

Volkswagen has taken clear inspiration from its iconic Beetle in creating a new rear engine, rear-wheel drive concept car. Unveiled prior to the official start of the 2007 Frankfurt motor show was the new Volkswagen up! Called Volkswagen up!, the contemporary looking three-door hatchback points the way to an affordable new entry level model to be sold around the world from 2010.
The up! is part of a program aimed at seeing Volkswagen going back to its roots and concentrating its efforts on producing volume selling models with wide customer appeal.
That’s a dramatic turnaround after Volkswagen’s recent flirtation with the luxury car segment.
By opting for an unfashionable rear-engine/rear-wheel drive layout for its latest small car, Volkswagen is seeking to achieve dramatically reduced production costs and clear packaging advantages over the small car competition, the majority of which rely on a more conventional front-engine/front-wheel drive layout. The move is not without precedent, though. The smaller two seat Smart due to go on sale in North America early next year is also based around a rear-engine/rear-wheel drive design, leading to rumours in Frankfurt that parent company Mercedes-Benz may be interested in seeking a co-operation with Volkswagen on the development of a new small car platform for a possible four-seat Smart model. The up!, which Volkswagen chairman Martin Winterkorn hints could eventually be sold under the Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda brands as part of a concerted three-pronged attack on the small car ranks, was styled at Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg headquarters in Germany under the leadership of Walter de Silva.
That’s a dramatic turnaround after Volkswagen’s recent flirtation with the luxury car segment.
By opting for an unfashionable rear-engine/rear-wheel drive layout for its latest small car, Volkswagen is seeking to achieve dramatically reduced production costs and clear packaging advantages over the small car competition, the majority of which rely on a more conventional front-engine/front-wheel drive layout. The move is not without precedent, though. The smaller two seat Smart due to go on sale in North America early next year is also based around a rear-engine/rear-wheel drive design, leading to rumours in Frankfurt that parent company Mercedes-Benz may be interested in seeking a co-operation with Volkswagen on the development of a new small car platform for a possible four-seat Smart model. The up!, which Volkswagen chairman Martin Winterkorn hints could eventually be sold under the Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda brands as part of a concerted three-pronged attack on the small car ranks, was styled at Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg headquarters in Germany under the leadership of Walter de Silva.
Well known for his transformation of the look of the Audi line-up in recent years, the talented Italian designer has given the up! a highly modern appearance with a clean and uncluttered look that is aimed at appeal to buyers of all ages and ensuring classless appeal. At the same time, he has also provided new interpretations of Volkswagen’s classic badgeplate, including one that sits under the clear plastic screen at the rear and lights up when the tail lamps are in operation.The up! is just 3450mm in length and 1630mm in width. Despite these compact dimensions, Volkswagen claims to have provided it with class leading interior space. By adopting a similar mechanical layout to the original Beetle (as opposed to today’s front-engine model) and positioning its engine and other components low down at the rear, VW’s latest concept provides accommodation for four adults along with a limited amount of cargo space under the stubby bonnet up front and over the engine at the rear.
Source- http://www.drive.com.au