Watch out for the Volkswagen Up! GTI, the next small big beast for the city

The idea that a small car designed for the city must have little power, because it doesn’t need it to get around the streets, has become a thing of the past. Manufacturers such as MINI already demonstrated this, with models that are compact and small yet dare to take on anything when necessary. Now it is Volkswagen that wants to update its smallest model by giving it a very well-known and well-regarded badge: GTI.

The Golf and the Polo already wear it, but now the youngest member of the family will wear it too. And with it, all the features that come with belonging to this badge. It will be presented at the event the brand organises on the shores of Lake Wörthersee, and it will do so as a prototype, but the company assures us that we won’t have to wait long to see a production version of it.

The urban model’s power has been increased to 113 CV, while its maximum torque sits at 230 Nm. Some of the figures the engine of this small car will offer remain to be revealed, but we know it will behave far better on the move, even though they are not really necessary on the streets of most cities.

The Volkswagen Up! GTI will compete with other city cars with similar upgradesAt a weight of just over 810 kilos, this power will allow it to reach 100 km/h in 9 seconds, with a top speed approaching 200 km/h, a more than considerable figure for a car of this type. You may think these are not very spectacular numbers, but you must bear in mind what kind of car it is. It is a small city car, not a car designed for long journeys nor one to be pushed too hard in day-to-day use.

Even so, it will be a more than worthy car that will hold its own against similar rivals that have also received an upgrade to make them somewhat more powerful and attractive to buyers. On the outside there are changes compared with the rest of the versions, to mark that difference. What stands out first is the front grille, which changes slightly. It also has modifications to the aerodynamics and 17-inch alloy wheels that give the whole car a more attractive look.

Inside, the trim has also been changed and will be different and more appealing, matching that badge that gives it something more than an increase in power. Do you think it is fair to raise the features of a car that, at first glance, does not need this kind of version?

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Source | Carscoops