Volkswagen Retailers in the UK will begin taking orders for the Street up! and Club up! today, ahead of first deliveries in March, with prices starting from £11,995 (RRP OTR).

Both models are based on the flagship High up! trim which includes front fog lights, heated front seats and a Maps & More portable infotainment device, however, the Street and Club up! are loaded with more styling features for only an extra £610.

The stylish Street up! adds 16-inch Upsilon alloy wheels, standard Pure White, Black Pearl or Reflex Silver paint, 65 per cent tinted glass from the B-pillar back, “Street” badging, decals on side, bonnet, boot and roof, wing mirrors in silver (except for the Reflex Silver models on which they are black), body coloured bumpers with chrome moulding on the front fog lights, leather steering wheel with up! logo, up! scuff plates with yellow stripe, black roof lining, carpet mats and unique “Street” cloth upholstery.

The sophisticated Club up! adds 16-inch Triangle alloy wheels, standard Blueberry metallic (unique to the Club up!) or Black Pearl paint, 65 per cent tinted glass from the B-pillar back, “Club” badging, decals on side panels in silver, wing mirrors in silver, up! scuff plates, black roof lining, carpet mats and unique “Club” Tartan Tonic cloth upholstery.

Both new cars are powered by the up!’s most powerful 1.0-litre petrol engine.  Delivering 75 PS at 6,200 rpm, the three-cylinder engine is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.  It returns 60.1 mpg on the combined cycle and emits 108 g/km of CO2.  The up! produces a maximum torque of 95 Nm (70 lbs ft) between 3,000 and 4,300 rpm.

The Street up! and Club up! are available to order in three and five-door bodystyles.   The up! range starts at £8,765 (RRP OTR) for the entry-level 60 PS 1.0-litre Take up!.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

The convertible or cabriolet was launched in 1957. Originally only available in left-hand drive, the right-hand drive version of both models was introduced in 1959 together with a re-designed front end. New engines were introduced in 1961, 1966 and 1971 together with other styling and interior changes during its lifetime. The model ceased production on the 21st June 1974.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

In the event of an accident, the driver's feet and lower legs can be at risk of injury, depending on the type and severity of the collision. In order to reduce that risk we make carefully calculated use of deformation elements for the pedals and foot rest. The deformation of the front bulkhead in the Euro NCAP offset crash test, for example, leads to deliberate free movement of the pedals above a defined force level. This disconnects the pedals from the intrusion, so they remain mobile and exercise very little force, reducing the risk of foot and lower leg injuries.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

The Volkswagen Golf R, the most powerful Golf on sale, has won a prestigious TopGear Magazine award, Hot Hatch of the Year 2014.

At the heart of the Golf R is 2.0-litre 300 PS TSI, which is 30 PS more powerful and up to 18 per cent more fuel efficient than the previous model.  This power is transferred to the road via the latest version of Volkswagen’s 4MOTION all-wheel drive system.

Commenting on the award, Ollie Marriage, Motoring Editor of TopGear Magazine stated: ‘Volkswagen has taken the already excellent GTI and left no stone unturned in its pursuit of improvement.’

The Golf R can reach 62 mph from a standing start in 5.1 seconds when mated to a manual gearbox.  A DSG dual clutch gearbox is available as an option and enables the R to complete the sprint in just 4.9 seconds.  The Golf R has an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.

Prices start from £30,150 RRP OTR for the three-door manual model, and the Golf R is also remarkably efficient for a car with these performance credentials.  The R emits 165 g/km thanks to the Stop-Start and battery regeneration systems, and together with the optional six-speed dual-clutch gearbox (DSG) it has a combined average of 40.9 mpg. 

Marriage added: ‘It is the car that can do everything – 40 mpg cruiser, upmarket business chariot, winter weapon…genuine thrill provider. … Congratulations Volkswagen – the result of your efforts is the best hot hatch on sale today.’

This award is the icing on the cake for the Golf R as it has also been named top in Autocar’s Britain’s Top 50 Cars of 2014 and picked up the hot hatch award in last week’s 2014 Scottish Car of the Year Awards.

The Awards issue of BBC TopGear magazine is on sale now. 

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk