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Volkswagen up! – production car debut at Frankfurt 2011

September 19, 2011 at 11:14 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Cars, Feature Stories, Volkswagen

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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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Volkswagen Polo R WRC – 300 horsepower rally car

September 16, 2011 at 5:41 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Cars, Volkswagen

Amongst the various different up! and Beetle models showcased at Volkswagen’s Frankfurt Motor Show stand, this particular car really stands out – the Volkswagen Polo R WRC, which Volkswagen will be entering into the Rally World Championship in 2013.

If you think the Polo GTI’s 180 horses from a small 1.4 litre is crazy, this little pocket rocket boasts a turbocharged 1.6 litre four cylinder engine making 300 horsepower, sent to all four wheels. Now I’m just waiting for a 3-door Polo GTI owner to create a replica – you don’t even need to do the widebody, just the white, silver and blue livery should do!

Look after the jump for more “inspiration”.
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Volkswagen Polo R-Line spices up regular Polo at Frankfurt

September 16, 2011 at 4:48 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Cars, Volkswagen

Here’s one of Volkswagen’s Frankfurt exhibits – the Volkswagen Polo R-Line, not a exactly true Volkswagen R car, but kitted up to give it a spicier look. Some inspiration for current and future owners of the Polo perhaps?

The R-Line package includes 16 inch Mallory design alloy wheels, a high gloss black radiator grille with R-Line badgeing, an R-line bumper, chrome tailpipes, a roof edge spoiler, R-line side sills, daytime running lights, fog lights, and LED licence plate illumination.

On the inside, the Polo R-Line gets sports seats, mimicing the GTI model, finished with either Kyalami fabric or an optional Alcantara/leather combi surface. The inner surfaces of the lateral seat supports are made of San Remo microfibre fabric. Of course, there are R-Line logos in the headrests. There’s also black rooflining, high gloss black accents, aluminium look pedals, and R-Line door sill plates.

Volkswagen will begin selling the R-Line package for the Polo overseas from the end of this year, and it will be available with any engine variant overseas, so perhaps you can start enquiring at your Volkswagen dealership if they will bring this package in?

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Frankfurt: Volkswagen shows off the Beetle R Concept

September 14, 2011 at 12:44 pm By Harvinder Sidhu Filed Under 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Cars, Concept Cars, Volkswagen

This is the Volkswagen Beetle R Concept which made its public debut at the Frankfurt motor event. It is a design study which will likely translate into a production run at a later stage. The concept is treated to a sportier body kit with front and rear bumpers that are widened by 30 mm. The front bumper has three air intakes that are finished in Black High Gloss which is the same treatment given to the front spoiler.

The vents and various other slots are functional and they provide engine and brake temperature regulation. The rear bumper also assists in the aerodynamics department along with a diffuser and a rear spoiler. The exterior also sports two sets of dual chrome tailpipes, free-standing wings that are widened by 15 mm as well as a roof with the Black High Gloss treatment.

The Beetle R sits on large 20-inch Talladega alloy wheels which is the same design utilized by the Golf R and the Scirocco R. These wheels are finished in Serious Grey.

On the inside, the sportier Beetle has motorsport shell seats that are upholstered in black Nappa leather, seat piping in Space Blue and lots of R logos everywhere. The instruments have been modified as well and brushed aluminium is used for all pedal caps.

You might be wondering what is powering the concept but unfortunately Volkswagen has neglected to mention the details in the press release. However you can safely expect it to have engine performance figures that match the Golf R and the Scirocco R.

As always, more images can be found after the jump.
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VIDEO: Volkswagen up! concept cars unveiling – buggy up!, up! azzurra, cross up!, GT up!, eco up!, e-up!

September 13, 2011 at 6:52 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Cars, Videos, Volkswagen

Volkswagen revealed its six Volkswagen up! Concepts last night at the Volkswagen Group Night, just one of the few amazing presentations during what was a night showcasing the brilliant diversity of the Volkswagen group.

