The official prices of the Volkswagen Up! GTI in the United Kingdom and Germany are already available, but what about Spain?

There was a time when city cars included a very special engine among their options, which gave them remarkably impressive sporting performance. The combination of a weight under one thousand kilos and a power output above 110 CV turned these vehicles into true racing machines. However, over time they tended to disappear and were replaced by sporty compacts. Fortunately, Volkswagen has decided to revive that forgotten segment with the new Up! GTi.

The German brand has confirmed the prices of this model in both Germany and the United Kingdom, but so far it has made no mention of Spain. What we do know, however, are its technical specifications, which promise to turn the small Up! into a true GTi. Without a doubt, this little “souped-up” city car will become a major success and arrives to inherit the legacy left by the Golf GTi, which enjoys great value today.

Aesthetically, the Up! wears the official GTi finery and receives all the elements needed to set it apart from an ordinary vehicle. The front is defined by a thin red line that runs to the front light clusters. Above this strip, the GTi initials are inscribed, showing that this is a very special Up!. The rear features a sportier diffuser, which houses an exhaust outlet that lets the roar of its engine be heard.

As for the interior, we find the already iconic checked upholstery of the GTi models from Volkswagen. A special mention also goes to the steering wheel, inherited directly from the Golf, which gives the whole setting a much sportier look. The gear lever is also changed, replaced by a black ball with the gate positions marked in red, keeping the GTi spirit fully intact in this small Up!.

But now comes the most important part, the mechanics that bring this sports car to life. Under the skin of the Up! GTi we find a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine producing 115 CV, power that catapults the German city car to 100 km/h in 8.8 seconds. Add this figure to the Up!’s low weight and you get an explosive package.

The Up! GTi is set to compete directly with the Abarth 500, Opel Adam S and Suzuki Swift Sport, vehicles that sell for figures close to 20,000 euros in Spain. However, Volkswagen has not yet announced an official price for Spain, though it has for Germany and the United Kingdom. The Up! GTi will cost 17,000 euros in its country of origin, while in England it will be available from £13,750, 15,600 euros at the exchange rate.