Comments on: Confirmed: VW abandons rear-engine for ‘Up!’ minicar

By: jayjc08

jayjc08 — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:47:04 +0000

TomF- So your telling me you’ve owned a VW Beetle, right?

By far they are some of the best vehicles in snow. Lightweight, skinny tires and not a whole lot of power. Mom owned a 59′ Beetle, first vehicle she owned, reupholstered the whole thing. Great little car, but sold it quite a while ago.

By: zoomzoomer

zoomzoomer — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:01:29 +0000

TomF, technology such as traction control (for RWD handling) and a steel safety cage (for crash protection) seem to have effectively healed both of the original VW’s safety ills for Smart’s rear engined ForTwo. Too bad VW can’t seem to find a way to incorporate similar technology for the Up! and will instead settle for creating another undistinguished also-ran in the segment.

By: wushuhsu

wushuhsu — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:28:24 +0000

Think the evil monopolist overloads at Porsche AG had anything to do with this? We should all boycott Porsche until they allow Audi and VW to make cars that compete against their overpriced underpowered cars.

By: Mr. Piston

Mr. Piston — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:11:32 +0000

Thats , F*cked Up!

By: A4

A4 — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:54:18 +0000

yeah really VW you are really pussying out lately and its starting to chap my ass, grow a pair, i love you to death but cmon, youre making me look bad.

By: phiftywon

phiftywon — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:15:45 +0000

shocker!!!

By: fuk-u-asshole

fuk-u-asshole — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:55:15 +0000

im very dissapoionted VW. just not brave enough as usual

By: xyunya

xyunya — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:36:51 +0000

I recall RWD, rear engine Beetles laden with sand bags during windy days. Some guys crossing George Washington Bridge form NYC to NJ were blown around lanes uncontrollably. It was an OK car in good weather, especially convertible. The car goes back to 30’s, something should be learn from then.

By: TomF

TomF — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:06:18 +0000

The old Beetles were terrible on snow and ice. They were a lot easier to get killed in during a head-on collision, also. I don’t think the “novelty value” of a rear-engine layout would be enough to compensate for wx and safety factors, especially in the US rules environment.

By: golf4me

golf4me — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:52:46 +0000

Dumb move, VW. You had the chance for a unique vehicle in a very boring segment. Now, it’s just another box pulled by the front wheels. No doubt there will be a stupid hype-rid model too.

And BTW, why must there be less component sharing if the engine is in the rear? The only real difference is that the rear suspension doesn’t have steering knuckles. The only thing radically different would be the cooling system, and that would be different anyway, being that it’s a smaller car than the rest of the lineup. Maybe some bracketry and wiring harnesses & such too.

Somehow a 5 month delay seems to be a lot more expensive than the alleged added cost of the rear engine layout. I think they are being lazy and cheap. Thanks, Porsche.

By: mr.meanpants

mr.meanpants — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:37:10 +0000

Eeesch. Never driven a rear engined VW; sounds like it’d be fun in the snow.

By: mayer_ray_nagin

mayer_ray_nagin — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:41:27 +0000

No surprise. VW abandoned quality years ago also.

By: xyunya

xyunya — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:43:22 +0000

mr.meanpants, actually over the front axle VW drives like a Ferrari compare to original with engine behind rear axle.

By: xyunya

xyunya — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:41:43 +0000

UP! yours not propelled by the rear? Maybe it is good news after all those R8 fires

By: mr.meanpants

mr.meanpants — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:40:19 +0000

As always VW will throw the engine over the front axle and it’ll handle like a pig.

By: mr.meanpants

mr.meanpants — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:39:28 +0000

If they can bring the tempatures down in a Veyron, certainly they can cool the jets of a hatchback.

By: FlyingB

FlyingB — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:31:05 +0000

Great. Now it’ll take longer to make Up yours.