Volkswagen has discontinued the Up! GTI from its range, signaling the end of the tiny ICE-powered hot hatch.
Everything started with reports about the removal of the VW Up! GTI from ordering catalogs in several countries including the UK. Shortly after that, Volkswagen Netherlands confirmed to Top Gear that the hot hatch is not coming back, urging interested customers to hurry up while the remaining stock lasts. More specifically, a spokesperson from the automaker’s local branch said: “The Up GTI can indeed no longer be ordered… and will not return”, confirming that this stands for all markets.
Read: Volkswagen e-Up! Is Officially Back As The Automaker’s Cheapest EV
The Up! GTI was originally introduced in concept form back in 2016, and went on sale in 2018. In 2020, VW launched a slightly updated version with more equipment features, following a short hiatus from the UK market since 2019.
The performance flagship of the Up! range came fitted with a more powerful version of the turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine producing 114 hp (85 kW / 115 PS) and 200 Nm (148 lb-ft) of torque. Power was transmitted to the front axle exclusively through a six-speed manual gearbox. This setup was good for a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 8.8 seconds and a top speed of 196 km/h (122 mph). The model also featured a sportier chassis setup, larger alloy wheels (up to 17 inches), a more aggressive bodykit, GTI badges, and special upholstery inside the cabin.
With the demise of the VW Up! GTI, the only remaining hot hatches in the smaller segments are the slightly larger Suzuki Swift Sport, the Ford Fiesta ST, and the VW Polo GTI. The automaker is not planning a successor for the urban pocket rocket. The production version of the much more powerful and fully electric Cupra UrbanRebel concept is the closest we will ever get to an indirect replacement, since the upcoming VW ID.1 / ID.2 are highly unlikely to get a hotter GTX trim.
