Is the Slovakian Factory Up for Volkswagen?

Apparently it is, as the German manufacturer yesterday confirmed early April reports that the future small family model, or Up as it is known in the industry, will be manufactured at the company's Bratislava plant in Slovakia.

The Volkswagen press release specifies that the first vehicles will come out of the factory's gates at the beginning of 2011 and will await delivery to customers throughout the world. Apart from the Volkswagen branded models, the Slovakian facility will also manufacture versions in Seat and Skoda flavors. Available in three or five doors, the Up is said to guarantee 1,500 jobs at the Bratislava plant.

"Our team at Volkswagen in Slovakia is ideally prepared to provide the flexibility required for the production of the New Small Family. Four brands are already produced successfully under one roof at our plant in Bratislava today,” Professor Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, said.

As we initially reported, there are a lot of rumors surrounding the Up with the hottest one, so to speak, concerning the price. Apparently, the new model is expected to cost less than 8,000 euros or $10,766.

The Up might be cheap, but the total investment made by Volkswagen in the Bratislava factory to prepare it for the new car will not. As stated by the Germans themselves, the whole thing will empty 308 million euros out of the “largest European carmaker's” purse.

For a bit of history, the Up concept was first showcased at the 62nd International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt in 2007, while a few weeks later 2007 Tokyo Motor Show visitors had the opportunity to take a gander at it.

As Volkswagen press statement mentions, it took 20 months for the Up to start walking the long production path.