The up! isVolkswagens all-new city car and despite its small size its packed with the goods. The small car offers maximum space on a minimal footprint and as with all VW’s the quality and attention to detail is high and embodies the core values of the Volkswagen brand. Volkswagen believes The up! has come to market at just the right time as almost no other vehicle class is set to grow as much in the coming years as that of the sub light segment. The up! is built at the Volkswagen plant in Bratislava, Slovakia and is available in 3-door and 5-door. Being designed for the city Theup!’s dimensions are key to its status. At 3,540mm in length, 1,641mm in width and 1,476mm in height, the up! is one of the smallest four-seater cars available. Its overall length consists of short body overhangs and a long wheelbase of 2,420mm. Thanks to these dimensions the turning circle of the up! is a rather compact 9.8 metres. Inside The Up! the space is more than first thought when looking at it from the outside. There is room for four adults without too much squeezing and that is due to the wheelbase, which is one of the longest in the segment.Combined this with an engine that is mounted well forward and the interior space is not too shabby. The 251-litre boot is also significantly larger than is typical in this class. When the rear seat is fully folded, cargo space increases to 951 litres. Powering The up! is a new generation three-cylinder petrol engine with an output of 55kW. Combined fuel consumption is a low 4.9 L/100km on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 114 g/km. The entirely new up! is also the first car in its class in the world to have a City Emergency Braking function, which at speeds of between 5km/h to 30km/h detects the risk of an impending collision and can reduce accident severity by initiating automatic brake interventions that can even avoid a crash. So far, the up! is the only vehicle in the segment to be offered with this function. Another entirely new feature appearing for the first time in a Volkswagen is the Maps + More system – a portable touchscreen module. It contains a navigation system, hands-free telephone unit, display of factual information related to the vehicle and a media player. In addition, it will now be possible to use apps to tailor Maps + More to a driver’s highly individualised personal requirements profile. Maps + More is clicked into place above the centre console where it interfaces with the electronics network of the up! In the economically priced up!, a system was developed for organising the areas of navigation, telephone, information and entertainment that is just as economical. The portable device was also designed so that it could be brought up to the latest software levels via a simple update. In cooperation with Navigon, one of the world’s leading suppliers of portable navigation systems, the special solution Maps + More was created; it is tailored to the up! and is affordable for all buyers.  

Volkswagen will be extending its Passat model range with another model to join the lineup, the Passat Alltrack. This new version closes the gap between Passat Wagon and SUVs such as the Touareg. The new model is defined by SUV-style bumpers – with wheel well and side sill arches. Its greater off-road ramp angle, approach angle, departure angle and higher ground clearance all make the Passat Alltrack an excellent SUV alternative. The Alltrack made its Australian debut at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney. The new Alltrack will be powered by Volkswagen’s 125kW 2.0-litre TDI engine and will also be equipped with 4MOTION all-wheel drive and a dual clutch transmission (DSG). While the Alltrack’s turbocharged diesel engine makes a potent 350Nm of torque, the Alltrack maintains the kind of frugal fuel consumption Volkswagen owners expect; with combined fuel economy of just 6.3l/100 km, thanks to the standard BlueMotion Technologies. The declared goal of Volkswagen’s designers was to reflect the Alltrack’s all-road competence with functional styling. In the area of the side profile, for example, the classic wheel housings and side sill arches are used; offering functionality and rugged protection. In interplay with the higher ground clearance, the underbody protection panels are integrated front and rear, further establishing a link between passenger cars and SUVs designs. Volkswagen SUV drivers are familiar with the “off-road function”, a driving program offered on the Touareg. For the first time at Volkswagen, this clever, multifunctional system is available in a Passat Alltrack. The driver activates this programme by pressing an Off-road button on the centre console. Specifically, the settings for the safety and driver assistance systems and DSG control are modified as follows: Safety systems: The anti-lock braking system (ABSplus) is now characterised by higher thresholds for control intervals; on loose road surfaces such as gravel, a wedge of road substrate is formed in front of the tyres to decelerate the vehicle even more effectively. At the same time, the electronic differential locks (EDL) react quicker to prevent wheelspin at individual wheels. The engine’s torque control (ASR) is modified in parallel. Driver assistance systems: Hill descent assist is automatically activated at a descent angle greater than 10 degrees; braking the vehicle while functions of the optional adaptive cruise control (ACC) and Front Assist are deactivated. The Passat Alltrack is delivered with 4MOTION all-wheel drive. Normally, the front axle is the primary drive axle in the Passat Alltrack 4MOTION; while the rear axle only gets ten per cent of the drive torque, saving on fuel. The rear axle is gradually engaged depending on the specific driving and road situation. The Passat Alltrack comes with an impressive list of standard features, and maintains the kind of sharp, competitive pricing synonymous with Volkswagen, with a starting price under $50,000. In terms of safety, the Passat Alltrack comes with eight airbags, daytime running lights, ESP and a fatigue detection system; while in keeping with the rest of the Passat range, the Alltrack also features standard satellite navigation, rear view camera and a power tailgate, plus a leather-appointed interior. Full specifications and pricing of the Passat Alltrack will available at launch later this month.

