Photo: Guido ten Brink / SB-Medien
We know that you don't care very much about the Volkswagen Up! or what happens in Brazil. However, we've learned that the European facelift will enter production there next February as a 2018 model, and that signals the future of the city car is secure.
Volkswagen only really developed the Up! for the European market, along with its sister brands SEAT and Skoda. Brazil had other small cars, such as the Fox and the Gol. But due to demand from customers, a South American version was developed several years ago.
It proved so popular that the Up! even got a 1.0-liter TSI turbo engine in Brazil over a year before Europe, plus it had more power. However, the tables are now turning. A mid-life facelift for the Up! was revealed in Geneva and went on sale during the summer. Brazilians will get it too, as a 2018 model year available next spring.
According to CarPlace, production will start in February, but that's it will take a little longer to reach dealerships. The facelift is what we'd call a minor one. However, the SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo just got minor updates, so VW buyers should be considered lucky.
Besides the revised bumper, it's great that the Up! now comes with LED daytime running lights. A recently introduced law in Brazil says headlights need to be on 24 hours a day, so daytime runners desperately needed.
Around the back, the Up! facelift will get a subtle refresh of its bumper and edgy taillights with a black tint on top. Meanwhile, the interior will look like a smaller version of the Beetle, with shiny surfaces replacing the usual black ones. European models are available with automatic air conditioning, but you won't see that in Brazil.
Under the hood, we'll find a couple of familiar engines, the basic one being the naturally aspirated 1.0, capable of delivering 82 PS. The turbo version we talked about has 105 PS while running on ethanol and is fitted with a 6-speed manual.
It proved so popular that the Up! even got a 1.0-liter TSI turbo engine in Brazil over a year before Europe, plus it had more power. However, the tables are now turning. A mid-life facelift for the Up! was revealed in Geneva and went on sale during the summer. Brazilians will get it too, as a 2018 model year available next spring.
According to CarPlace, production will start in February, but that's it will take a little longer to reach dealerships. The facelift is what we'd call a minor one. However, the SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo just got minor updates, so VW buyers should be considered lucky.
Besides the revised bumper, it's great that the Up! now comes with LED daytime running lights. A recently introduced law in Brazil says headlights need to be on 24 hours a day, so daytime runners desperately needed.
Around the back, the Up! facelift will get a subtle refresh of its bumper and edgy taillights with a black tint on top. Meanwhile, the interior will look like a smaller version of the Beetle, with shiny surfaces replacing the usual black ones. European models are available with automatic air conditioning, but you won't see that in Brazil.
Under the hood, we'll find a couple of familiar engines, the basic one being the naturally aspirated 1.0, capable of delivering 82 PS. The turbo version we talked about has 105 PS while running on ethanol and is fitted with a 6-speed manual.
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