Small car to make début at Frankfurt Motor Show
The small car from Volkswagen that made headlines when it was first shown as a concept at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show is now production-ready and will be launched in the European markets by the end of the year.
Initially, the company plans to launch three models to suit different budgets.
The base model will be called ‘take up!’ A mid-range, comfort-oriented model will called ‘move up!’ and the high-end version will be called the ‘high up!’
This new small VW will be powered by new-generation, three-cylinder engines with outputs ranging from 60 to 75 PS. A new safety feature will also be introduced in the ‘up!’ that uses a laser sensor to detect and engage emergency brakes at speeds under 29 km/h. The ‘up!’ is just 3.54 metres in length, 1.64 metres in width and 1.48 metres in height, thus making it an ideal compact car for the city.
Unlike in the concept, the production ‘up!’ will feature a front-mounted engine and a front-wheel drive. A number of features will be offered across the range.
The price and other details will be revealed at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show.
After launching the car in Europe, VW will also get the ‘up!’ to India. However, nothing is confirmed as yet. To get a first look of the production model here in India we will have to wait until the 2012 Auto Expo where we expect VW to showcase the ‘up!’
