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Volkswagen Premieres Up! Lite Concept Car

HERNDON, VA ---Volkswagen of America Inc. unveiled its Up! Lite concept car at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. The hybrid car, capable of up to 70 mpg on the highway, features a Volkswagen TDI Clean Diesel engine, an advanced electric motor, and a seven-speed Direct Shift Gearbox.

by Staff
December 8, 2009
1 min to read


HERNDON, VA ---Volkswagen of America Inc. unveiled its Up! Lite concept car at the 2009 Los Angeles Auto Show. The hybrid car, capable of up to 70 mpg on the highway, features a Volkswagen TDI Clean Diesel engine, an advanced electric motor, and a seven-speed Direct Shift Gearbox. 

At the heart of the Up! Lite is Volkswagen's hybrid powertrain consisting of an 0.8-liter, two-cylinder TDI Clean Diesel engine, and an electric motor that acts as the vehicle's starter, alternator and E-drive unit. On its own, the 0.8L engine produces 51 horsepower and up to 88 lbs.-ft. of torque, the automaker said. The electric motor, with its 13 additional horsepower, can be used to boost the TDI engine when needed, provide regenerative braking, and even propel the Up! Lite on its own.


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