Volkswagen GT Up! Confirmed for May 2015 Debut: 100 HP 1-Liter Turbo Engine

This editor fondly remembers when he reported on the Volkswagen GT Up! concept car, which was showcased at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, over three years ago. Back then, the Up! was a brand new car and many concepts were put together to promote it, including a beach buggy version and a slightly bonkers Up! Azzurra sailing themed car built by Walter de Silva and Giugiaro.

Out of all the concepts, only one made it into production, the Cross Up!, which features raised suspension and the protective body cladding of a crossover from Lilliput.

However, many people demanded they put the GT Up! intro production as well, since it payed homage to old Lupo GTI that was such a hoot to drive. And it seems VW is finally going to heed to their demands and sell a hot A-segment car, though maybe not in Europe.

Car.blog.br reports it has learned from insiders that in Brazil, a turbocharged version of the Up! city car will go on sale in May 2015, only 5 months from now. However, it will be called the Up! Turbo, which actually sounds way cooler if you think about it.

Power will come from a 3-cylinder turbo engine developed as part of the EA211 family of mills. The motors will be manufactured locally in Sao Paulo and are expected to deliver somewhere around 100 horsepower though a 5-speed manual.

For the record, Volkswagen has already installed such an engine in the Polo facelift. It's available in two stages of tune, either pumping 95 hp on the BlueMotion TSI fuel sipper or 115 hp. But, the Brazilian version will have a flex-fuel system, thus capable of running on ethanol, which is very popular in the country.

So where does that leave the Europeans? Well, the Geneva Motor Show stands between us and that May reveal, so maybe we'll be surprised. However, Volkswagen is not keen on investing more money into the slow-selling Up!, which it may eventually cancel. What's more, importing Up! Turbos from Brazil is out of the question, since those cars don't meet European safety standards.

Editor's note: The Brazilian blog has cropped and de-watermarked our photos from 2011. Shame on you, sirs! If you want the real deal, check out the 100% original photo gallery below.

Volkswagen GT Up! Concept - photo gallery