Volkswagen Up

The Volkswagen Up (stylized as Volkswagen up!) is a city car which was produced by the Volkswagen Group from 2011 to 2023. It is part of the New Small Family (NSF) series of models, alongside the SEAT Mii and Škoda Citigo which are rebadged versions of the Up, with slightly different front and rear fascias. Production begain in December 2011 at the Volkswagen Plant in Bratislava, Slovakia, with Volkswagen do Brasil making the model in Taubaté from February 2014 until 2021. The SEAT and Škoda versions were also manufactured in the Bratislava factory, before being withdrawn from sale in 2021 and 2020 respectively. Production of the Up ended in October 2023. A battery electric version, called E-up, was launched in autumn 2013.

The production Up follows a series of concept cars, starting in 2007 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The exterior was originally designed by the Brazilian designer Marco Pavone. This design was chosen and enhanced by Volkswagen Group Chief Designer Walter de'Silva, and Head Designer of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars marque, Klaus Zyciora. Shown at the Frankfurt launch were several further Up concepts, including a 98 hp (73 kW) GT version, a natural gas-powered Eco-up! (with CO₂ emissions of 79 g/km) and a four-door Cross model.

Where the Up concept used a rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, the 2011 production model has a front-engine, front-wheel drive layout, using the NSF platform, with a 3-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol engine.

It was originally reported that the Up concept would be produced under the name Lupo, like the Volkswagen Lupo that was discontinued in 2005. Eventually this plan changed and the 2011 production model was named the Up.

At the International Motor Show Germany in 2011, Volkswagen unveiled the final version of the Up based on the Volkswagen New Small Family (NSF) modular architecture. Production of the Up started with the model year of 2012, in December 2011 at the Volkswagen Plant in Bratislava, Slovakia. The three-door bodywork is inspired by the 2007 concept Up, the engine range is 1.0-litre three-cylinder gasoline 60 hp (45 kW) and 75 hp (56 kW). Both the three and five doors are available with engines running on CNG and called eco-Up. The Up is a front-wheel drive with transverse engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox and is 3.54 metres (139 in) long has a wheelbase of 2.42 m (95 in). The cabin is configured to four seats.

The Up range included the Up GTI, which was previewed by the GT Up concept. Released in January 2018, the Up GTI feature a turbocharged version of the 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine producing 115 PS (113 bhp; 85 kW). An electric hybrid Up — which would be badged Blue-e-motion — was planned for 2014 but never released.

Along with the other two rebadged models, Up is the first car in its class to offer an automated braking system, called City Emergency Braking. The system is automatically activated at speeds below 30 km/h (19 mph), when a laser sensor identifies a danger of collision and activates the brakes. In the SEAT model, the system is marketed as the City Safety Assist and in the Škoda model it is called City Safe Drive.

The Up won the 2012 World Car of the Year.