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NEWS
Volkswagen cross up! enters production
But the ultra-compact crossover vehicle won't come here due to lack of demandEurope's largest car maker the Volkswagen Group has green-lit its smallest-ever crossover vehicle. A production version of the cross up! sub-light car will make its debut at the 2013 Geneva motor show in March.
The new uber-compact crossover SUV has a 'rugged' image and a slightly higher ride height than the regular VW up! giving it slightly more off-road scope.
However it is unlikely to be offered locally says Volkswagen Australia, since the importer anticipates little demand for it in this country.
Appearing eerily similar to the cross up! concept car that made its debut at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show, the new model is based on the regular Volkswagen up! city car sold in Australia, but adds "numerous striking exterior elements". These include black wheel arch mouldings, side skirts, door protector strips, faux front bash plate, 16-inch alloy wheels and silver roof rails.
The cross up! is the first derivation of the original city car for the sub-brand, and is unlikely to be the last. The company has shown off several other concepts including a sporty GT version of the hatch and the e-up! electric vehicle, both expected to reach production in the near future.
The Volkswagen cross up! has slightly more ground clearance than its donor car but does not feature an all-wheel drive system, making do with a front-wheel drive setup. The car is powered by the same 55kW/95Nm 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine as the regular up!, paired with a five-speed manual.
The sub-light car's interior also gets a few tweaks with specially-trimmed seats finished red or anthracite, leather steering wheel and hand brake lever, chrome accented air vents and door scuff plates that bear 'cross up!' lettering.
The Volkswagen cross up! joins the German car maker's extensive range of 'Cross' vehicles, which span much of the brand's passenger car range in European markets, including the Cross Golf, Cross Polo, and even some commercial vehicles such as the Cross Caddy.
Volkswagen Australia's General Manager of Communications, Karl Gehling, says the importer hasn't seen the need to bring previous 'Cross' vehicles here in the past and is unlikely to change this policy. "We don't see any demand for these vehicles," he said.
"There are no plans to bring the cross up! to Australia at this stage," added Mr Gehling.
Volkswagen's reluctance to bring the cross up! to Australia may also stem from slow sales of the up!, which starts at $13,990 for the three-door model. In January only 107 units of the up! found homes despite having more tech than its rivals, well off the pace of the Mitsubishi Mirage (534) and Nissan Micra (620).
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Written byFeann Torr
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