The new up! as a four-door
03/06/2012
Volkswagen
The two-door up! by Volkswagen is one of the most important automotive highlights of the past year. All signs point to a big future for the small car. In Germany, for example, the up! immediately garnered first place in its class in registration statistics. Now, in 2012 Volkswagen is raising the bar by presenting, alongside the eco up!, the four-door version of the city specialist. In May, the four-door version will arrive at the dealers; advanced sales already begin on 6 March (both dates in Germany). Market roll-out of the four-door car will be complete for all of Europe by early summer. The four-door has the same engines (44 kW / 60 PS and 55 kW / 75 PS), equipment versions (take up!, move up!, high up!, black up!, white up!) and dimensions (3,540 mm long, 1,641 mm wide without mirrors, 1,478 mm high) as the two-door cars.
Independent side profile. Naturally, the car's four doors have changed the look of its side profile. While the lower window line of the two-door rises towards the rear near the C-pillars, it forms a straight line on the four-door car. This gives the new body version a high level of independence. The crisp and short body overhangs are also distinctive on the four-door. The front and rear sections are identical on both body versions. This also means that buyers of the four-door version will get to enjoy a bootlid whose outer skin consists of a continuous glass surface; this gives the bootlid the high-tech and high-end look of a smartphone. Beneath the bootlid, there is a boot with a volume of 251 litres; cargo capacity can be extended by up to 951 litres by folding down the rear backrest (60:40 split bench from the move up!).
Comfortable driving with four persons! The rear doors open wide and offer comfortable entry - including for adults. The four-seat, four-door car offers the same good interior space as the two-door, and the amount of space is remarkable given the vehicle's size. Headroom in the rear is 947 mm, while it is 993 mm in front. Legroom in the second row is a comfortable 789 mm. The seat height in the rear has a pleasant effect: the height of the so-called H-point - the vertex where the seat surface and backrest meet - is 378 mm in the rear, which is higher than in front (306 mm). This higher seat position gives rear passengers a better view over the shoulders of the driver and front passenger. Just as important: there is plenty of space under the front seats for the feet of the rear passengers.
Braking automatically It is only logical that Volkswagen would offer the same optional features in both the four-door and two-door up!. They include clever systems such as City Emergency Braking. The up! is the first car in its class that can be automatically braked by such a function in a tight situation; the function is active over a speed range from 5 to 30 km/h. Also available upon request is maps+more - a portable navigation and infotainment system with touchscreen. It contains a navigation system, hands-free telephone unit, display of various vehicle parameters and media player. In addition, apps can be used to customise maps+more to personal requirements. maps+more is snapped into place on the dashboard and then it is networked with the electronic systems of the up!. A rare treat in the segment of small cars is the enormous panoramic tilt/slide sunroof that Volkswagen decided to include in the up!.
take up! - the basic version. Outside, the small Volkswagen in the basic version is equipped with 14-inch wheels, body-coloured bumpers and green tinted heat-insulating glass. As on all up! models, the body is partially galvanised. Inside, details such as the Easy Entry system, folding rear bench seat, colour contrasting air vent surrounds (in 'white'), carpeted floors and a fabric-lined bootspace cover are used. Convenience features distinguishing the take up! include a rear windscreen wiper, electromechanical power assisted steering, height-adjustable steering column, convenience direction indicators (1 press = 3 flash cycles) and daytime running lights. Sophisticated: the gloss black panel in the middle of the dashboard. When it comes to passive and active safety, standard features include front airbags and head-thorax side airbags plus a seatbelt fastening reminder for driver and front passenger, belt tensioners in front, ABS with ASR, ESP electronic stabilisation programme (in Germany), ISOFIX fixtures and top-tether fittings for mounting suitable child seats in the rear and a deactivation function for the front passenger airbag (when using a child seat there).
