Small city cars are a constant fascination of designers. Perhaps it's the challenge of creating a desirable car with a very limited budget. Or, perhaps it's our constant search for something a little different. In any case, this summer has seen two of the most significant small car releases in years. These are the VW Up and the Aston Martin Cygnet. One represents maximising a limited sales price, the other one tests just how much customers will pay for a pint size car.
VW Up
The VW Up is based on a 2008 concept car of the same name. The concept featured a rear engine, just like the original VW Beetle. The design also looked back, but not quite so far. The design is a welcome return to the restrained, proportion- and detail-driven VW designs of the late 1990s (Passat & Golf in particular).
The production of the VW Up was converted to a conventional front engine, front wheel drive layout. Luckily, the crisp styling remained, albeit modified. It features ultra-short overhangs in spite of only increasing demands of safety on cars. Unique features include an all-glass rear hatch, which beautifully integrates with the rear lights. Also, the front bumper appears to float inside the wide grille, a wonderful graphic touch.