The Volkswagen Communications team has set an unofficial record to see how many people can fit inside the new up! city car. Although normally designed to seat four it was possible to squeeze four times as many people inside with a little creative thinking.
Seven people fitted on the rear bench, four on the front seats, two people were in the boot, one was on the dashboard and two people squeezed into the footwells. With everyone aboard the doors could be closed and the windows shut. The stunt has its origins in the 1950s when as many people as possible would try and cram into a telephone box. The Volkswagen connection came about when seventeen Beetle fans in Australia decided to cram into the iconic car. More recently, in 2010, in Kentucky 20 people earned a place in the Guiness Book of Records with their attempt. The New Beetle has also been subject to similar stunts with the record set at 27 students from the USA in 2001.
The up! is just over half a metre shorter (but about 0.1 metres wider) than the original Beetle. When the car goes on sale next spring VW suggests that customers can try and set their own record.
John Lambert - 25 Oct 2011