But now the Up GTI has finally arrived. It stands on a wider track and 17-inch wheels and wears black-and-red exterior accents as well as a roof spoiler, making this car about as cheeky as a mini car can get. Inside, there is the characteristic plaid GTI fabric with red stitching on sportier but still comfortable seats.
Volkswagen points out that, at 114 horsepower, the Up GTI is about as powerful as the European version of the original Mark 1 Golf GTI, sold as the Rabbit GTI in the States. That’s a good comparison, but a more recent precursor to the Up GTI was the Lupo GTI, a Ferdinand Piëch favorite, which was launched in Europe in 2000. With 123 horsepower and brimming with then high-tech features such as bi xenon lights and aluminum body parts, it was the coolest car in the segment; it’s fast becoming a collector’s item in Europe.