The world premiere of the two-door up! signifies the beginning of an entire series of cars: the New Small Family. Volkswagen is demonstrating – with no less than 6 exciting concept cars – how this family could be further developed based on the new up!.

Specially designed for the world’s beaches are the buggy up! and the up! azzurra sailing team. Then there is the cross up!, which was conceptualised for urban driving. The GT up! is a concept car tuned for the German Autobahn. Another concept car is the eco up! that is powered by natural gas and extremely clean to drive: The e-up! is a zero-emissions specialist with an electric drive.

The different brands of the Volkswagen group – Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, SEAT, Porsche, and Lamborghini showcased their Frankfurt debuts at the Volkswagen Group Night. Each brand took their turn to reveal their showcars to the audience in their very own unique way.

In a way, this was probably one of the best ways to showcase how the Volkswagen Group runs their brands. Many of the cars have shared technologies and platforms, thus improving economies of scale as well as pressing the fast forward button on innovation and technology trickle-down from the high end brands to the low end brands. But each brand is allowed to have their own identity, and this is clearly reflected in the cars that each brand puts out.

We are currently working on putting up the rest of the debut performance videos online, as well as get you the full lowdown on all the various cars that the Volkswagen group have put out, including live photos from the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. In the meanwhile, sit back relax and enjoy the stream of Frankfurt stories being released.

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Suzuki and Volkswagen partnership may come to an end over Fiat engine deal

September 12, 2011 at 7:30 pm By Harvinder Sidhu Filed Under Cars, International News, Suzuki, Volkswagen

The Nikkei has just published a report in regards to the brewing Suzuki/Volkswagen feud, stating that the Japanese brand will offer to terminate its capital and business deals with the German auto giant.

A statement by Suzuki that was sent to the Tokyo Stock Exchange revealed that the decision was made during an unscheduled board meeting today. This comes after Volkswagen claimed on Sunday that Suzuki has breached its partnership with Volkswagen by engaging Fiat to supply diesel engines to Suzuki.

Autonews also reported that Suzuki will ask Volkswagen to sell the 19.9% stake it has in Suzuki. At the same time Suzuki also plans to sell its 1.49% stake in Volkswagen, if it agrees to the arrangement.

This issue has somewhat affected Volkswagen’s plans of forming a strong alliance with Suzuki. The marriage was supposed to combine Suzuki’s dominance in India with Volkswagen’s global reach. A forecasting done by IHS Automotive indicate that Suzuki, or Maruti Suzuki as it is known in India will sell 36% of the total 3.07 million vehicles delivered in the country in 2011.

A technology collaboration was also planned in the hybrid and EV segments but to date, no solid outcome has been announced. Chairman Osamu Suzuki mentioned in a newspaper column in July that he has not found any Volkswagen technologies that he would like to carry over into Suzuki.

He also went on to say that he is open with forming alliances with others and mentioned in an interview on August 10th that he does not see a reason why Volkswagen would be upset in regards to the Fiat deal. Last month, two Suzuki executives also said that “a successful relationship depends on an understanding that the two are equal partners”.

Suzuki also said that the partnership has become non-beneficial for the company’s management freedom. It was in fact stated in Volkswagen’s annual report in March that the company can “significantly influence financial and operating policy decisions” in Suzuki.

Despite all this, Volkswagen said on Sunday that it still considers Suzuki as an attractive investment and has given the company several weeks to remedy the infringement. The company’s CEO Martin Winterkorn revealed in May that his company planned to target the small car segment in India as part of a potential joint project with Suzuki, apart from parts procurement and the alternative-drive technology development.

Suzuki is expected to make an official announcement over the matter soon.

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New images of Frankfurt-bound Eterniti Hemera released

September 11, 2011 at 9:50 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Volkswagen

Here are the first studio images of the new Eterniti Hemera, set to make its public debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show this week. From the images, it pretty much looks like a reskinned widebody Cayenne. British automaker Eterniti Motors claims the Hemera is the world’s first “super SUV”, and while we don’t have the technical specs yet, Eterniti Motors says the Hemera will feature a limousine-like rear cabin, including twin electric reclining seats, iPads and a drinks chiller.

