Volkswagen has confirmed that it will produce a five-door version of its Up! city car. Due for release in 2012, this vehicle was recently previewed as the Cross Up! at last month’s Frankfurt Show.
The engine line-up is expected to mirror that of the three-door Up! with a turbocharged 1,0-litre, three-cylinder unit in two states of tune– 44 kW and 55 kW – and it will be mated with either a five-speed manual or optional dual-clutch transmissions.
Trim levels are also expected to be the same as the three-door with the entry-level being the Take Up, mid-level is the Move Up and the flagship package is the High Up. Some features that will be offered include a removable Navigon infotainment/sat-nav system with parking assist module that slots into a dock on top of the facia.
The Up! hatchback city car combines practicality and eco-friendly engine technology in a stylish package that is set to comprise the bulk of Volkswagen’s future global sales, and forms an integral part of Volkswagen’s bid to become the largest global carmaker by 2018.
VWSA currently does not have any plans to introduce the Up! locally, possibly because it would compete too closely with the locally-made Vivo.