It's Official: The VW Up GTI Is Happening
Thanks to a bunch of rumours from earlier in the year, we’ve been fairly sure that VW is in the process of making a hotter Up. Now, we at have official confirmation from VW, via Autocar.
Given the drought of dinky warm hatches we’ve had in recent years, we’ll heartily say hell yeah to that news. So what will it be like?
A prototype exists with a 104bhp version of VW’s turbocharged inline-three petrol engine, although the production version will have 114bhp. Not a huge figure, but enough to make the lightweight Up a jolly entertaining steer. The prototype features a five-speed manual gearbox, but it’s possible that VW will offer the production car with both that and a seven-speed DSG automatic.
The suspension will be heavily revised, with the Up sitting lower on stiffer springs and fettled dampers. It’ll receive a sportified GTI makeover on the outside, and - hopefully - lashings of tartan on the inside.
The downside? It won’t be here until 2018. So, the Abarth 595 is safe for now…
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Good….Except for the fact that it’s only coming in 2018…Well then, back to waiting for…Wait, what was it again? New Supra? A replacement to the Vantage?
2018: the year that the world will go biserk. Or was that this year?
Might be this year…Or the next, who knows..
What an UPgrade! Thanks CT for the UPdate
I’m UPvoting this
Shut Up with your puns! ;)
gave this a UPvote, now going UP UP and away.
By the time it arrives…..It’s going to be an UPhill battle with the Abarth
Maybe the police should drive these. So they can UPhold the law.
Volkswagen Up! your power so you can Up! your fun
What’s next, a VW Kombi GTI?
Wait, that actually might be a good idea..
Hopefully it can go UP the Nurburgring.
YEEEEEESSS
Can’t wait for the Amarok GTI
Can’t wait for Crafter GTI.
in brazil we have the vw up tsi and in some dynos the car acuses more than 125cv and 18kgfm of torque, its an awesome little car…
And is not even considered a GTI…