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Volkswagen.Das Auto.Show 2011 happens this weekend at the Bukit Jalil Stadium carpark – admission is free!

September 9, 2011 at 4:04 am By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Feature Stories, Local News, Volkswagen

Volkswagen Group Malaysia is looking forward to being a bigger player in the Malaysian market, and will soon have some locally assembled models to fight alongside the brand’s fully imported variants.

The CKD models, starting with the Passat, will be more competitively priced, and are sure to increase volumes significantly. The brand offensive starts now, and VGM is using the Volkswagen.Das Auto.Show 2011 to convince Malaysians that VW is the “people’s car” for us.

Located at the carpark of the National Stadium at Bukit Jalil, the Das Auto.Show is a big budget showcase for VW’s cars and tech. Comprising a “Mega Dome” and the “Caterpillar Dome”, the temporary white structures are clearly visible from the main road. There’s also a giant banner hung on the stadium to tell everyone why they’ve been sitting in a jam.

We attended the preview session for VIPs and the media yesterday night, and came away impressed at the scale of this “roadshow”. As far as I remember, never before have Malaysia seen such an elaborate and expensive showcase of this scale, and yesterday’s audience were wowed by the show. It felt more like a VW Group major motor show preview night than a local event, and it was obvious that VGM went all out to impress.

The Mega Dome (42m diameter, 21m tall) is laid out auditorium style, with an elevated ring that will see 12 moving cars circle 360 degrees around you. A backdrop is projected on the walls of the dome for a virtual reality effect, and there’s a huge VW logo on top of the igloo like structure.

VGM says that it’s the largest full dome projection system of its kind in the world. Cars such as the new Beetle, Golf and Passat Variant, Passat Sedan, Polo Sedan, Amarok, CrossTouran, Pheaton and Scirocco R were shown and explained here.

The connecting Caterpillar Dome on the other hand, is a 100m long curve shaped like the creature. Held up by air and free of columns, it houses the models that VGM currently sells such as the Eos, Golf GTI and TSI, Touareg and Polo. There’s also a huge F&B area with merchandise booths.

“The show gives the audience an in-depth understanding of why the Volkswagen brand appeals to drivers in more than 150 countries. The show explains Volkswagen’s vision that motivates trust amongst consumers, representing German engineering and reliability,” said Ricky Tay, VGM’s MD.

The best thing for the public is that admission is free. The Volkswagen.Das Auto.Show 2011 will be open to public this weekend (10-11 Sept) from 10am till 10pm. What can you expect to see there? Check out our live gallery and video after the jump!
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Volkswagen 1.4 TSI engine to get cylinder shut-off feature

September 2, 2011 at 7:23 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Volkswagen

I have to say that the Volkswagen Group has always been one of the quickest mass manufacturers to implement the latest technologies across their entire product range, while competitors tend to only put the cool stuff in their higher end models.

Direct injection, turbocharging, and twin clutch transmissions – they’ve been implemented across the board and even the most affordable ‘baseline’ Volkswagen Polo 1.2 TSI has all of these technologies implemented.

So when I first read that Audi’s new 4.0 litre V8 TFSI engine had cylinder shut-off technology, I wondered when this feature would trickle down to the smaller Volkswagen Group engines primarily used in Volkswagen/Skoda/SEATs. Turns out it only took a few days for the announcement to come out – Volkswagen has just announced that cylinder shut-off technology will be available on its 1.4 litre TSI engine beginning early 2012.

Under low to mid load conditions, the engine management system will shut off two (cylinder 2 and 3) of the 1.4 litre TSI engine’s four cylinders, providing savings on fuel consumption. It is active whenever the engine RPM is between 1,400rpm to 4,000rpm, and torque output is between 25Nm to 75Nm. Volkswagen says these conditions are basically almost 70% of the EU fuel economy driving cycle.

