Volkswagen's up! concept is its modern interpretation of the city car. Overseen by designer Walter de Silva, the up! is designed to be the upcoming replacement for the Volkswagen Fox compact when - and if - it arrives in 2011. At 11.3' long and only a shade over five feet wide, up! is smaller than even Volkswagen's Lupo minicar that went out of production in 2005.
Outside, up! mimics the styling seen on the GTI W12-650 show car, with prominent and squared-off lower valences that Volkswagen says are designed to give the car a "happy face."
Very little is being said about the drivetrain of up! other than it's rear-engined and lacks a front radiator grille, but knowing Volkswagen something else will leak out once the car gets its official official unveiling at the show tomorrow.
How bland and uninspired. It really could be a car from any manufacturer...
"Everyone knows that the Car Lounge Car of the Year is the E36 M3, the answer to all transportation problems. Need to haul a family of 8 - M3! Tow a boat trailer - M3! Have only $15k to spend and want a Japanese car - M3!" -- Tom
Yay...FINALLY a car...not a shrunken mini-van, cross-over, nano-suv, thing! Go Walter!
The feeling of immortality extends right up to the moment of impact. Every 10% weight reduction equates to 7% fuel mileage gain. Priuses are ECONOMY cars for people who can't add.....
The styling is unoffensively nice. But the driveline concept sounds great. Even if this thing only has meager power, rear engine/rear drive should make for VERY fun times.
Splinter - Team Post-Killing Ninja My decantering is delicate and courageous.
So this is the rumored rear-engined small compact.
Very Nice.
How could it be rear-engined with that second row of seating being as far back as it is?
1999 Mazda Miata 1998 Subaru Forester S 2000 Jetta GLS 1.8T (RIP) 1995 Kawasaki Ninja EX500 - Work in progress.
"Come on people! Do you know what you get when you use a flame thrower on a zombie? Freakin' flaming zombies. And if theres anything that sucks more than a zombie trying to eat you, its a zombie on fire trying to eat you."
This from the champion of Hyundai? Give me a break..
Pardon? What does liking Hyundai have to do with finding this car bland and uninspired?
"Everyone knows that the Car Lounge Car of the Year is the E36 M3, the answer to all transportation problems. Need to haul a family of 8 - M3! Tow a boat trailer - M3! Have only $15k to spend and want a Japanese car - M3!" -- Tom
Looks fine other than the Saturn Ion steering wheel...
It might not be drastically different in terms of aesthetics compared to a number of other small cars, but I'm happy to see VW go a slightly different route by putting the engine over the rear wheels, which, correct me if I'm wrong, only Smart has done to date.
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I'm going to swap this engine into Iceland and rescue them from their financial crisis by doing a sweet burnout on Greenland.
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Xzibit could learn a thing or two from Wendelin Weideking about pimping rides - the 911 has 14 different outfits, from the naughty-schoolgirl submissive Carrera to the alcantara-clad dominatrix GT3.
After all the talk lately about Apple and VW working on something together, this nav/inteface screen has an interesting look to it. No mention in the press release though... hmmm...
Looks fine other than the Saturn Ion steering wheel...
It might not be drastically different in terms of aesthetics compared to a number of other small cars, but I'm happy to see VW go a slightly different route by putting the engine over the rear wheels, which, correct me if I'm wrong, only Smart has done to date.
Also, Mitsubishi "i" AFIK
I think it looks great, can't wait to see the production-look
After all the talk lately about Apple and VW working on something together, this nav/inteface screen has an interesting look to it. No mention in the press release though... hmmm...
I had the same thought about the Apple-ish interface. On a different note, anyone notice the CO2 "meter"?
I had read that this was coming and I like the idea of reviving the spirit of the original Beetle. However, I was really hoping for a more iconic exterior design. There's nothing really distinctive about this at all -- the new Fiat 500 is a lot cooler-looking.
As I've said before, I think the first-gen Scion xB had the opportunity to be the next VW Beetle, but Toyota blew it by replacing it with a model that is, so far, selling worse than the original.
After all the talk lately about Apple and VW working on something together, this nav/inteface screen has an interesting look to it. No mention in the press release though... hmmm...
VW+Apple= $$$$ The car will cost $20k and you'll have to activate it thru iTunes
Watch out mas Dominicano que el jalao ! 50th Anniversary R6. New York Yankees 2009 world series champion
That's weird, especially considering these are all just computer renderings, right? They aparently rendered the right rear corner with the tire mounted backwards even though the other two visible corners actually look right.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
this is the kind of car lounge member we need more of - seabird gives thoughtful and descriptive advice without resorting to name calling, or insults. he sets a good example for online behavior in these forums
Unfortunately, hackin' it is a way of life in auto journalism. Hemingway was able to drive an ambulance and write a book; most of these guys couldn't do either.
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Even if this thing only has meager power, rear engine/rear drive should make for VERY fun times.
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Give me a break.. 
