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Volkswagen Up GTI demand has exceeded expectations
BACK TO ALL NEWS Currently reading: Volkswagen Up GTI demand has exceeded expectations UP NEXT The 100mpg challenge: Pushing my 22-year-old Audi A2 to the limit Volkswagen Up GTI demand has exceeded expectations
Junior hot hatch is powered by a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder direct-injection petrol engine with 113bhp
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Close News by Greg Kable4 mins read 12 July 2018 Follow @@autocar Share
Volkswagen has had to adjust its production strategy for the Up GTI because the pepped-up city car has been more popular than it anticipated.
Following the car's launch in February, Volkswagen had to temporarily pause orders so that it could ramp up the pace of output and reduce lead times. It has since reopened order books, and deliveries for the car, which costs £14,055 in three-door form and £14,455 as a five-door, are now estimated to come five months after orders are placed.
The Up GTI is Volkswagen's first rival to the likes of the Abarth 595 and Vauxhall Adam S, which are priced from £15,510 and £18,720 respectively, meaning the newest model is also cheaper by large margins.
2018 Volkswagen Up GTI review
The Up GTI is the latest member of what Volkswagen officials recently suggested to Autocar will become a larger and more prominent GTI line-up. It arrives well into the latter half of the Up’s planned seven-year lifecycle.
Developed in a joint project between Volkswagen’s regular road car department and its high performance R division, the Up GTI was described as being very much in the spirit of the original Golf GTI of 1976, with an upgraded engine, greater downforce at the rear and revised suspension, all claimed to give it much higher levels of outright performance and handling.
With 113bhp on tap at 5000rpm from a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder direct-injection petrol engine, peak power is a significant 30bhp down on the turbocharged 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine of the 595 but the same output as the similarly configured turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine of the Adam S.
With a kerb weight of 997kg, the Up GTI therefore has a power-to-weight ratio of 113.3bhp per tonne. It's backed up by 147lb ft of torque between 2000 and 3500rpm.
The original Golf GTI was powered by a naturally aspirated multi-point fuel injected 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 108bhp and 104lb ft. But with a kerb weight of 810kg, it packed a sharper 133.3bhp-per-tonne ratio.
The Up GTI's engine is also used entry-level version of the regular Golf. Along with a stop-start and energy recuperation system, it has a particulate filter that enables the compact three-cylinder unit to meet the new WLTP (Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure) emissions standards.
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A further development adopted by the new range-topping Up model is a so-called sound actuator. This provides a synthetically generated exhaust note aimed at enhancing the aural qualities of the 999cc engine.
Power is sent to the front wheels via a closely stacked six-speed manual gearbox. Volkswagen claims a 0-62mph time of 8.8sec and a top speed of 122mph. This compares to 9.0sec and 113mph for the original Golf GTi.
The Up GTI also receives a retuned MacPherson strut (front) and torsion beam (rear) suspension with unique spring and damper rates, as well as a 15mm reduction in ride height over existing Up models.
A series of stylistic upgrades transforms the look of the Up, providing it with many of the classic GTI cues used by Volkswagen through the years.
Included is a new front bumper with additional cooling vents – including one integrated into a splitter element along its lower edge – round fog lamps with a cornering light function and a plastic honeycomb grille insert. Above this is a GTI badge and characteristic horizontal red feature line in the space between the headlamps.
Also included are GTI badges within the trailing section of front fenders, adhesive stripes along the lower section of the doors, high gloss black exterior mirror caps, 17in Brands Hatch alloy wheels and red front brake callipers.
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At the rear, there’s a uniquely styled spoiler atop the tailgate and a redesigned bumper featuring an altered valance within its lower section that houses a single round chromed tailpipe. As at the front, there's also a GTI badge and red feature line within the lower section of the tailgate.
Buyers can choose from five exterior paint colours: Tornado Red, Pure White, Dark Silver, Black Pearl and, new to the GTI line-up, Costa Azul. With the exception of cars painted in Black Pearl, the Up GTI will also be available with an optional contrasting black roof.
Inside, there is a unique 'red pixel' trim within the dashboard, plaid check fabric-upholstered front seats, a black roofliner, a multifunction flat-bottom steering wheel with red stitching along with number of unique touches, including GTI insignias within the sill panels, a black leather-bound handbrake lever and GTI identification within the gear knob, albeit without the classic golf ball of the original.
Among the standard equipment for the Up GTI is a Composition infotainment system with six speakers and USB, air conditioning, heated seats and electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors.
Comparison
Volkswagen Up GTI
Engine Turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol Power 113bhp at 5000rpm Torque 147lb ft at 2000rpm Kerb weight 997kg Power to weight 113.3bhp/tonne 0-62mph 8.8sec Top speed 122mph Length 3600mm Width 1641mmmm Height 1489mm
Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk1
Engine Naturally-aspirated 1.6-litre four-cylinder multi-point fuel injected petrol Power 108bhp at 6100rpm Torque 104lb ft at 5000rpm Kerb weight 810kg Power to weight 133.3bhp/tonne 0-62mph 9.0sec Top speed 113mph Length 3705mm Width 1628mm Height 1390mm
More content:
Volkswagen Golf GTI: which generation beats them all?
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Log in or register to post comments John Savill 18 January 2018
Price of UP! GTi
Interested in the price and the doubts expressed about the value. I paid almost £9000 foir a 90BHp single point injection Rover Metro Gti in 1990. Since then the CPI has gone from 55.7 to 104.9 almost doubled. So that makes the equivalent price around £17000 in today's terms. The Metro had no ABS, no VSC, no airbags, no pre-tensioners, no catalyst, would not have performed at all well in a Euroncap test, so the UP! looks like a relative bargain to me.
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catnip 18 January 2018
This seems to be missing one
This seems to be missing one of the essential features of a GTI - sports front seats. Those tartan covered, rather flat, standard seats, covered with tartan fabric just aren't good enough. Its a glaring omission.
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si73 18 January 2018
Hopefully there will be mii
Hopefully there will be mii and citygo versions, my wife has a mii and its great fun to drive and makes a great sound, so I dont see why this needs the sound actuator.
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