[racer_ash]

Thanks for the wonderful scoops. But I couldnt help but notice. Where are the AC vents at the centre of the dashboard. I can see vents at the two ends but seem none at the middle. Is it that the middle two vents are placed between the front seats for rear passengers?

@Mandarmax Could you please clarify?

[thoma]

Hot scoop MandarMax! Come on Volkswagen, bring them on.

Originally Posted by sunny29584

did anyone noticed a black plastic (dot like stuff) on the rear window..it seems that people might not be able to roll down the windows in the rear...

Originally Posted by tushky

it seems that the rear window of a 4 door car doesn't roll down. not accepted in india

Good observation. I don't know much about the use of the black plastic? Is it to restrict downward movement of the rear glass only till there? Looking at the rear door design, in whatever way, it is sure that the rear glass cannot come down much.

[joslicx]

Originally Posted by tushky

it seems that the rear window of a 4 door car doesn't roll down. not accepted in india

Isint that supposed to be a safety feature, so that your kids (who are supposed to be at the back ) dont jump off the car! I might be wrong here though.

[hemanth.anand]

Very nice scoop MandarMax

Was the 2-door version visbly shorter than 4-door version?

I won't expect this in the market for another 1 year atleast.
late 2013 or early 2014 might be more practical

+-5 lakhs and this could be bad news for i10/wagonR IMO.

[W.A.G.7]

Nice cars. But what's the use of a 2 door hatch in India? If and when launched, would it be priced above or below the Polo? Some parts look straight from the Polo bin.

[iSpoke]

Thanks MandarMax, awesome scoop snaps
Guys, from 1st & 3rd snaps it looks like VW has changed the front badge design (not the logo but how it fits on the grill) to reduce the car identity theft. Agree?

[RSR]

That's a superb catch, MandarMax Thanks for sharing it with us!

The VW Up! and it's Skoda sibling (the Citigo) should provide even more options to those looking to buy an i10/Beat/Wagon R if VW can price them sensibly and bring in a diesel engine (the 1.2l TDi from the Polo/Fabia tuned for better drivability/low-end torque and fuel efficiency at the expense of bhp figures), then they have a pair of winners on their hands.

I'm not sure if these are the final versions to be sold on the Indian market. The two door sure looks like it is a direct import from Europe for testing purposes. And I agree with other BHPians' apprehensions about the rear window. The little circular plastic thing is a sign that the rear window is of the rustic "butterfly" type that is found on the last row of utility vehicles like the Qualis, Tavera etc. This crude design may be okay for Europe where the rear seat of small cars is very rarely used (except for fixing child seats and strapping kids in them) but is completely unacceptable in India.

Originally Posted by racer_ash

Thanks for the wonderful scoops. But I couldnt help but notice. Where are the AC vents at the centre of the dashboard. I can see vents at the two ends but seem none at the middle. Is it that the middle two vents are placed between the front seats for rear passengers?

Excellent point! Where are the centre A/C vents? Has VW omitted them in the name of cost-cutting?

In one of the interior pictures, there seems to be some kind of a vent-like thing above the A/C controls/music system. They could be the centre vents. If so, they would be a very, very poor design. In the extreme heat and humidity of Chennai, one is comfortable only when one can get a cool blast of air from the vents on to the face. With such a design, adjusting them to direct airflow towards the face could very well be impossible.

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by RSR

The little circular plastic thing is a sign that the rear window is of the rustic "butterfly" type that is found on the last row of utility vehicles like the Qualis, Tavera etc. This crude design may be okay for Europe where the rear seat of small cars is very rarely used (except for fixing child seats and strapping kids in them) but is completely unacceptable in India.



Excellent point! Where are the centre A/C vents? Has VW omitted them in the name of cost-cutting?
In the extreme heat and humidity of Chennai, one is comfortable only when one can get a cool blast of air from the vents on to the face. With such a design, adjusting them to direct airflow towards the face could very well be impossible.

