The Volkswagen Up (stylized as Volkswagen up!) is a city car produced by the Volkswagen Group since 2011. It was unveiled at the 2011 International Motor Show Germany (IAA). Production of the Up started in December 2011 at the Volkswagen Plant in Bratislava, Slovakia. A battery electric version, called E-up, was launched in autumn 2013. It is part of the part of the New Small Family (NSF) series of models, alongside the SEAT Mii and Škoda Citigo which are rebadged versions of the Up, with slightly different front and rear fascias, that were manufactured in the same factory before being withdrawn from sale in 2021 and 2020 respectively.
Overview
Pre-production
The production Up follows a series of concept cars, starting in 2007 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The exterior was originally designed by the Brazilian designer Marco Pavone. This design was chosen and enhanced by Volkswagen Group Chief Designer Walter de'Silva, and Head Designer of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars marque, Klaus Zyciora. Shown at the Frankfurt launch were several further Up concepts, including a GT version, a natural gas-powered Eco-up! (with emissions of 79 g/km) and a four-door Cross model.
Where the Up concept used a rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, the 2011 production model has a front-engine, front-wheel drive layout, using the NSF platform, with a 3-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol engine.
It was originally reported that the Up concept would be produced under the name Lupo, like the Volkswagen Lupo that was discontinued in 2005. Eventually this plan changed and the 2011 production model was named the Up.
Production version
At the International Motor Show Germany in 2011, Volkswagen unveiled the final version of the Up based on the Volkswagen New Small Family (NSF) modular architecture. The three-door bodywork is inspired by the 2007 concept Up, the engine range is 1.0-litre three-cylinder gasoline and . Both the three and five doors are available with engines running on CNG and called eco-Up. The Up is a front-wheel drive with transverse engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox and is long has a wheelbase of . The cabin is configured to four or five seats.
The Up range included the Up GTI, which was previewed by the GT Up concept. Released in January 2018, the Up GTI feature a turbocharged version of the 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine producing . An electric hybrid Up — which would be badged Blue-e-motion — was planned for 2014 but never released.
Along with the other two rebadged models, Up is the first car in its class to offer an automated braking system, called City Emergency Braking. The system is automatically activated at speeds below , when a laser sensor identifies a danger of collision and activates the brakes. In the SEAT model, the system is marketed as the City Safety Assist and in the Škoda model it is called City Safe Drive.
The Up won the 2012 World Car of the Year.
Marketing
The Up! is available to order in the United Kingdom since October 2011 for five models – marketed as Take Up, Move Up, High Up, Up Black and Up White. British television show Top Gear presenters mocked the unusual name by calling the model "Up-exclamation-mark".
The Up was introduced on the German market on 3 December 2011. Deliveries to other European markets began in April 2012.
In 2013, Volkswagen introduced the cross up! model, which has 15 mm more ground clearance than the standard model, and comes with plastic side skirts and wheel-arch flares as standard.
In 2014, at the Geneva Motor Show, Seat presented the 2014 Seat Mii by Mango model aimed towards women, made in collaboration with the Spanish fashion company Mango.
The SEAT Mii limited production started in October 2011 for the European market, with sales having started at the end of 2011. The final version was launched in May 2012.
The Up was sold in Australia until 2015, when it was withdrawn due to slow sales. Plans for the Škoda Citigo to be sold in Australia were also shelved.
At the Geneva Motor Show in 2016, the model sold in Europe received a facelift and the new TSI engine, that went on sale in the summer the same year.
The Up was not sold in North America, CIS countries, Middle East, India, China, South Korea, and Southeast Asia. Japanese sales began in October 2012. Due to its small size, the Up was one of Volkswagen's successful introduction in Japan. The Up was also launched in South Africa in March 2015. Two models were offered at launch, both are the 1.0-litre 55 kW three-door variant. The two local options were marketed as Take Up, and the Move Up.