New VW runabout has the right stuff to be a people's car

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Frankfurt - Never mind the odd name, Volkswagen's new cheeky urban runabout, the VW "up!", has all the makings of a people's car to rival the legendary Beetle. The design teaser of the three-door micro car was one of the most talked-about exhibits at this year's 10-day Frankfurt Car Show.

By Martin Bensley

Public reaction to the shape and concept will determine whether the ultra-compact goes into production.

While it had been known for months that the Wolfsburg maker was working on a super-mini, the Frankfurt expo marked the first showing of the real thing after imaginative artist's renderings and much speculation.

Volkswagen Group chief executive Martin Winterkorn pulled off the dust sheet from the silvery-white concept vehicle at a press showing before posing behind the wheel for a phalanx of photographers.

Like the original Beetle, the new urban mini car has its engine at the rear. The three-cylinder diesel unit lies under the back seats and powers the wheels attached to the rear axles.

Despite a length of just 3.45 metres, the Up is said to be roomy enough for four adults and to offer more space than any other car in its class. By the way, the unusual name stands for "departure, activity, dynamics and the future", explained VW board member Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg.

Details of power train and performance are still not available and VW's publicity material does not even mention the engine. The Up was closely guarded by VW officials in Frankfurt and journalists who tried to catch a glimpse of its mechanicals were shooed away.

Plain for all to see is the front aspect of the Up which has a curvaceous bonnet without a conventional grille and an oversized VW symbol in the middle.

The styling takes cues from the no-frills Volkswagen Beetle, the "people's car" which was originally designed for the masses by Adolf Hitler's Nazis. It became an automotive icon and well over 21 million Beetles were sold before production ceased in 2003.

Klaus Bischoff, chief designer for the Volkswagen brand, said the prototype Up had been put together in a record six months, just in time to meet the Frankfurt deadline. If the VW board gives the green light, the car could be in the showrooms by late 2009.

"I think it has the makings of a real trendsetter", said Bischoff: "It embodies all the features that people expect from a Volkswagen - durability, affordability and eco-friendliness".

According to Hackenberg, the Up will be priced at around 8,000 euros (around 11,000 US dollars) and may later be available as a petrol-electric hybrid or battery-driven car.

As a member of a future "New Small Family" range, the new mini car is set to be sold in a variety of versions for urban buyers in western Europe, Japan and maybe North America. The Up is also likely to be marketed under the brand names of VW subsidiaries Seat and Skoda.