New Volkswagen Fox - first official pictures

Babe RuthLess · Post by **Babe RuthLess** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 6:44 am

Hi all.

Just thought it'd be nice to post the first official pictures of VW's new Fox - the Polo 9N-based Lupo replacement that'll be launched in Brazil next month and should go on sale in Europe by late 2004.

VW intended that the Fox looked almost like a micro-MPV.

Tail not very 'inspired', and VW logo looks really small in comparison with other VWs like the Polo and the new Golf 5.

This car is based on the same platform as the new Polo, but has been 'simplified' and will cost significantly less.

It's been entirely desinged and developed in Brazil and I should say I kinda like it.

A 5-door version will follow soon, but won't be sold in Europe. Some details on the car have been revealed by VW: it's got a sliding rear seat and, strangely for a VW, the lights are operated by a column stalk instead of the usual rotary switch.

It's got a CitroÃ«n C3-style speedo with a large LCD in the centre, a 3-spoke air-bag'd steering wheel (though as usual the safety features will be expensive options on Brazilian-market cars). Fit and finish is said to at least match that of the Polo and some journalists who've seen the actual car say VW has learned from the Polo experience and assembly seems to have been improved.

Engine options for now are dual-fuel (alcohol and petrol mixed in any proportion), 8-valve fours in 1.0 and 1.6-litre configurations, but kW and torque figures haven't been anounced yet.

Post by **Josh_PoloGTi** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 7:33 am

Thanks for the info and pics!

I was reading autocar yesterday (the copy was a few weeks old) and they had some "spy" photos of the new mexican-built ultra-small vw (can't remember it's name, but I remember you telling us about it ages ago!)

Hey, it's nice to have you back! Where have you been?

Speedlaw · Post by **Speedlaw** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 8:27 am

The Tupi?

I kinda like this one - nice pics too! Hadn't seen these before. Looks like a grown up Lupo, and then slightly bigger.

No boot lid handle though, that's rare. Makes it easy to shave that lock and logo.

harry · Post by **harry** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 10:20 am

the rear looks nice and clean front looks a bit like a saxo..

Babe RuthLess · Post by **Babe RuthLess** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:06 pm

Well, that's the Tupi, or project 249 (PQ249).

I also think that the Fox is the "mexican-built ultra-small car" that Autocar announced... I posted some spy shots of the Fox being tested a couple of months ago, maybe they're the same Autocar's published.

I've never heard of any plans of small VWs to be built in Mexico (Mexicans get all their Gols and Polos from the Brazilian factories).

The Fox will be built exclusively in Brazil from two factories, in Curitiba (domestic market & Latin America) and SÃ£o Bernardo (for export to Europe).

Speedlaw · Post by **Speedlaw** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 1:14 pm

Good info.

I noticed that there's no rubstrips too, now that I've had a second look.

Wonder what the interior looks like?

Babe RuthLess · Post by **Babe RuthLess** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 3:38 pm

Well there have been some photos of the interior in the Brazilian press, but no official pic has been released at this time.

The main features are a large parcel shelf that extends accross the dashboard; a newly-designed three-spoke wheel which includes radio controls; an instrument cluster that includes a CitroÃ«n C3, C-class Merc-style speedo with a large LCD in the centre, with fuel gauge and rev-counter clustered around this. It's said that the fuel gauge and rev-counter 'disppear' when the car's turned off, Mercedes-style.

In a break from tradition, the lights are activated by a column stalk and not by the usual VW switch that's become almost like an industry standard. VW Brasil officials say this was a design feature that they had to push very hard to get through the conservative Wolfsburg board. Ventilation controls are said to be similar in style to the Alfa 156's and newer Mercedes models'.

Space can be improved by sliding the rear seat, which can also be removed, MPV-style. Much like a Honda Fit's (Jazz's) actually.

About the lack of rubbing strips, VW has said that only the most basic Fox won't have them.

Cheers,

Speedlaw · Post by **Speedlaw** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 3:59 pm

Wow, good info again!

I'll bet the rubstrips will come off amass if the car finally hits the scene here.

The new Golf has a 3 spoke steering wheel too, IIRC. I'm amazed at the light switch, never thought they'd change that!

Good stuff.

harry · Post by **harry** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 5:57 pm

they should do a gti version in that shape, some suttle arch extensions, mesh the front end, deep side skirts, nice bbs (18's minimum) and a nice twin centre exit exhaust, then i will go and put a deposit down for one...

Babe RuthLess · Post by **Babe RuthLess** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 7:02 pm

I'm amazed at the light switch, never thought they'd change that!

Yep, it was reported that Brazilian designers had a really hard time trying to convince Wolfsburg to let that one through. It's not just the design issue, but cost too. It's a real departure from the VW norm and I think only a Brazilian would go out of his way and try to wear out his german boss for such a small detail.

they should do a gti version in that shape, some suttle arch extensions, mesh the front end, deep side skirts, nice bbs (18's minimum) and a nice twin centre exit exhaust, then i will go and put a deposit down for one...

At launch there'll be a Sportline version with the 1.6-litre engine, but slightly more powerful than 74kW (it'll be dual-fuel petrol/alcohol and alcohol-powered cars deliver more kW/bhp). 15" alloys and a subtle bodykit are said to be standard, let's see.

I'll bet the rubstrips will come off amass if the car finally hits the scene here.

Well the car will only hit showrooms across Brazil in the 1st week of October but apparently there are already a few acessories being advertised for the Fox in specialised magazines. It's believed that this car will reach massive sales figures and will be very cheap (in Brazil anyway) so there'll be a huge tunning market - like the Gol's.

Anyway, I'll keep you guys posted, maybe the stuff will be cheaper if sourced from here (seeing that our currency bit the dust last year).

Cheers,

KarlM · Post by **KarlM** » Wed Aug 27, 2003 10:47 pm

kinda looks like a cut-and-shut Touran.

i think i like it, it grows on me the more i look at it

Babe RuthLess · Post by **Babe RuthLess** » Thu Aug 28, 2003 1:45 am

kinda looks like a cut-and-shut Touran.

i think i like it, it grows on me the more i look at it

The 5-door is set to be even more MPV-like, and will probably be marketed that way!

toXXin · Post by **toXXin** » Thu Aug 28, 2003 11:42 am

I really like that!

So much better than the ugly Golf that they've just shown pictures of!

vwpower · Post by **vwpower** » Thu Aug 28, 2003 6:22 pm

I just to have the sedan version a long time ago
it was 1998 But it was called AMAZON

And on that time the hatch was the 1.8Gt or something like that

I thougth the micra was an old model