PoloDriver

The latest monthly figures from motoring industry data and intelligence firm JATO Dynamics, find the Volkswagen Golf as one of the cars helping the European car market get back on the road to recovery. With its popularity boosted by national scrappage schemes such as the one in the UK, the Golf has recorded a 56% year-to-date increase in sales over the same period in 2008.

That’s despite a decline in the overall motor market of 12%, and the Golf’s impressive figures tally with Volkswagen’s own statistics. The German car maker reports that its world market share has risen to 11.7%, with group deliveries growing 11% in September alone.

It’s not quite so good news for the Polo and Passat. Faring less well, over the same period, the Passat’s sales figures are down 15.8%, with the Polo recording a much smaller loss of 3.3%. With the new model now coming on stream to most of its anticipated markets, we hope that small decrease becomes an increase. But, this may only happen if the industry recovery itself lasts.

David Di Girolamo, head of JATO Consult, agrees: ‘We are still seeing the market recovery driven by small cars and new models – in other words, the popular choices in national scrappage schemes. This has clearly distorted the natural performance of some markets and models. Now the end is in sight for these incentives, we will be watching the market closely, to see if this recovery is sustainable,’ he says.

[Source: German Car Scene]

The first new Polo owners take delivery of their cars today, and Volkswagen has announced a number of attractive finance offers from on all new Polos bought between 1 October and 31 December 2009.

Volkswagen Finance is offering two deals that are as equivalent to the loans for benefits offered at any bank. The first is a low monthly payment of £99 per month for the 1.2-litre 59bhp three-door model or £109 per month for the equivalent five-door. The second, which the company hopes will appeal to younger buyers, is a no-deposit offer with subsequent monthly payments of £189 (three-door) or £199 (five-door). Both of these examples are based on a three-year/30,000-mile contract.

Taking a leaf out of the (BMW) Mini’s book, all customers buying a new Polo with a ‘Solutions’ finance package are also eligible for fixed-price servicing for a one-off payment of £250, giving three years or 30,000 miles servicing (whichever comes soonest).

Both of the finance offers are available to non-scrappage retail customers who purchase a new Polo before 31 December 2009*. Three-door models will not arrive in the UK until January 2010 but can be ordered now with this offer. Visit your local Volkswagen retailer for full terms and conditions or click here.

* Cars delivered in 2010 could be subject to an increase in VAT.

Still they slowly drip online. Two more new Polo tests have appeared on the internet this week. Motoring weekly Autocar has been driving the 59bhp 1.2 Moda, while respected monthly Car has been evaluating the 1.4 SE.

The findings of both tests have been posted on the websites of both titles and they’re both largely favourable. Autocar says of the Moda: ‘This model is most likely to be used as an urban runabout and at that it excels. But its accomplished levels of performance, refinement, and character, as well as its ability to raise the odd smile, will also please those venturing outside the city.’

Meanwhile Car reports that the bigger-engined SE ‘is a great little car, tops for refinement and finish, the class act if acting classy is what you’re after.’ Click here to read the full Car test and view the results of the Autocar drive here.

Volkswagen is, quite rightly, making a splash about the new Polo. With the first cars hitting showrooms this Friday, it has launched the Polo Timeless Film Festival. Why timeless? The company is promoting the car as a timeless piece of design.

With a trip to New York up for grabs, all you have to do to take part in the Polo Timeless Film Festival is to vote for your favourite movie. There are 10 films from which to make a choice:

• Top Gun
• Grease
• Love Actually
• Pride and Prejudice
• Atonement
• The Devil Wears Prada
• 50 first Dates
• Mamma Mia
• Bridget Jones
• Sex and the City

The winning film will then be screened free on allocated big screens around the country on either Thursday 29 October or Tuesday 3 October.

Online entry for the New York competition closes on 25 October 2009, with the draw taking place on 6 November. Personally, we’d vote for the period-defining Top Gun from the 1980s. But then again, Grease is one of our favourites… (We also haven’t seen half of the others.)

Click here and get voting!

Here, as promised, is our first drive report from last week’s new Polo press launch. Is it a really a shrunken Golf? Does it enjoy the premium feel of all its predecessors, is it the little limousine Volkswagen would have you believe, and how striking is the new car in the metal?

Last week we had initial drives of the 1.2 Moda, 1.2 SE, 1.4 SE, 1.6 SE TDI and 1.4 SEL DSG. To find out the answers to the questions above and what we think of the fifth-generation Polo, click on the magazine graphic below, or if you can’t see the preview, visit this link.