Volkswagen has announced a GTI variant of the Up city car, and is keen to highlight the parrallels to the MK1 Golf GTI. The concept and power output of the 115PS Up are broadly in line with what the Golf GTI MkI generated, which had 110PS. The near-production concept car pays tribute to the Golf with what VW states as ‘compact dimensions, a low weight, a powerful engine, sports running gear and the typical insignia of a GTI’.
The Up GTI is powered by a the VW Group’s 1.0-liter TSI engine, as found in other models. In application in the Up, the engine also produces 230Nm and is situated in a car weighing just 997kg. VW is, again, keen to highlight the closeness to the Golf GTI’s 810kg weight, despite modern safety requirements calling for ‘significantly more high-strength steels and airbags’.