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As small as the car is itself, Volkswagen wanted to ensure its Up! city car would make a big impact when it lifted the veil on the production model at the Frankfurt Motor Show. So along with the basic three-door hatch, the German automaker also brought out a series of concept cars that gave us a hint at what the future of the product line could hold in store.

Though little in the way of details were offered on the show floor, Volkswagen has been highlighting these concepts one at a time in the weeks that have passed since. First in line was the Cross Up! that confirmed the arrival of a five-door model. Then came the Buggy Up! that showed a more playful side of the platform. Now Wolfsburg has detailed the GT Up!, demonstrating the little hatchback’s sporting potential.

Applying a similar formula that’s transformed the Golf into the GTI, the GT Up! packs such performance-oriented extras as 17-inch alloys filling up those little wheel wells, a wider grille, brake ducts with integrated LED daytime running lights, extended side sills, gloss-black side mirror housings, a rear spoiler and diffuser and twin exhaust pipes.

The interior has been done up with blue-checked anthracite upholstery, a black headliner, gloss-black trim and leather-wrapped three-spoke wheel. While the GT Up isn’t quite confirmed for production at this point, it does show us what could come down the pipeline. In the meantime, you can check out the high-resolution images and the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Volkswagen concept injects Up! with a shot of GT

Volkswagen concept injects Up! with a shot of GT originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen adds another dollop of masculinity to its Beetle with the Frankfurt debut of the Beetle R Concept. Painted in “Serious Grey,” and fitted with bright 20-inch “Talladega” alloy wheels, the high-performance derivative is appealing.

Under the hood of the front-wheel-drive coupe is VW’s familiar turbocharged 2.0 TSI four-cylinder mated to a six-speed DSG automatic gearbox. The automaker hasn’t announced an official power rating, but we suspect it is making about 240 horsepower. That’s a bit less than the output of the same powerplant in the Golf R and Scirocco R, but we aren’t complaining.

Check out the oversize front brakes, complete with hard-to-miss-blue four-piston calipers, and the widened front and rear bumpers. In addition to the lower front splitter, there are three prominent intakes, each with its own role (the middle supplies the engine with oxygen, while the outer two contribute to cooling the brakes). There are also ventilation slots in the hood, to bleed excess heat from the engine bay. At the rear, there is a unique tail fascia with two sets of dual chrome tailpipes.

Inside, the deep bucket sport seats are upholstered in Nappa leather with an embossed logo on the backrest. Contrasting colors add interest to the dashboard and gear shift grip, and the R-specific instrumentation includes auxiliary gauges to keep things in check. Follow the jump for the full details in the press release.

Continue reading Volkswagen Beetle R Concept gets shot of testosterone

Volkswagen Beetle R Concept gets shot of testosterone originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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There aren’t a lot of cars out there that have more doors than seats. Usually it’s the other way around, but that’s what Volkswagen has in store with the Nils concept. The tiny one-seater packs two polycarbonate gullwing doors (plus a rear hatch) in a unique shape that envisions a future mode of transportation for European commuters.

Riding on four outboard wheels with individual fenders, the Nils is about more than its form factor, though. Behind the driver sits a 15 kW electric motor that delivers a range of about 40 miles, but with a 25 kW overboost function that can propel it to 62 mph in 11 seconds. Charging from a standard European socket takes only two hours. The diminutive concept also packs all the latest electronic safety systems you’d expect from a larger car into its 1,000-pound shape, built around an aluminum space frame.

This isn’t the first time that Volkswagen has toyed with the idea of a single-seat commuter, having showcased the Formula XL1 concept earlier this year. Nor will it be the only narrow EV concept the Volkswagen Group will unveil next week at the Frankfurt Motor Show, joining the 1+1 Audi Urban Concept in the group’s pavilion. We’ll be there to check them both out, but for now you can follow the jump for the full press release and the quartet of high-res images in the gallery for a closer look.

Continue reading Volkswagen takes another shot at single-seat mobility with Frankfurt-bound Nils concept

Volkswagen takes another shot at single-seat mobility with Frankfurt-bound Nils concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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