Volkswagen Up! Concept (VW's Answer To Daimler's Smart Car Alert)

VW Vortex ^ | 9/10/2007 | VW Vortex

[bert]

It is remarkably similar to a 1967 Honda.

[Cobra64]

Agreed. The small car bashers are just as annoying as the SUV bashers.

FWIW, I like this VW idea. It’s nice to see another small RWD car being developed.

Yup. Even some here just don't get it... different tools for different applications.

[pepsionice]

After owning a Smart for 2.5 years (here in Germany)...I must advise folks to think long and hard about owning a Smart. Its strictly a love-hate relationship with the car. It was wonderful to get the gas milage and the dependable status of the car...but it was a crash-nightmare and felt very “cheap”. You only get a FM radio (no AM)...the AC barely cooled in a 85 degree situation...and there was no pick-up and go to the Smart. I saved $500 a year easily...on gas. But after two years...I just couldn’t force myself to play the winter game out again with this car.

[mewzilla]

I’d look at anything that has as much head and leg room, and gets the same or better MPG as my ‘04 Scion xB

[r9etb]

The up! is a city specialist, a car for four persons

And thus it will automatically outsell the 2-person Smart car. It's more practical for real people.

[BurbankKarl]

I just went outside and checked the cabrio. It has an AM radio and the San Diego stations came in (from LA), which is more than the GM radios can do during the day.

this is from the smartusa webpage:

smart radio (AM/FM, single CD; incl. 2 speakers, aux input jack for mp3 device [radio 9]) $350

smart premium radio (AM/FM, mp3-compatible 6 disc CD changer; incl. 2 speakers, aux input jack for mp3 device [radio 10])

[goldstategop]

That's right. A small car should be able to seat at least four and provide storage space for large and bulky items.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Notary Sojac]

"Invariably the comments run: My Hummer could fit two of those in the wheel well. My SuperCab uses those for speed bumps."

Too d**n right, #6.

There's a certain mindset here on FR (and other places too) that defines "safety" as careening along in a near-Kenworth sized vehicle, secure in the knowledge that one can bounce off all the smaller hardware on the road.

I personally prefer the knowledge that my Honda S2000 can accelerate, brake and maneuver its way out of trouble as I require.

[Notary Sojac]

"It would take an extremely stupid person to choose a Ford F-450 as an urban runabout car."

Stupid yes, uncommon no. Every day I see big duallies and SUV's with one 105-pound little lady behind the wheel, off to drop three one-ounce letters into the slot at the post office.