Volkswagen Planning Up- and Polo-based SUVs

In an interview with German newspaper Handelsblatt, a Volkswagen spokesman and VW's boss in Slovakia revealed the plans for PoloVolkswagen Polo Gen.5Germany, 2009 > present247 versions
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- and UpVolkswagen Up! Gen.1Germany, 2011 > present107 versions
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-based SUVs that will fit below the TiguanVolkswagen Tiguan Gen.1Germany, 2007 > 2015132 versions
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in the VW lineup. 

VolkswagenVolkswagenGermany, 1938 > present98 models
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has already produced a concept for an Up-based off-roader called the Buggy UpVolkswagen Buggy up!Germany, 2011 > present3 photos
.

"In respect to future models, we cannot reveal anything yet. What is certain though is that we are working on these cars. Our Up variants have been very popular at auto shows. [The Up] is not a single car but a model family with many variants. That gives us a reasonable cost structure to ensure success," said boss of VW Slovakia, Albrecht Reimold. He also runs the VW plant in Bratislava, Slovakia, where the Up is built. 

The Up-based SUV would cost well under €20,000 when it is introduced according to Volkswagen. 

The production of a Polo-based SUV is also certain within Volkswagen, but fewer details are available at this time. The original plan had been to base the smaller SUV on the Suzuki SX4Suzuki SX4Japan, 2006 > present56 versions
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chassis, but the breakdown of the relationship between VW and SuzukiSuzukiJapan, 1909 > present47 models
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has caused that idea to be shelved in favor of an SUV based on the Polo. 

In Germany, compact SUVs now hold an 11.6% market share that is projected to grow to 15% by 2015. They represent current sales of 370,000 cars a year in Germany alone that could rise to 480,000 by 2015. 

The European compact SUV market has been growing over the past year with the introduction of the Opel Mokka and BMW X1BMW X1Germany, 2009 > present51 versions
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. Peugeot also has plans to introduce an SUV version of the 208Peugeot 208 Gen.1France, 2012 > present103 versions
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. 

Source: Automotive News and Handelsblatt