Volkswagen has used the 2012 Sao Paulo Motor Show to unveil its new Taigun compact SUV concept.
Based upon the up! city car, the Taigun is absolutely microscopic. It shares the same wheelbase as the VW Polo, but is over 4-inches shorter and 2-inches wider.
Volkswagen has high hopes for the Taigun -- which, in case you hadn't noticed, is an anagram of Tiguan, VW's mid-sized off-roader -- and is convinced that it has huge potential in the South American market.
Volkswagen also claims that if the Taigun does go into production, it will be sold worldwide. In the UK, this means that it will go up against the Nissan Juke, Vauxhall Mokka and Skoda Yeti.
Under the bonnet, the Taigun concept gets a more powerful version of the up!'s 1.0-litre three-pot engine engine, producing 109bhp and 129lb-ft of torque and returning 60.1mpg with CO2 emissions of 110g/km.
The Taigun weighs just 40kg more than the up! and this makes for brisk performance from a car with such a small engine. 0-62mph takes 9.2 seconds and flat out you'll be doing 116mph.
On the outside, the Taigun has clearly been styled to resemble its bigger brothers, the Tiguan and the Touareg, and features LED lights, twin exhausts and a Range-Rover-style split rear tailgate. On the inside, there is a good-sized 280-litre boot and space for five passengers.
Volkswagen has yet to confirm whether the Taigun will reach production; however, a 2013 launch and a starting price of around £12,000 seem likely.
Related used car searches
Search used Volkswagen