move up! - the clever mid-range. The door mirror housings and door handles of the move up! are painted in body colour; the full wheel covers and inner headlight housings are upgraded with chrome elements. Inside the car, the air vents and the panelling around the climate and audio controls are designed in glossy black; the dash pad is painted either 'grained beige' or 'black pearl'. The driver's seat has height adjustment, and the interior door handles are chrome. Standard convenience features include central locking with wireless remote, electric windows in front, 60:40 split rear bench seats, variable cargo floor, a glovebox door, make-up mirror in the sun visor on the passenger's side and tachometer.
high up! - the top version. The high up! is high-end in the truest sense of the expression. Compared to the move up!, its exterior is upgraded with 15-inch alloy wheels ('spoke' type). Front fog lights contribute to the car's safety. Inside, customers can order the dash pad in 'black pearl', 'pure white', 'red', 'light blue' or 'dark silver'. The speedometer has a chrome surround, as do the air vents and the centre console. Also designed in chrome are the parking brake grip as well as the switches for the lights and climate control. Perfecting the car's comfort and convenience are details such as electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors, RCD 215 radio-CD system with MP3 function, an air conditioner and a leather pack (steering wheel, parking brake grip).
black up! (and white up!) - the exclusive models. The black up! and white up! are based on the high up!. Compared to the high up!, the black up! adds standard exterior features such as pearl effect paint in "black pearl" and silver 16-inch alloy wheels ('classic' type), including black centre covers and size 185 tyres. Also standard here: a chrome look for the door mirror housings, fog light surrounds and side trim strips. The rear windows have an elegant dark tint starting at the B-pillar. The special model sports a 'black' signature at the front ends of the doors. The interior also makes a customised appearance. Here, the black up! is characterised by seat patterns in a grey-black tartan look and contrasting white seams as well as model-specific modifications to the leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear shift grip. In addition, the dash pad is painted 'black pearl'. Completing the upgrades are floor mats with contrasting colour borders as well as door sill plates and an 'up!' signature on the gear shift grip and steering wheel badge. Meanwhile, the extensive set of convenience features is perfected by the RCD 215 audio system and maps+more pack.
white up! - the pendant to the black up!. As might be expected, the exterior of the white up! is customised like that of the black up!, except for its colour. The wheels of the white up! are white, while the matching paint is called 'pure white'. Inside, the dash pad and the outer areas of the door trim are painted in white. Also white: contrasting seams and piping as well as the decorative seams of the trim covers for the gear shift and hand brake grip.
Engines of the up! Fuel economy and driving performance values are identical for both up! body versions. They are powered by three-cylinder petrol engines with 44 kW / 60 PS or 55 kW / 75 PS; both engines fulfil the Euro 5 emissions standard and drive the front wheels. The combined fuel consumption as a BlueMotion Technology version (with such features as a Stop/Start system, battery regeneration and tyres optimised for low rolling resistance): 4.1 l/100 km (60 PS) and 4.2 l/100 km (75 PS). Both 1.0-litre engines satisfy the 100 g/km CO2 emissions limit.
ASG - the automated gearbox. As an alternative to the standard 5-speed manual gearbox, these two petrol engines may be ordered over the course of the year with a new, automatic 5-speed gearbox as an option. With a weight of less than 30 kg, the so-called SQ100 is among the lightest automated gearboxes on the market. The gearbox offers the 'D', 'N' and 'R' level; as an alternative, the driver may change to the manual switch mode at any time. In the 'D' automatic mode, the gearbox selects the optimal switch moment in terms of consumption, thus lowering consumption again compared to the manual version. Compared to a conventional automatic with torque-converter clutch, there are some differences during the operation of the car: The especially efficient gearbox can do without the 'P' park level. Hence the up! is started not in 'P' (as is usual) but in 'N' (neutral). The advantage: Since the car is also parked in 'N', the driver does not have to switch to 'P' when starting. The 'automatic' is designed for a maximum input torque of 120 Nm and offers a long fifth gear. At greater speeds, this economy drive position causes the revs and thus the acoustic and exhaust emissions to be lowered-as well as consumption of course.