2007 Frankfurt Auto Show: Volkswagen up! Concept

• Looks like: A baby Rabbit
• Defining characteristics: A tiny car with the engine in the wrong place
• Ridiculous features: Light-up VW logo in back
• Chance of being mass-produced: For Europe, this could be a future city car; for the U.S. … VW will probably wait to see how the Smart ForTwo sells

Like in a Volkswagen Beetle, the engine sits behind the driver in this new concept from Volkswagen. The up! is a look at the future of city cars from VW, and we expect a real-life version could be under development. We’re a bit surprised the up! doesn’t feature VW’s now-trademark large black grille. The up! comes in at just 135 inches long — roughly the size of a Smart ForTwo — and can seat four people.

The three passenger seats can be removed, folded up and stored in the front trunk. There’s also an onboard computer that uses a touch-screen to control all climate control and entertainment functions. There’s a second display for the front passenger as well, in case he doesn’t agree with your current iPod selection.

The up! is a classic concept car — it’s not close to production-ready, but it’s a reasonable look for a VW city car that the company will need to develop. Take a look at more photos below and let us know if you’d give the up! a chance.

Comments

[Mike S]

"the engine in the wrong place" If I recall correctly there was a car made quite a while ago called the beetle. It seemed pretty successful for having an engine in the rear and there still are a few on the road today. Doesn't seem like there was too much wrong there. Also it would be interesting to have a rear mounted engine compared to a front driver, the front wheels don't have to do all the work. If anyone wants to mention the Corvair as a failed rear engine car please remember that the bean counters at GM didn't allow the car to have the proper components like a larger rear sway bar and larger rear wheels as the engineers said the car should have had.

[Dave T.]

Mike S
It's called a joke. after all these posts you need to have some levity around here. And if I were going to pick my favorite rear engine car it would be the Porsche 911.

[Ken L.]

Bottoms Up! Now that’s a joke when a wind gust blows this thing upside down.

why not call it a bunny? kinda wat it looks like

[Kyle C.]

It seats four and somewhere has an engine?

Ummmm This is perfect for Amuro ray who would argue that this is all a family of One father one mother and 2 teens need.

[Max Reid]

Its an ideal 2nd car for a family and also a rental car. Toyota and Fiat have shown this type of concepts and more small cars are coming in.

Oil prices keep rising and after the fall of SUV's and Minivans, now its the turn for Pickups

[M3]

Speaking of pickups, somebody ought to resurrect the idea of using a small FWD car platform for a pickup. Back in the early 80's Dodge had the Rampage built off the Omni and VW had their pickup built off the Rabbit. For light-duty delivery and hauling and commuting that many people use pickups for, this would be much more efficient and fun-to-drive than a Ford Ranger or Chevy Colorado. A couple of years ago when Malcom Bricklin was just about ready to bring back new cars from Zastava Motor Works (the company that made the Yugo) one model was going to be just this sort of thing.

[ziggy]

I have a family of four and would love to have something like this as a 2nd car. Actually I favor the smaller toyota iQ. Perfect for the 80 mile commute each day and you can still haul the kids to the mall.

[Dave T.]

M3,
yes except most cars today don't have any towing capability.

[Ken L.]

M3 & Dave T.,

Didn’t Subaru come out with the Baja a few years ago? That was about as close to car based pickup as you can get. And what happened? Not a lot of interest so they killed it.

[M3]

Ken, I think the problem with the Baja was the tiny little pickup bed was useless. Basically a Legacy wagon with back end open. It had seating for five. If Subaru had resurrected the BRAT pickup with a bigger bed and only two seats they'd have done better.

[Charlie]

After WW II Henry Ford was offered the remains of the VW infrastucture. He replied, "What we are being offered here is not worth a damn!" Not many years later VW was outselling Ford.

Seen the news today? World oil production is not meeting demand. Inventories are dropping far faster than analysts' forecasts.

I wish I had one right now. They may be hard to find when gas is $10/gallon.

[Charlie]

After WW II Henry Ford was offered the remains of the VW infrastucture. He replied, "What we are being offered here is not worth a damn!" Not many years later VW was outselling Ford.

Seen the news today? World oil production is not meeting demand. Inventories are dropping far faster than analysts' forecasts.

I wish I had one right now. They may be hard to find when gas is $10/gallon.

[Charlie]

After WW II Henry Ford was offered the remains of the VW infrastucture. He replied, "What we are being offered here is not worth a damn!" Not many years later VW was outselling Ford.

Seen the news today? World oil production is not meeting demand. Inventories are dropping far faster than analysts' forecasts.

I wish I had one right now. They may be hard to find when gas is $10/gallon.

[David S]

I would like to get my hands on one of those as my second car to my truck. I hope they come to the US

[steve]

Id buy the diesel in a heartbeat bring it to America VW.....

[adam]

Ya bring the diesel model!!!!!! out of all the small cars from kia rio, chevy aveo, honda fit, and so on this is the only one i would ever be caught driving and love!!!!! just the back is kinda odd but easy to get used too!!!!!! love the rear engine idea, kinda reminds me of the old beetles, or zonda f, carrera gt by porsche, and other supercars like bugatti veyron!!!!!! =) so it has my approval lol!!