The Volkswagen Group New Small Family platform (NSF) (also known as Typ AA) will be a range of ultra-compact city cars built by Volkswagen Group and projected for launch in late 2011,[1] based on the Volkswagen up! concept cars[2] shown at 2007's Frankfurt and Tokyo motor shows. Although the up! concept car had a rear-engine design, the NSF's platform will be front-engined, according to reports,[3] in order to reduce investment costs. The range will consist of a short wheelbase three-door hatchback and a longer wheelbase five-door version. A hybrid version could also join the range.
The cars are to be built in Slovakia at the Group's Devínska Nová Ves plant near Bratislava, Volkswagen Group investing 308 million Euros (about $398.56 million) in readying the plant for the project.[4] NSF models will be badged as Volkswagens, SEATs and Škodas,[4] It has also been reported that Audi is planning a version of the NSF, tentatively named E1, with a distinctively-styled body and interior.[5]
Volkswagen Group expects to build 4.5 million NSF cars in the model's anticipated nine-year life. Future plants in Kaluga, Russia, and Pune, India, could add a further 262,000 of the cars to the forecast total on their local markets.[citation needed]
