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Videos: Volkswagen's exterior and interior designers highlight the Up's design elements

We've enjoyed the design of Volkswagen's new Up since we first saw the vehicle in concept form at the 2007 Frankfurt motor show. Devoid of any extraneous detailing, the simple, product design aesthetic is pared back to represent the crux of VW's design philosophy: pure, simple and solid.  The result is a harmonious design that stands out from the pack, with simple surfacing and subtle detailing; the Up's design is pure and minimalistic, which serves to exude quality in the product. Inside, the vehicle is brimming with space-saving design details.  From an IP devoid of central air vents to a thin headrest that visually extends the height of the interior, the Up is a success story in space efficiency, but it is also finished to a high level using quality materials.

Golf Mk 6 bows out with new VW Golf R Cabriolet

Volkswagen is finally delivering the VW Golf R Cabriolet Mk 6, just as the Golf Mk 7 hits the road, but it does without 4WD. But it’s taken until now – 2013 and after the Mk 7 Golf arrived – for VW to fulfil the promise of more powerful open-top motoring in the Golf with the arrival – following a Golf R Cabrio tease video at the end of 2012 – to finally reveal it. Just as you’d expect, the Golf R Cabriolet is mechanically similar to the Golf R in that it gets the same 2.0 litre turbo four cylinder petrol engine that delivers its power through a six-speed dual-clutch auto box.

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer (2014) - the new BMW MPV

The phrase ‘jumping the shark’ has fallen out of use in recent times, but we’d like to bring it back for one final, special, 2014 celebratory appearance as just about the perfect way to introduce the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. No, your eyes are not deceiving you. BMW has built itself an MPV.