Having just started taking orders for their new up! city car, Volkswagen are now teasing us with a very tempting sporty variant, the up! GT. Questionable punctuation aside, the Up GT looks like it could be one of the most fun packages in the junior hot hatch class for some time.
The GT, shown here in concept form, receives a sporty makeover with a wider, honeycombed grille that improves airflow to the engine bay. That will allow a more powerful engine to be squeezed underneath the compact bonnet and although there’s no official word, Volkswagen are suggesting that the Up GT could enjoy as much as 100PS, or possibly more.
The new front arrangement includes a remodeled bumper that incorporates LED strips that act as daytime running lights, behind which sit additional vents for improved brake cooling.
Move to the sides and the Up GT fills its wheel-arches with a set of 17-inch alloys, and the sills get very subtle extensions make the Up seem slightly wider. Come on Volkswagen, be bolder than that and go for the real deal – wider wheelarches to cover an increased track with beefy sills to match!
Around the back we find a roof-mounted spoiler, twin chrome exhaust pipes (one at each corner) and a gloss black diffuser-style chunk of plastic in the new bumper.
Volkswagen are promising changes on the inside too, although that seems to be limited to a black rooflining, anthracite seats and gloss black or blue highlights. There will be a three-spoke steering wheel – will it share the same flat bottom as seen in the current range of sporty VWs?
With any luck Volkswagen will stop being coy and confirm this as the Up GTI. We can expect to hear more in the new year when the standard Up starts rolling out to customers.
