REPORT: how the Up! might find a home in the new array of VW-group offerings

Regular readers are surely aware of the new city car model that Volkswagen is preparing called the Up! Until now, European shoppers looking for a relatively cheap VW, could only get an imported Fox from Brazil that dosen't have too much of an appeal, but the Up! could come as a solution if it is reincarnated as the next-generation VW Lupo, as has been rumored. Of course, the Up/Lupo might or might not find its way to sibling companies Seat, which already had a Lupo clone called Arosa in the line up, and Škoda, which could rename the car the Joyster. The three sibling models would all be under 3.5 meters long and weigh under 800kg. Some reports say the VW could be priced at about €8,500, with the Škoda version for emerging markets priced under €5,000. All models are to be built at a plant near Bratislava, Slovakia. The Up!/Lupo/Arosa/Joyster will then very likely spawn into other variants from 2011 onwards, with a longer 5-door version, a minivan, a convertible and an ultra-efficient and shortened two-seater. Finally, there is an all-electric Audi version likely to come from this platform in 2014.