On the trail of the legendary Austrian Alpine Rally in the up! GTI
Length: 3600 mm. Wheelbase 2420 mm. 115 PS in a sturdy looking, lightweight package. What does that remind us of? Whoever thinks of the first Golf GTI isn’t completely wrong, but not right, either. The up! GTI is a modern mighty midget with technical data very close to those of the progenitor of all hot hatches.
Close enough that first contact with an up! GTI is confusing like a dèjá-vu: So slender. So pure. So direct. Nothing else today can get you closer to the original GTI feeling.
Of course, this raises the question, where do you go with such an emotional fire cracker? Your best bet is the mountains, there, where you can celebrate driving a car for its own sake. The pleasure of smart motion, the joy of an elegant swing, the kick of a perfectly measured pursuit curve.
The foothills of the Austrian Alps are a good place well away from the mainstream of tourists. The region begins west of the capital, Vienna, with the gently undulating hills of the Vienna Forest and rises towards the main Alpine ridge to the serious passes.
Speaking of enjoyment: Austria is also a historic home for motor sport. This was the venue of the world’s oldest rally, the Austrian Alpine Rally, which began in 1910, preceding the Monte Carlo by one year.
The first rally world championship was held in 1973, and of course the Alpine Rally was part of it, although it did not survive the later oil crisis. Due to the difficult conditions, the underpowered rally Beetles were always good for heroic deeds and top finishes. Back then, the most challenging special tests took place in the Alpine foothills, where even today their magic can be imagined in the Semmering region, the countryside around Mariazell and the vicinity of Lunz am See.
You can experience a region where the shortest distance between two points consists of three curves.
Sometimes four or even five. A special attraction called the “Kalte Kuchl” (Cold Kitchen) is a tarmacked roller coaster which will warm every driver’s heart. The up! GTI is absolutely in its element here, where it can show off all its dynamic capabilities.
Its agility is inherent in its design; the minimal overhangs make the wheels feel as if they were attached directly at the corners. After a few kilometres, you can completely forget that you are actually driving a modern entry-level car. In some situations, too much space can actually dampen the mood. All that counts here are the machine, the road and you. End of story.
The interaction between fantastic handling, a sitting position with an excellent view and the perky engine produces a driving experience almost as direct as riding a motorcycle – of course, without the danger of a fall. The ingenious ESP technology makes it possible.
The three-cylinder turbocharged engine makes a big contribution to the fun. The displacement dwarf (999 cc) reveals itself as a genuine torque monster in the mountains. Two hundred Newton-metres are available at 2000 rpm, which is to say, virtually always, and the compact up! is a doddle for them. As if pulled by an invisible rubber band, you zip up the gradients, and the six-speed gearbox shifts so smoothly that you gladly take every opportunity to enjoy the turbocharged thrust. With the excellent power-to-weight ratio, you never have the feeling that you have “only” 115 PS at your disposal.
But not just the exemplary agility will please you. The sound engineers have taught the three-pot turbo a foreign language. When it revs up with its naturally rough sound, you don’t need a lot of imagination to think of the wonderfully throaty sound of a five-cylinder engine.
In fact, the up! GTI has all the ingredients to generate positive feelings. Everything – handling, torque, gear shift – is so smooth that you automatically slip into an elegant, effortless swing without thinking about it or working at it. This mighty midget is packed with an amazing amount of harmony. You catch yourself humming the easy-listening classic, “Up, Up and Away” by The 5th Dimension. Only flying is better? As if!
On the ride back, the commonplace qualities of the up! GTI become apparent as soon as you have left the mountains. Even after hours, you are still sitting comfortably; it doesn’t bounce too much either on the motorway or over urban potholes. To be sure, the GTI’s suspension is a bit harder, but within reason.
As a daily driver, the up!GTI is not an obtrusive athlete that wants to prove its abilities. Rather, it keeps them discretely at hand for whenever they are needed. Or when you want to treat yourself to an exciting kick.
A wonderful driving machine with talents that only the experts will perceive. Then there are a few restrained GTI emblems, the really beautiful 17-inchers with the Brands-Hatch design and plaid seats referencing the original GTI. All in all, the appearance is pleasantly subdued, above any sort of vanity, which fits in well with the overall image. The up! has always earned the exclamation point in its name, but the GTI is especially deserving.
Recommended break stations around Mariazell:
Erlebzelterei Pirker
Excellent gingerbread specialities near the Basilika Mariä Geburt (Basilica of St. Mary’s Birth)
Wiener Strasse 9, 8630 Mariazell
Lurgbauer
Gourmet restaurant in isolated forest, accessible only via gravel road
Lurg 1, 8630 St. Sebastian
Süßmeisterei Mahonie
Perfect not only for a coffee break
Hauptstrasse 42, 3193 St. Aegyd
Zum Blumentritt
The highest standard of traditional restaurant culture
Markt 20, 3193 St. Aegyd
Wuchtlwirtin
Earthy destination on the idyllic Hubertussee (Lake Hubertus) Fantastic desserts.
Walstern 18, 8630 Mariazell
