Volkswagen up! With Hybrids in LA, Tokyo
For anyone who admires the Volkswagen XL1 attributes but desires a less Teutonic, more cute vehicle, the fun will be doubled when the Twin up! debuts at both the LA and Tokyo auto shows later this month.
The near-production-ready hatchback — alongside the all-electric e-up! — will come down the ramps at both shows with help from the XL1’s diesel-electric hybrid drivetrain. Modified for the the Twin up!, the setup returns a claimed 256.8 mpg while putting just 27 g of carbon dioxide into the air per kilometer traveled; electric-only mode drops the range to a city-only 31 miles.
Unlike the XL1, the Twin up! is a heavyweight at 1205 kg. Thus, the XL1’s 800 cc two-pot turbodiesel is paired with a more powerfurl electric motor for double the horsepower; 47 from the engine, 47 from the motor, the latter receiving its go-go juice from the 8.6 kWh lithium-ion battery mounted in nearly the same manner as a Ferrari 458. The little ponies are then unleashed upon the city streets through the front wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
If you were hoping to do some time traveling, you’ll still need a DeLorean. The Twin up!’s top speed is limited to 87 mph, with a slow sprint to 60 mph of around 15 seconds, and only in hybrid mode.
As for when you might see the Twin up! parked next to a turbonium-powered New Beetle, Volkswagen remains mum on the subject for the time being.
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"Erprobungstraeger" I think that's German for enema-kit-delivery. Nice low beltline, BTW.
The up! is a cute little small car, that seems to have traditional VW driving characteristics that the aficionados will enjoy. It just does it slower! If this car gains any traction in America, it'll be yet another piece of eveidence that the US market is changing in some basic, fundamental way that few, if any, pundits have noted.
In spite of my anti-VW bias, the Up! seems like a promising car; reviewers have been impressed. Is any version of it coming to the US?
Lithium Ion batteries... Apparently those things are fire bombs on a short fuse, according to people who have one clamped to their ear all day long anyway...