+1 to it. I was about to say the same thing. It seems to me too that its one of those tavera/qualis/scorpio last row windows. Probably, it was another point of cost cutting. I will try to look in Up! here in Germany, whether they have the same set-up. Moreover, yes, there are no central a/c vents, I noticed them during their launch in the frankfurt auto show itself.
4door in germany has the same window set-up! And it says - Its hinged. So it is that butterfly mechanism.

Link to see the Up!(Germany) highlights:

up!

this image is a screen shot from their config site, and clearly shows that the dashboard lacks central a/c vents and also the A/C vents have only open close function and no flow control(like those in Merc buses, and not like ones in the Volvo's)

[iSpoke]

Originally Posted by RSR

That's a superb catch, MandarMax Thanks for sharing it with us!

The VW Up! and it's Skoda sibling (the Citigo) should provide even more options to those looking to buy an i10/Beat/Wagon R if VW can price them sensibly and bring in a diesel engine (the 1.2l TDi from the Polo/Fabia tuned for better drivability/low-end torque and fuel efficiency at the expense of bhp figures), then they have a pair of winners on their hands.

and yes, what if they bring up their TSi engines in Polos & Fabias!
It would be really a good upgrade for many provided our gov keep increasing the petrol price with baby steps only.

Originally Posted by RSR

I'm not sure if these are the final versions to be sold on the Indian market. The two door sure looks like it is a direct import from Europe for testing purposes. And I agree with other BHPians' apprehensions about the rear window. The little circular plastic thing is a sign that the rear window is of the rustic "butterfly" type that is found on the last row of utility vehicles like the Qualis, Tavera etc. This crude design may be okay for Europe where the rear seat of small cars is very rarely used (except for fixing child seats and strapping kids in them) but is completely unacceptable in India.

Two door design seems strictly no-no for India, I checked interiors on their website and rear seats have no leg-space. But if priced low and manage to deliver good mileage then kuchhbhi chalta hey!




Image Courtesy: up!

Originally Posted by RSR

Excellent point! Where are the centre A/C vents? Has VW omitted them in the name of cost-cutting?

I think it shouldn't be just cost-cutting factor, because the same design follows in other international markets (by looking at the above Up! website interior).

[tushky]

Originally Posted by joslicx

Isint that supposed to be a safety feature, so that your kids (who are supposed to be at the back ) dont jump off the car! I might be wrong here though.

not all families have kids. cars with 3rd row seats might do good with fixed rear window. but in india, a hatch with fixed window is not popular and preferred

[joslicx]

Originally Posted by tushky

not all families have kids. cars with 3rd row seats might do good with fixed rear window. but in india, a hatch with fixed window is not popular and preferred

wait a min. by fixed do we mean it cannot be lowered at all? I thought it could be lowered but just upto about half of it as is there in most cars.

I'm sure when they launch it in India they will take care of it. It cannot be fixed. I am sure that much common sense is still there in the management there. I guess it should be pretty simple thing to fix.

[methilsunkara]

The test car was at Karve road, Pune which is very close to ARAI. So it could have been at ARAI for homologation tests. If so then the launch be sooner, within the next 6 months.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by tushky

not all families have kids. cars with 3rd row seats might do good with fixed rear window. but in india, a hatch with fixed window is not popular and preferred

Isn’t this quite common with these 3 door small cars? Mini Cooper is another example.

Well I wish preferences change and evolve so that manufacturers get the courage to bring in new concepts to India

[volkman10]

Nice scoop! Maybe next we would see the Citigo and the Saet Mii on tests!

IMO the UP would be launched not earlier than 2014, to have the localization levels and hence a competitive pricing!

Cheers!

[designersf]

Awesome scoop! This is one car I would like to be seen in!

Originally Posted by sunny29584

did anyone noticed a black plastic (dot like stuff) on the rear window..it seems that people might not be able to roll down the windows in the rear...

Definitely the European version. They only get butterfly type opening rear windows that are found on the last row of Tavera, Qualis and Tempo traveller.