Volkswagen Group New Small Family
The Volkswagen Group New Small Family (NSF) will be a range of ultracompact city cars expected to be launched in early 2011, based on the Volkswagen up! concept cars[1] shown at 2007's Frankfurt and Tokyo motor shows. Although the up! concept car had a rear-engine design, the NSF's platform will be front-engined, according to reports,[2] in order to reduce investment costs.
The range will consist of a short wheelbase three-door hatchback and a longer wheelbase five-door version. A sedan, convertible and crossover variants have also been rumoured.[citation needed] A hybrid version could also join the range.
The cars are to be built in Slovakia at the Group's Devínska Nová Ves plant near Bratislava, VW Group investing 308 million Euros (about $398.56 million) in readying the plant for the project.[3] NSF models will be badged as Volkswagens, SEATs and Skodas,[3] with the Volkswagen model possibly reviving the Volkswagen Lupo name.[4] It has also been reported that Audi is planning a version of the NSF, tentatively named E1, with a distinctively-styled body and interior.[5]
VW expects to build 4.5 million NSF cars in the model's anticipated nine-year life. Future plants in Kaluga, Russia, and Pune, India, could add a further 262,000 of the cars to the forecast total on their local markets.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Future Cars: up! - Volkswagen UK
- ^ U-turn! VW's Up will be front-engined, Phil McNamara, Car magazine, Peterborough, UK, 19 July, 2008.Accessed: 4 July, 2009.
- ^ a b Volkswagen to produce New Small Family in Slovakia, VW, Bratislava, 22 April, 2009.Accessed: 4 July, 2009.
- ^ Ruffo, Gustavo Henrique. "VW Up! to Be Named Lupo in 2011". www.worldcarfans.com. http://www.worldcarfans.com/10802252123/vw-up-to-be-named-lupo-in-2011. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
- ^ Audi Invited to Join VW's New Small Family, Georg Kacher, Automobile magazine, New York, NY, 25 February, 2009.Accessed: 4 July, 2009.
External links
Categories: Volkswagen platforms | Upcoming automobiles
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