With some decisions you having a hard time, others fly to one. Four years ago, the Volkswagen leadership in the business jet from the Detroit car traveled show to Hanover. In the luggage they had certainty: the world – the American part of it needs small cars. In the approach, the VW up was decided. And the designers Walter de Silva and Klaus Bischof had already the first sketches on paper. Now, the production version of the VW up at the IAA celebrates premiere. Advance opportunity to drive up times shortly with the trailblazer-VW already existed. The first impression: of minimalism in the VW up no trace. At least on the front seats, you can sit very comfortably. The seats are comfortable and offer good lateral support. The feeling that everything fits head room.

Well processed Interior in the VW up in the field of view one has a wide, painted sheet, which is home to the operation of air-conditioning and radio in the middle. The switches and buttons are well placed and high quality. For example, the lateral Luftausströmer snap at the lateral twisting and close with a rich Clack.

And the new cylinder? He is initially quietly. Untenherum he does but not particularly nippy. Obenherum, it shall then knurrig to Word. “This is also so wanted,” explains VW head of development Ulrich Hackenberg. The developer had some trouble with the concept of VW-Up at the beginning. Rear-engine and rear-wheel drive were intended in the original design. Hackenberg, a friend of synergies, favoured the cross built front engine with front – wheel drive and prevailed. The new cylinder can be used even in the Gulf. And one can imagine well more expansions of one liter engine up to turbocharging.

Four adults and 251 litres luggage in the VW are there besides the compactness up for Hackenberg three subjects who speak up for the new, small VW: on the one hand the high space efficiency. With a very long wheelbase of 2.42 metres one gives up the VW plenty of internal space with room for four adults and a trunk volume of 251 litres. To work around the split rear seat, then the storage grows to considerable 951 litres. The second point on the Hackenberg-list is a small statfs NAVIGON navigation device. It communicates with the VW up, via touch screen navigation can be that control telephone or Infotainment. There are also important vehicle information – for example, the display of the Park pilot. The small Navigerät is easily removable and costs less than 400 euros. My third point is security. ESP is series. The city emergency brake function of the VW up, a novelty in the small car segment, will cost extra. At speeds below 30 km/h, an impending collision, the system automatically introduces an emergency braking.

VW untersteuernd up, but agile and how it looks up with the safety of the VW? First of all surprised the comfort so not expected of a small car. And then he drives while untersteuernd, but agile to the corners. Of excessive building range nothing is felt. The small Volkswagen cheerfully with swims in the transport sector. The positive impression is marred by early-onset wind noise. But it is up to pre-series models of VW. The one or the other ridge of plastic parts or the Hakeln in the first two courses are to be cut off up to the launch in September. Because Hackenberg stressed: “We want to get a car in this segment with our usual VW precision.” In the body area of the VW up this already succeeded. VW CEO Martin Winterkorn removes proudly about the precise lines and edges: “no one else can this so.” Marketing Chief Luca de MEO is pleased that the “largest European carmaker with the VW has now an entry-level model for less than 10,000 euros offered up”. Although not much more expensive, but rather, the predecessor, Fox was a disappointment. He came in his segment just 2.3 percent market share. With the VW up to it with the sales figures upward go: “We expect 100,000 new customers per year”, the goal defined de MEO.