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ReprintsVolkswagen unveils city car concept
Tom Armitage
Automotive News Europe
September 10, 2007 21:33 CET
FRANKFURT -- Volkswagen is taking aim at the small, city car segment, and is showing its direction with a concept vehicle named Up. The automaker unveiled the rear-engine, four-seat, three-door concept Monday as a prelude to the start of the Frankfurt auto show. It is the first rear-engine Volkswagen since the iconic Beetle. Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn said that the Up concept was a "real Volkswagen." He confirmed that the concept is one variant of a potential range of vehicles that VW is calling its New Small Family. VW is pushing the development of a generation of rear-engine small cars to compete with vehicles such as the Toyota Aygo, Automobilwoche reported. Automobilwoche is a sister publication of Automotive News Europe. The model range could include a four-door, a small wagon and a convertible. Winterkorn said that a version of the Up could be made for emerging markets. VW is pushing the development of the New Small Family, but it would not be ready before 2011, sources told Automobilwoche. The Up was one of eight new models unveiled by the Volkswagen Group on Monday. The German automaker unveiled a second concept, the Seat Tribu -- a compact, three-door SUV. VW said the Seat Tribu advanced the future look of Seat models. The concept has a clean, high performance 4-cylinder diesel engine, VW said. You may e-mail Tom Armitage at autonews@crain.com |
You can reach Tom Armitage at autonews@crain.com.
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