New Small Family

The Volkswagen Group New Small Family (NSF) will be a range of ultracompact city cars expected to be launched in late 2011,^[1] based on the Volkswagen up! concept cars^[2] shown at 2007's Frankfurt and Tokyo motor shows. Although the up! concept car had a rear-engine design, the NSF's platform will be front-engined, according to reports,^[3] in order to reduce investment costs. The range will consist of a short wheelbase three-door hatchback and a longer wheelbase five-door version. A hybrid version could also join the range.

The cars are to be built in Slovakia at the Group's Devínska Nová Ves plant near Bratislava, VW Group investing 308 million Euros (about $398.56 million) in readying the plant for the project.^[4] NSF models will be badged as Volkswagens, SEATs (SEAT Mii) and Škodas (Škoda Citigo),^[4] It has also been reported that Audi is planning a version of the NSF, tentatively named E1, with a distinctively-styled body and interior.^[5]

VW expects to build 4.5 million NSF cars in the model's anticipated nine-year life. Future plants in Kaluga, Russia, and Pune, India, could add a further 262,000 of the cars to the forecast total on their local markets.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ "New VW Up unveiled". Autocar. 21 August 2011. http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/258774/. Retrieved 30 August 2011. 
2. ^ "Future Cars: up! - Volkswagen UK". Volkswagen.co.uk. 1999-02-22. http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/volkswagen-world/futures/up. Retrieved 2011-10-10. 
3. ^ U-turn! VW's Up will be front-engined, Phil McNamara, Car magazine, Peterborough, UK, 19 July, 2008.Accessed: 4 July 2009.
4. ^ ^{a b} Volkswagen to produce New Small Family in Slovakia, VW, Bratislava, 22 April, 2009.Accessed: 4 July 2009.
5. ^ Audi Invited to Join VW's New Small Family, Georg Kacher, Automobile magazine, New York, NY, 25 February, 2009.Accessed: 4 July 2009.

External links

• Winding Road article on New Small Family