As soon as the accelerator pedal is pressed hard enough, the two cylinders are reactivated. If the engine management system senses a non-uniform pattern – for example, driving in roundabout traffic or a sporty acceleration pattern, the shut off system is suppressed.

The savings are the most at constant moderate speeds – say, 50km/h in either third or fourth gear – Volkswagen says savings from running on only 2 cylinders can amount to 1 litre per 100km. On average, the technology helps reduce NEDC driving cycle fuel consumption by 0.4 litre per 100km. Combined with automatic start/stop functionality, this savings increases to 0.6 litre per 100km.

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Volkswagen NILS – one for all, and all for one

September 2, 2011 at 11:32 am By Anthony Lim Filed Under 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, Cars, International News, Volkswagen

Volkswagen will be showing off NILS, a single-seat electric concept vehicle, in Frankfurt. The compact offering is 50 cm shorter than the Up! at 3.04m long, and is just 0.39m wide from wheel to wheel and a mere 1.2m tall.

The design has the same basic layout as a F1 car, with the driver in the middle, the engine at the back, and free-standing outboard wheels. The vehicle, which features an aluminium space frame, wing doors and free-standing wheels, has a range of 65 km and a top speed of 130 kph.

The 460 kg concept can accelerate to 100 kph in less than 11 seconds, and is powered by a reasonably small electric motor weighing 19 kg offering a nominal 15 kW (and short-term peak power of 25 kW), working with a one-speed transmission.

A 5.3 kWh lithium-ion battery supplies the juice, and can be charged either via a conventional 230V electrical outlet – with a maximum charging time of two hours – or at an electric vehicle charging station. The socket is located at the back underneath the rear lighting module, and all drive unit components are located compactly in an aluminium housing at the rear of NILS; drive is to the rear wheels.

The motor, battery and all other components are so compact that there is still space for a small, but practical, bootspace. The body-coloured area above the rear lighting module swings upward, revealing space suitable for items such as a case of drinks and a bag.

The car features a purely mechanical steering, with the low weight meaning power assistance is unnecessary, says VW. Suspension is double wishbones front and rear, and NILS sits on 17-inch alloys equipped with 115/80 (front) and 125/80 (rear) tyres optimised for low rolling resistance.

There’s ESP, electric traction by electric motor and battery regeneration as well as an automatic distance control system, which uses radar sensors to scan the space in front of the vehicle over a distance of about 200m and uses brake interventions to ensure that the distance to vehicles in traffic in front of the car doesn’t drop below a specified minimum value. Front Assist, which warns the driver of a potential collision, is integrated in the ADC system.

Aluminium features highly in the entire body – the body in white is produced from extruded aluminium, cast aluminium and sheet aluminium, while the roof frame together with the door mounts, a roll bar, the bootspace and the front bulkhead consist of high-strength sheet aluminium.

Elsewhere, extruded aluminium is used in the side sills, the transverse profiles and the front and rear car sections, and the use of the material continues on the front and rear side body. Parts that are made of high-strength plastic include the bumpers and the trim panels on the side sills. The door windows are made of lightweight, scratch-resistant, layered polycarbonate, while the front window is made of laminated safety glass.

Mod cons include a seven-inch TFT display which shows speed and energy flow, while another graphic display offers information on the driving range. The NILS also features the Portable Infotainment Device (PID) mobile multifunctional device as seen in the new up! Snapped into the A-pillar to the right of the instrument cluster, it offers via touchscreen functions related to navigation, radio, media, telephone and trip computer.

To save on weight and costs, certain functional elements and controls do without electrical assistance – the side mirrors, for example, are adjusted manually. The heating and ventilation system has full electronic control though, and there is seat heating. The headlights are bi-xenons, while the indicator lights and daytime running lights are white and yellow LEDs.
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