Moving Up! market
JONATHAN BRYCE explains why Volkswagen’s baby city car is ideal for well-heeled motorists
A MESSAGE to the super-rich: forget private jets, super yachts and Range Rovers. Buy a Volkswagen Up!
If you’re a member of societal well-to-do and interested in getting your money’s worth from a brand new purchase then look no further than this magnificent, intelligent, handsome and pioneering little cherub.
Launched in 2011, the Up! quickly became the darling of every motoring magazine. They loved it. In 2012, it was voted World Car of the Year – and it’s easy to see why.
It may be as practical as a T-shirt and frugal as a mouse but let’s focus on the market segment in which this car is overlooked: multi-millionaires and even billionaires.
I’m doing this because there comes a point in a person’s life when they have so much money that they don’t need to own a big, expensive car or helicopter to prove that they have much dosh.
The CEO of Facebook has driven a Golf GTI. The CEO of Ikea had an old Volvo 240. Billionaire Warren Buffett bought a mid-range Cadillac XTS.
Therefore, the driveways of the Uber-rich are where I believe the Volkswagen Up! firmly stands its ground. And it starts from as little as £12,705.
For that, you get arguably the world’s most complete car. It could be said that it is quite utilitarian but what makes it so appealing is the way in which these money-saving exercises have been carried out.
If you sat the world’s strongest man in an Up! and asked him to rip out cabin, he’d break his bones before removing so much as the gear knob.
It feels like it could go on for 200,000 miles with a combination of a robust and quality build. In certain editions of the Up!, (of which there is one for everyone) there are light, bright plastics that make the interior feel as spacious and relaxing as an Olympic hot tub.
Of course, you might think it’s a bit slow. However, if you’re late for a board meeting, you can always rely on the Up! GTI – a fizzy little rogue with an 8.8 second 0-62mph time.
Moving around to the boot, you’ll find enough space to accommodate a grown man as well as a full size spare wheel. Couple this with comfortable legroom in the back seats and you have the most cleverly packaged car I’ve ever come across.
In many ways, the Up! is similar to the cashrich customers I wish would buy it. They save money where they can yet spend it wisely in places where it matters, resulting in unrivalled success. So, there you have it – an Up! with no downsides.