It was only a few years ago that the World Rally Championship (WRC) was losing manufactures left right and centre. But now as this year’s competition gets closer to the end, Hyundai have announced that they are poised to return to the series. Hyundai began their rallying career in 1998, competing in the F2 class of the WRC for two seasons. After the teams rookie season and an extra two for learning, in 1999 the company announced they would step up to the full WRC in the year 2000. Hyundai had been developing a full WRC car based on the three-door Accent. But it would not be running in the top level of rally for all that long. At the end of the 2003 season Hyundai announced they would be withdrawing from the WRC and would begin embarking on its long-term strategy to set up an in-house WRC team in Europe. As the Paris Motor Show opened its doors the many waiting media, the world of rallying was hit wait the news that Hyundai Motor Company is poised to return to the FIA World Rally Championship. Hyundai will be taking the challenge to the already established teams of Ford and Citroen and newly entered Mini and Volkswagen in the rally ready i20. The WRC is one of the world’s toughest motorsport series, and the Hyundai i20 vehicle has been engineered to withstand the extreme terrains and weather conditions competitors face throughout the championship. “The World Rally Championship is recognised as one of the most dramatic sporting series on Earth,” said Mark Hall, Marketing Director at Hyundai Motor Europe. “It’s a spectacle filled with excitement and dynamism – the perfect embodiment of the Hyundai brand. “The WRC also offers the most technologically-diverse challenge for an automotive manufacturer. Our participation will demonstrate Hyundai’s engineering excellence and durability, and will also help to enhance our road-going vehicles in future.”

Only a few weeks ago the new seventh generation Golf was shown to a special crowd in Germany. Now it has made its World public debut at the Paris Motor Show. At the Volkswagen display stand in Paris, everything revolves around the new Golf. In showing prototypes of the fuel-efficient Golf BlueMotion and the sporty Golf GTI, you would think by looking at them they are both almost ready to go into full production. As well as these models, Volkswagen is also providing a first look at some models of the future. Available across Europe from the autumn, the Golf is being presented to a broad audience for the first time. With its larger interior (extra legroom in the back and 30 litres more luggage space), new pioneering safety systems such as multi-collision braking fitted as standard and a proactive passenger protection system (PreCrash), plus completely redesigned information and entertainment systems, Volkswagen is aiming to continue the bestseller’s success story. New, fuel-efficient engines like the 103 kW petrol motor with cylinder deactivation and consumption of 4.8 litres per 100 kilometres (121 g CO₂/km) use up to 23 per cent less fuel than their predecessors. Optimisation at this level on the new Golf is, however, not the exception, but the rule. The base models consume as petrol versions (TSI) 4.9 l/100 km (equating to 115 g CO₂/km) and as diesels (TDI) just 3.8 l/100 km (99 g CO₂ /km). By showing the near-production concept of the next Golf BlueMotion, Volkswagen is also giving visitors an insight into some sophisticated and yet affordable fuel-saving technologies. The future Golf BlueMotion excels with impressive average fuel consumption of just 3.2 l/100 km, equating to a CO₂ value of 85 g/km. It launches as a full production model in the summer of 2013. Proof that even sporty vehicles can be fuel-efficient is provided by the new Golf GTI concept car. At just 6.0 l/100 km the seventh generation of the sporty classic again sets a new record. The average fuel consumption of the 162 kW Golf GTI has been reduced in comparison to its predecessor by 1.3 litres or 18 per cent.

The up! is an all-new city car from Volkswagen. With its pure design, maximum space on a minimal footprint, quality and attention to detail as well as affordable innovations it embodies the core values of the Volkswagen brand. The up! has come to market at just the right time for Volkswagen as almost no other vehicle class is set to grow as much in the coming years as that of the sub light segment. The up! is built at the Volkswagen plant in Bratislava, Slovakia and is available in 3-door and 5-door. The up!’s dimensions are key to its city car status. At 3,540mm in length, 1,641mm in width and 1,476mm in height, the up! is one of the smallest four-seater cars available. Its overall length consists of short body overhangs and a long wheelbase of 2,420mm. Thanks to these dimensions the turning circle of the up! is a compact 9.8 metres. Use of space inside the car is exceptionally good with room for four adults. This is due to the wheelbase, which is one of the longest in the segment, combined with an engine that is mounted well forward. The 251-litre boot is also significantly larger than is typical in this class. When the rear seat is fully folded, cargo space increases to 951 litres. Powering the up! is a new generation three-cylinder petrol engine with an output of 55kW. Combined fuel consumption is a low 4.9 L/100km on the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 114 g/km. The entirely new up! is also the first car in its class in the world to have a City Emergency Braking function, which at speeds of between 5km/h to 30km/h detects the risk of an impending collision and can reduce accident severity by initiating automatic brake interventions that can even avoid a crash. So far, the up! is the only vehicle in the segment to be offered with this function. Another entirely new feature appearing for the first time in a Volkswagen is the Maps + More system – a portable touchscreen module. It contains a navigation system, hands-free telephone unit, display of factual information related to the vehicle and a media player. In addition, it will now be possible to use apps to tailor Maps + More to a driver’s highly individualised personal requirements profile. Maps + More are clicked into place above the centre console where it interfaces with the electronics network of the up! In the economically priced up!, a system was developed for organising the areas of navigation, telephone, information and entertainment that is just as economical. The portable device was also designed so that it could be brought up to the latest software levels via a simple update. In cooperation with Navigon, one of the world’s leading suppliers of portable navigation systems, the special solution Maps + More was created; it is tailored to the up! and is affordable for all buyers.