Volkswagen added a new transmission to the list of options for up! city car in the UK. This Automated Manual Gearbox is supposed to offer the convenience of an auto ‘box, with the fun of a manual one. It costs £595 and is available on both three- and five-door Move up! and High up! models, expect the BlueMotion versions.
The ASG is an automated version of the five-speed manual gearbox in the up!. Such transmissions have a reputation for being jerky, but VW says their ‘box behaves like a normal automatic. The gear shift points have been calculated to help achieve maximum fuel efficiency, depending on road profile and throttle position. To change manually yo have to use the lever. No steering wheel-mounted paddle are available for it.
The reason VW went for an ASG and not a conventional automatic is because the ASG has no torque convertor, it’s light, space-efficient, and cheaper to build, which makes it suitable for an affordable city car.
Volkswagen up! model line-up and pricing
| Model | Engine derivative |
CO2, g/km |
Combined mpg |
Price, £ RRP OTR |
| Take up! 3dr | 1.0-litre 60 PS 5 spd manual | 105 | 62.8 | 7,995 |
| Take up! 5dr | 1.0-litre 60 PS 5 spd manual | 105 | 62.8 | 8,360 |
| Move up! 3dr | 1.0-litre 60 PS 5 spd manual | 105 | 62.8 | 9,080 |
| Move up! 5dr | 1.0-litre 60 PS 5 spd manual | 105 | 62.8 | 9,445 |
| Move up! 3dr ASG | 1.0-litre 60 PS 5 spd automatic | 103 | 64.2 | 9,675 |
| Move up! 5dr ASG | 1.0-litre 60 PS 5 spd automatic | 103 | 64.2 | 10,040 |
| Move up! BlueMotion Technology 3dr | 1.0-litre 60 PS 5 spd manual | 95 | 68.9 | 9,440 |
| Move up! BlueMotion Technology 5dr | 1.0-litre 60 PS 5 spd manual | 95 | 68.9 | 9,805 |
| High up! 3dr | 1.0-litre 75 PS 5 spd manual | 108 | 60.1 | 10,515 |
| High up! 5dr | 1.0-litre 75 PS 5 spd manual | 108 | 60.1 | 10,880 |
| High up! 3dr ASG | 1.0-litre 75 PS 5 spd automatic | 105 | 62.8 | 11,110 |
| High up! 5dr ASG | 1.0-litre 75 PS 5 spd automatic | 105 | 62.8 | 11,475 |
| High up! BlueMotion Technology 3dr | 1.0-litre 75 PS 5 spd manual | 98 | 67.3 | 10,875 |
| High up! BlueMotion Technology 5dr | 1.0-litre 75 PS 5 spd manual | 98 | 67.3 | 11,240 |
| up! Black 3dr | 1.0-litre 75 PS 5 spd manual | 108 | 60.1 | 11,305 |
| up! Black 5dr | 1.0-litre 75 PS 5 spd manual | 108 | 60.1 | 11,670 |
| up! White 3dr | 1.0-litre 75 PS 5 spd manual | 108 | 60.1 | 11,305 |
| up! White 5dr | 1.0-litre 75 PS 5 spd manual | 108 | 60.1 | 11,670 |
