargo’s which itself is based on Magnetti Marelli/Alfa’s ill-fated and leaky single-clutch Selespeed. So I don’t know which is better. What about an Up sports version, maybe they can call it Up youRS :P

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  • Is this the car that replace the VW Lupo?

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    • gravatar on Sep 20, 2011 at 11:51 pm

      Lupo been replace by Fox in mid-2000, Up is replacement for Fox.

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  • boy VW is not cheap,which is higher class than the Honda and Toyota!of coz 1 trillion times better than any P1 car!pls accept it :)

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  • Jimmy on Sep 20, 2011 at 10:42 pm

    If the designers of Toyota designed this for next gen Avanza, the Toyota director will ask them to use it as Lexus entry model.
    At RM60K you choose this or Myvi?

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  • ttooyyoottt on Sep 21, 2011 at 1:37 am

    Small money for a great car,,, ya ya not after plus malaysian tax n duties,, grrrrrr

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  • Puzzles on Sep 21, 2011 at 8:30 am

    The front looks like current mazda2 hatchback smiley face

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  • Adham on Sep 21, 2011 at 8:20 pm

    it looks like Hyundai i10 from my eyesight…

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  • Mohan Nair on Sep 24, 2011 at 11:19 am

    The rumor tells it that VW’s plant in Pune, India will be one of the facilities manufacturing UP which will be direct competitor in the small car segment against Suzuki and Hyundai which dominate the Indian market.

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