Volkswagen showed up at the ongoing 2012 Geneva Motor Show with a slew of new models, most notably the new Golf GTI Cabriolet, the Cross Coupe Concept and the 5-door version of the Up!. The convertible version of the Golf GTI is powered by the same 2.0-litre engine of the hatchback version, delivering 211 hp and 280 Nm of peak torque. this unit can be coupled to either a manual or a DSG dual clutch auto transmission. Its performance figures are pretty impressive: 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 7.3 seconds and 236 km/h (147 mph) of top speed. Aesthetically, the car is almost identical to the model it is based upon, although certain details are wittingly recalling the glorious GTI convertible of the 80s.

Also making its first appearance ever is the 5-door variant of the little VW Up!, which is on display in Geneva in four different variants that were specifically designed for the Swiss event. Its compact design makes it an ideal city car, while its 1.0-litre 3-cylinder engine allows it to be pretty responsive and doesn’t need to drink that much. Among the special versions showcased at the VW’s stand in Geneva, there’s also the Swiss Up!, an homage to the host of the kermesse which boasts patterns inspired by Swiss flag both inside and outside. There are also two special versions of the 5-door Cross Up!: the Winter Up!, thought for skiing lovers, and the X Up!, dedicated to those who need to carry a lot of stuff when traveling. Besides, there is also the Cargo Up!, a little van-version of the model for commercial purposes which boasts no less than 1,400 litres of capacity.

The Geneva Motor Show represents the world debut for the Polo Blue GT as well, which is powered by a 1.4 TSI engine producing 140 hp and boasts an average fuel consumption of only 4.7 l/100 km and CO2 emissions of 108g/km. The standard model comes with a manual gearbox, but a DSG dual clutch transmission will also be made available as optional extra, an addition that will have the average fuel consumption figure go down to 4.5 l/100 km, with 105 g/km of CO2 emission. Also making is world debut is the new , an innovative SUV with an undeniable sporty flair to it. This car is credited with a total output of 306 hp that is the result of the combined action of its TDI engine as well as two electric motors. Claimed top speed for the Cross Coupe Concept is 220 km/h (136 mph), but the most significant figure for this car concerns its fuel consumption: it requires just 1.8 litres of diesel every 100 km, while CO2 emissions is rated at 46 g/km only. Last but not least, the VW Passat Alltrack is also in Geneva for its official debut on European soil: this all-wheel drive version of the Passat is powered by a 2.0-litre TDI unit delivering 170 hp, and has a ride height increased by 30 mm. Check the whole lot out in our exclusive photo gallery.

View the full Volkswagen live at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show photo gallery

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As it always happens, as soon as some naughty image of a new model leak on the internet, the carmaker promptly releases some official image of the exposed vehicle as well. This is what just happened for the new 5 door version of the Volkswagen Up! whose first grainy images taken from the licensing documentation appeared just a few days ago.

The new version of the German city car measures 3.54 meters in length, 1.64 in width and 1.48 in height, with 2.42 meters of wheel base that allows for an extra 789 mm of legroom for the passengers at the back. The load capacity of the trunk varies between 251 and 951 litres, according to the configuration of the rear bench. Aesthetically, the extra set of doors required a slight modification of the rear end, with windows and C-pillar now forming a 90 degree angle with the roof. This variant then loses the distinctive rack angle of the C-pillar that differentiates the 3-door version from its twin sisters Seat Mii and Skoda Citigo.

The 5-door version of VW Up! will be officially unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show (March 8-18) and should become available on the market shortly afterwards with a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder engine in power steps of 60 and 75 hp.

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Czech website autoforum.cz has published a series of images of the Volkswagen up! 5D - the 5-door variation of its recently unveiled Up! city car - that, apparently, have been taken from the documentation provided by VW to put a license over its design. These grainy images show us a model that looks almost identical to the Cross Up! concept showcased at the last Frankfurt Motor Show. The Volkswagen Up! 5D is expected to appear in a few months equipped with a 75 hp 1.0-litre engine.

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With the Seat Mii the Volkswagen group completes its A segment offerings after introducing the Volkswagen Up! and the Skoda Citigo. The Mii comes with a one-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine with either 60 or 75 hp, start&stop technology on the Ecomotive version and a 250-litre boot.

The difference between the three models lies only in the front end, with the Mii sporting a Seat logo and dedicated bumpers. The interior has a few slight differences and a mobile infotainment system with a five-inch screen will be available.

The Mii will join the other Volkswagen citycars in Bratislava production and like the other two, the line-up will probably be expanded in the future to include five-door, electric and bi-fuel models. The Seat Mii will be on sale in Spain this year and will expand to other European markets in 2012.

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In a surprise move, Volkswagen has officially announced that a further variation of their new Up! model will soon be produced with a 4 door body type. The new Up! will be similar to the Cross Up! concept showcased at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, accentuating the crossover-inspired styling of the basic model in the wake of all the other VW “Cross” models. The whole engine range will be shared with the Up! series, including the brand new 1.0 3 cylinder petrol with outputs of 60 and 75hp. The new Up! will probably enter the market in the second half of 2012.

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The new entry-level Volkswagen Up citycar to go on display at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show gets its first video. In this Up! video we get to see more of the design which picks up where the Volkswagen Lupo left off, and which replaces the less successful Fox.

Volkswagen is getting in on the one-litre engine act, offering a three-cylinder 1.0-litre turbo petrol unit on the Up, with either 60 or 75 hp. The company claims an average fuel consumption of 4.2 l/100 km. A new gas-fuelled model will appear in 2013 with even better fuel economy of 3.2 l/100 km and CO2 emissions of just 86 g/km.

The diminutive model could be quite an important refresh for Volkswagen as it pursues its plans to be the world’s biggest car manufacturer by 2018. If there’s one thing the tiny Up will have it’s profit in volume production, although the price in Europe is set to be about €9,800. No other market release details are available at this stage.

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Let’s put aside the question of whether the world really needs a GTI version of the newly released Volkswagen Up, and get an idea of what it it might look like. The new Volkswagen citycar Up will hit the VW stand at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and apparently the brand’s afficionados out there are already looking to the new models it might spawn.

This Up GTI rendering shows the classic Volkswagen GTI black and red trim, centrally placed exhaust pipes and a new set of wheels. We’re not particularly sold on the idea because the rear end of the Up doesn’t really pull off a sporty look for us, but live pics from Frankfurt might help us change our mind.

Source | PS-Garage via Autoblog

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The new Volkswagen Up (have we finally dropped the exclamation mark…?) is planned to be a big seller for the company as the Volkswagen Group continues its push to become the world’s biggest automaker. Replacing the Volkswagen Lupo, these pics show the new Up to be a substantial looker despite its A segment size.

The new Volkswagen citycar measures 3.54 metres long, 1.6 metres wide and 1.48 metres high, with a wheelbase of 2.4 metres to provide ultimate interior room. With a simple design and practical layout, Autocar says Volkswagen designer Klaus Bischoff claims optimal space utilisation on the model, while maintaining a compact size for city use.

The Up comes in smaller than the three-door Volkswagen Polo and should be slightly cheaper as well - whether it’s cheap enough to compete in emerging markets will be seen only when it gets a worldwide release sometime throughout 2012. The Up uses Volkswagen’s MQB front-wheel drive platform with a transverse, one-litre petrol fuelled engine providing 59 hp, or 74 hp with added boost pressure.

Continue reading: 2012 Volkswagen Up

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