Volkswagen to showcase Up at Frankfurt auto show
Volkswagen has released photos of the new Up, ahead of its scheduled debut at the 2011 Frankfurt auto show in September.
The maker of the "People's Car" is now asking people to get Up.
Volkswagen today revealed photos and some information on the Up hatchback. The German automaker previously introduced the Up as a concept car at the 2007 Frankfurt auto show. The production version of the subcompact will be introduced in Frankfurt in September.
The Up is a line of low-emissions, minimal footprint vehicles for the European market. CNET covered the debut of the thrifty Up Lite concept at the LA Auto Show in 2009.
Volkswagen revealed there will be three versions of the Up: The entry-level vehicle is the Take Up; the comfort-oriented model is Move Up; and the High Up is the top-of-the-line version.
The Up will come with a choice of three-cylinder, 1.0-liter gas engine, with an output of either 59 horsepower or 74 horsepower. There will also be a choice of transmission system: either a standard five-speed manual, or a six-speed automatic.
Appealing to urban drivers in small, busy, (and sometimes) hilly environments, Volkswagen offers a few city-friendly features. The company's award-winning BlueMotion technology, or start-stop system, allows for fuel savings by turning a car's engine off instead of leaving it to idle when the driver has come to a complete stop. When the driver depresses the accelerator, the engine engages automatically.
Another city-friendly optional feature is the City Emergency Braking system, which uses a laser sensor to detect the risk of an impending collision. City Emergency Braking automatically engages at speeds under 18 mph and can aid in avoiding a crash, or reducing the severity of an accident, by applying the brakes. "So far, the Up is the only vehicle in the segment to be offered with this function," Volkswagen said in a press release.
The Up will be launched in Europe in December.