Autoblog

Click above to view high-res gallery of the Volkswagen Space up!

We'll admit to being a bit shocked that Volkswagen was even considering a move back to the rear-engine configuration it made fashionable all those years ago with its first vehicle, the ubiquitous Beetle, for the production version of its up! concept. Although we have some fondness in our hearts for the good ol' Bug and its backwards engine location, modern packaging constraints may force VW to ditch this idea for the production version of the up!, just like it did for the modern reincarnation of that first Vee Dub, the New Beetle. Out would go the uniqueness of the concept vehicle with this decision, but such is life in these days of platform sharing and cost considerations.

To go along with the previously noted nostalgia-crushing news, rumors indicate that both a 1.2-liter gasoline engine and a new diesel engine of the same displacement are expected, both offering just 55 horsepower. If this power level is accurate, at least the up! will share one thing with its Beetle forebear: really slow acceleration.


[Source: AutoZeitung (translated) via Motor Authority]

Start counting down to 2010, and while you're at it, save your Euros. No official images of VW's much discussed City Expert exist, but Germany's Focus Online has a rendering that shows what a cleverly-packaged entry level Volkswagen could look like.

The artist's shot in the dark certainly appears plausible, but if it looks anything like the rendering, it won't be the styling of the thing that generates excitement. The trick, as has been previously discussed ad nauseam, will be to fit a drivetrain and its supporting hardware in as little space possible. That packaging requirement is what's driving a reported return to a rear engine layout. The length is rumored to be in the realm of 80 inches, which could provide hospitable environs for four adults and their gear if VW is clever enough. The power unit will need to be compact enough to allow storage space above, yet have enough oomph that it doesn't draw any comparisons to the low horsepower numbers of VWs old flat-four. There's been talk of two- or three-cylinder engines, diesel fuel is more likely than a hybrid system in light of the target price near 10,000 Euros.

[Source: Focus Online]

The Tiguan is one of eight models making their Frankfurt debut.

Volkswagen is gearing up for Frankfurt and has no intention of disappointing the seething throngs of media-types when it lifts the curtain on its home turf. A total of eight new models will debut, including the Tiguan, six BlueMotion-equipped models and, most intriguing, a new micro car dubbed the City Expert that's equipped with a powerplant that "will beat where the flat-four 'Boxer' engine once did in the Beetle."

We've reported on rumors of a rear-engine vehicle in the past, and although it was easy to dismiss with a shrug, the market is ripe for an ultra-inexpensive model that VW claims is "sensationally flexible." That last part leaves us wondering what kind of body styles the City Expert will be available in, likely a three-door hatch, four-door sedan and five-door wagon. It's safe to expect that luggage space will be at a premium, considering the rear-mounted mill and the radiator, A/C and battery are likely to be fitted up front.

The real question is what kind of motor will fill the trunk, and rumors are beginning to circulate that two- and three-cylinder powerplants will provide motivation. We'll have to wait until next month rolls along to get all the official details, but in the meantime get your speculation caps on and read through the press release after the jump.

[Source: VW]

It may be the case that Audi's foray into the midtacular* world of mid-engine cars won't end with the new R8 super sports car. German outlet Autobild claims that Audi is considering a smaller mid-engine sports car called the R4 that would obviously make life a little harder for the Porsche Cayman and Boxster. It's also claiming that Audi may revive the rear/mid-engine NSU TT, the car after which the current TT was named. The original NSUs were much like the European version of the Corvair, featuring rear-mounted air-cooled four- and two-cylinder engines. The hotted up version was, of course, called the NSU TT. It's hard to tell through the garbled Google translation how solid any of this information is, but we're certain the success of Audi's mid-engine R8 will play into Ingolstadt's future product plans.

*"midtacular" on loan from Comedy Central and The Daily Show / The Colbert Report. We have to give it back before tonight's episodes.

[Source: Autobild via German Car Blog]