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Volkswagen up! now available to order

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The new Volkswagen up! is now available to order, with prices of starting at £7,995, ahead of the city car arriving in UK showrooms in spring 2012.

Shown in production form at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show , the up! is a new vehicle that offers space for four, the latest technology and highly efficient engines.

From launch, the up! will be available with two 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine options as well as a BlueMotion Technology version; it will have three doors and three trim levels – Take up!, Move up! and High up! – plus a special edition, the up! black and up! white. A five-door version is expected to join the line-up in the second half of 2012.

The range starts with the £7,995 1.0-litre 60 PS Take up! Key items of specification include body-coloured bumpers, daytime running lights, front and side head/thorax airbags, the new RCD 215 CD radio with aux-in, rear ISOFIX points, and 14-inch steel wheels.

For £8,970, customers can upgrade to the Move up! This brings a host of comfort-oriented features, including remote central locking, air conditioning, electric front windows, easy-entry seats, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, variable-height load floor and 60:40 split/fold rear seats. Outside, the Move up! gains body-coloured door mirrors and handles.

For just £360 more, the Move up! BlueMotion Technology adds a Stop/Start system that reduces urban fuel consumption by up to six per cent, battery regeneration and low rolling resistance tyres. These measures enhance combined fuel economy to an expected 67.2 mpg, and reduce CO 2
emissions from 105 g/km to a forecast 97 g/km* – making it exempt from road tax.

The £10,390 75 PS High up! model comes with heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake grip, electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors, the Maps & More personal infotainment device and a choice of dashboard colour. From the outside, the High up! is distinguished by its front fog lights and 15-inch alloy wheels.

The special edition £11,180 up! black and up! white models are based on the High up!, but add even more style, from the deep black pearl or pure white metallic paint to the chrome door mirror caps and door side strips to the 16-inch alloy wheels with body-coloured centre sections. Inside there is a body-coloured dash, special ‘stripes’ upholstery and carpet mats.

Options will consist of a choice of eight packs:

? Sensor pack (£350): parking sensors, cruise control, multifunction computer

? Driver’s assistance pack (£400): City Emergency Braking, ESP, passenger airbag deactivation switch

? Comfort pack (£350): remote central locking, electric front windows, height adjustable driver’s seat

? Winter pack (£350): front fog lights, heated front seats, electrically heated and adjustable door mirrors

? Chrome pack (£250): chrome door mirror caps and side strips

? Sports pack (£450): 16-inch alloy wheels, sports suspension and tinted glass from the B-pillar backwards

? Sound pack (£100): four additional speakers (two front, two rear)

? Leather-look pack (£650): leather-look seats, leather-covered steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake, plus carpet mats.