The price of entry for the 2012 Volkswagen Up! is £7,995 ($12,434 U.S. at today's exchange rate) over in the UK and the order books are wide open.
Three engine options are available – two 1.0-liter three-cylinder gasoline units and one stop-start BlueMotion technology-equipped mill – with a trio of trim levels to choose from, including Take Up, Move Up, and High Up.
Entry-level Take Ups start at the aforementioned $12,434, but for £8970 ($13,950), buyers can jump up the Move Up. An additional £360 ($560) gets you behind the wheel of the BlueMotion Take Up, which returns 67.2 miles per gallon (56 mpg U.S.) and emits just 97 grams per kilometer of CO2.
The top-spec High Up starts at £10,390 ($16,159) and comes equipped with the more powerful 74-horsepower engine. Features on the High Up include heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, VW's Maps and More infotainment system and 15-inch alloy wheels.
All Up! models get a standard five-speed manual gearbox and come only in three-door guise. Five-door Up! vehicles will be available in mid-2012.