Vokswagen Up/ Lupo Mule Caught

Volkswagen Up Mule / Copyright Carpix

Shortened Polo shell likely the production version of the Up! concept

By Alex Ricciuti
October 13, 2009 5:33 PM
Filed Under: German, Spy Photos, Volkswagen

A VW mule has been spied by our intrepid photographers doing some road testing for what will be a new sub-compact/city car for Europe's biggest automaker.

This is very likely the production prototype for the Volkswagen Up! which VW has already introduced as a concept car. But it is masking itself quite well under a shortened Polo shell so we cannot tell from the pics how much the production Up! will come to resemble the concept one we've already seen.

The Up! may come to drop its concept name and revert back to being the Lupo as previously reported, a minicar model VW discontinued. Or maybe it will only lose the exclamation point. Both 3 and 5-door variants are expected, with the 5-door being a little longer. An E-Up! has also been introduced as a concept, so we can perhaps expect a fully electric version sometime later too.

The new Up!/Lupo is expected to make it to market by 2011 with a slate of compact diesel and petrol/gasoline engines from VW's stable of powerplants. The electric version has been tentatively scheduled for a 2013 release.

 

Comments

politz
October 13, 2009 8:32 PM
I really like the concept versions shown up to now... and I even like the Up! name, exclamation point and all, but it just doesn't sound fit for the VW brand. I mean, VW is not funny, young and full of joy... but solid, reliable and efficient. Up! could be a good name for a Scion or a Kia... but not a VW.

afterace2
October 13, 2009 11:09 PM
lol, i actually like this mule, looks kinda sweet :P

BabyMilo
October 14, 2009 6:56 AM
I liked the concept version of the Up! and thought that the Lupo was a really cool car. So fingers crossed that this will live up to my expectations

andrewB
October 14, 2009 4:22 PM
I remember the name Lupo, hope the use that name again, up sounds silly and not a name for a car, doesnt float or hover

HEMI426
October 15, 2009 9:18 PM
I like the UP! concept cars beacause they are rear engined, the production model gets a front engine, why? Is vw afraid to give a car rearwheeldrive?

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