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Drawing inspiration from the L1
Concept which made its debut at
the Frankfurt Motor Show in
September, Volkswagen has today
unveiled the pioneering new Up!
Lite concept, a vehicle which
sets new standards in economy
and efficiency.
Packaged in a body with a
coefficient of drag measuring
just 0.237, the Up! Lite is
capable of seating four adults
in comfort yet thanks to its
hybrid drivetrain it can travel
115.7 miles on a single gallon
of fuel while emitting just 65
g/km of CO2.
A
combination of efficiency gains
make these figures possible, but
perhaps the most important is a
total kerb weight of just 695 kg
– that’s almost 30 per cent
lighter than Volkswagen’s Fox
city car.
Powering the Up! Lite is an 800
cc two cylinder common rail
diesel engine closely linked to
that seen in the L1 Concept
developing 51 PS at 4,000 rpm
and 88 lbs ft of torque between
1,800 rpm and 2,250 rpm. The
diesel engine is combined with
an electric motor developing 14
PS to give the Up! Lite a useful
boost when overtaking.
Alternatively it can be
disengaged from the diesel
engine entirely and used during
low speed manoeuvres. Gear
changes are carried out via a
seven-speed twin clutch DSG
automatic gearbox. As with the
current range of BlueMotion
models, the Up! Lite uses a
Start-Stop system to maximise
efficiency and regenerative
braking.
The Up! Lite is constructed from
a mix of lightweight materials
including aluminium and
carbonfibre to keep the
vehicle’s kerb weight to a
minimum. Even the diesel engine
has been optimised and weighs
just 55 kg. This allows the
concept’s modest 65 PS hybrid
drivetrain to power the Up! Lite
from rest to 62 mph in 12.5
seconds before reaching a top
speed of 100 mph.
The styling of the Up! Lite
joins the mechanical changes in
breaking new ground for
Volkswagen. The Up! Lite debuts
a new styling direction with
obvious references to current
products such as the Polo and
Golf but with entirely new
elements such as the rear end
styling and the window line.
Measuring 3,840 mm in length
the concept is slightly shorter
than the Polo and is styled to
maximise aerodynamic efficiency.
Examples of aerodynamic
modifications include the front
radiator grille which shuts off
completely when it’s not
required and tiny cameras which
take the place of conventional
wing mirrors.
The minimalist theme continues
in the interior of the Up! Lite
which features bright, clean
surfaces to reduce clutter and
therefore complexity. The main
controls for the operation of
the vehicle are grouped around
the steering wheel, while the
climate and entertainment
functions are handled by the
central touchscreen. Up front,
the driver and passenger seats
fold forward to allow access for
the rear-seat passengers. For
larger loads the rear seats and
the front passenger seat can all
fold flat into the floor.
Using components from the New
Small Family of vehicles set to
be launched from 2011 onwards,
the Up! Lite is intended as a
step towards a viable production
car.
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