PoloDriver

Continuing the trend it enjoyed all year, the Volkswagen Polo ended 2014 in the UK’s top 10 best-selling cars chart. According to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), Volkswagen UK sold 48,004 new Polos during 2014, an increase of 5,395 cars and 112 per cent over 2013 placing it seventh.

No doubt helped by the arrival of the refreshed (6C) fifth-generation model, the Polo was placed ninth in the SMMT sales chart for December 2014, selling 3,189 units. The Ford Fiesta found 7,507 homes, while in change from previous months, the Vauxhall Corsa topped the tallies with 8,074 cars sold. Another popular VW, the Golf, was in seventh place.

The 2014 UK new car market grew 9.3 per cent over the previous year, ahead of the EU average of 5.7 per cent*. 2014 also marked a 10-year high for UK new car registrations. 2,476,435 new cars were registered in the UK in 2014 – the most in a calendar year since 2004. The UK remains the second largest market in the EU (behind Germany and ahead of France, Italy and Spain), and recorded the second-largest growth of these top five EU markets.

*January-November data (Source: ACEA).

The UK’s top 10 best-selling passenger cars during December 2014 and the year (sales figure and position in brackets) are as follows:

1 Vauxhall Corsa: 8,074 (81,783, 3rd)
2 Ford Fiesta: 7,507 (131,254, 1st)
3 Ford Focus: 6,196 (85,140, 2nd)
4 MINI: 5,375
5 Vauxhall Astra: 4,936 (59,689, 5th)
6 Vauxhall Mokka: 4,099
7 Volkswagen Golf: 4,093 (73,880, 4th)
8 BMW 3 Series: 3,361
9 Volkswagen Polo: 3,189 (48,004, 7th)
10 Nissan Juke: 3,048 (39,263, 10th)

(The 2014 top 10 best-selling cars absent from last month’s sales figures are the Nissan Qashqai in 6th place, the Audi A3 in eighth place, and the Fiat 500 in ninth place selling 49,909, 45,581 and 44,005 units respectively.)

The 218bhp 2.0 TSI Polo R WRC was a left-hand drive, mainland Europe-only limited production model produced in 2013 to celebrate the introduction of the two-time World Rally Championship-winning Polo R WRC rally car. Milltek Sport offers a stainless steel exhaust system to further enhance the performance of the most powerful production Polo to date.

With twin 80mm ‘GT’ tailpipes, the Milltek Sport SSXVW263 cat-back system for the Polo R WRC has been designed to reduce dynamic pressure and to improve heat dissipation. With a guide tube cross-section of 70mm, the system is claimed to give more power by reducing the back pressure.

There’s also ‘plug and play’ compatibility, as the system uses OEM mounting locations with no re-working of mounts required. Milltek Sport exhaust systems are also precision and quality-control manufactured to ISO 9001 standards.

The Polo R WRC system is made up from the F5076 adapter sleeve, MSSE134 centerpiece, MSSE135 muffler, and MSVW369 tailpipes. At the time of writing, any lucky UK owners can upgrade their cars for £545.87 (including VAT) plus £16.74 shipping. We’ve also seen the system on popular auction site eBay for €869 including VAT.

Milltek Sport exhausts are also made from high-quality type 304 aircraft-grade stainless steel. This material is anti-magnetic (other manufacturers’ stainless steel systems may not be) and, the company says, is less susceptible to discolouration.

Distributed in the UK by Pumaspeed, for more details on the Milltek Sport Polo R WRC exhaust system, visit the Milltek Sport website.

Volkswagen India’s factory at Chakan celebrated a production milestone at the end of 2014, with a record 111,444 cars produced at the Pune plant. An increase of 11.4 per cent over the 2013 calendar year was recorded, thanks largely to exports to the Mexican market.

The Vento (Polo saloon) was the most popular car made in Chakan with 67,010 units built, with the Polo and Vento-based Škoda Rapid also boosting production numbers (33,547 and 10,887 units respectively). The refreshed fifth-generation Polo and Vento both debuted on the Indian market during 2014.

Mahesh Kodumudi, President and Managing Director, Volkswagen India Private Limited, said: ‘Almost every second car made at this plant last year was exported to the Mexican market.’ The Chakan factory exports finished cars to over 32 countries on three continents, with export volumes growing to 308 per cent when compared to 2013.

[Source: Indian Autos Blog]

It’s been another busy and exciting year for the Volkswagen Polo. Of course, the big news of 2014 has been the worldwide launch of a comprehensively revised version of the fifth-generation Polo. New engines, safety technology, interior refinements and a gently restyled exterior update it against refreshed competition.

On the asphalt and gravel stages of the World Rally Championship, the Polo has, like 2013, once again come out on top. Taking 12 event wins out of 13, the 300bhp four-wheel drive Polo R WRC has claimed the Manufacturers’ Championship title for Volkswagen Motorsport, and also carried Frenchmen Sébastien Ogier the Julien Ingrassia to their second consecutive Drivers’ Championship prize.

Other Polo-based motorsport series have also continued around the globe, with Wolfsburg’s small car competing as a rally, rallycross and also a track machine. Here, we round up the Polo’s biggest achievements in 2014. (Bold entries are illustrated by the picture above that particular month.)

January

– Refreshed fifth-generation Polo (known as ‘6C’) presented in Wolfsburg
– Polo ends 2013 as the eighth best-selling car in the UK
– 2014-specification Polo R WRC rally car unveiled

– Sébastien Ogier wins 2014 Rallye Monte Carlo with Polo R WRC

– Polo Vivo and is the best-selling car in South Africa for 2013; Polo 6R is runner-up

– Polo is the fifth best-selling car in the UK.

February

– Jari-Matti Latavala takes Polo R WRC to victory in Rally Sweden
– New Polo MY2015 production starts at Volkswagen Navarra factory
– New Polo BlueMotion, BlueGT and CrossPolo revealed ahead of Geneva motor show
– Volkswagen Motorsport signs rallycross partnership with Marklund Motorsport
– Polo is the sixth best-selling car in the UK.

March
– Mathew Hodges and Daniel Rowe take wins at 2014 Engen Volkswagen Cup opener
– Sébastien Ogier wins Rally Mexico, with Jari-Matti Latvala in second place
– Polo hatchback and saloon prices reduced in Brazil
– Volkswagen Sasolracing Polo S2000 triumph at 2014 Tour Natal Rally
– New Polo released for UK ordering – prices and full specifications announced
– Dewald Brummer and Tasmin Pepper take Engen Volkswagen Cup spoils at Killarney
– Polo is the seventh best-selling car in the UK.

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A new special edition Polo has been announced for the German market. The Polo Lounge comes with unique exterior embellishments and a choice of four petrol (59-109bhp) and three TDI engines (74-104bhp). Prices start at €15.200 for the five-speed 1.0-litre model and rise to €20.375 for the 89bhp TDI with DSG.

Extra exterior kit distinguishing the Polo Lounge from its siblings includes dark red rear lights, silver 6J x 15 ‘Novara’ alloy wheels, gloss black front grille, ‘Lounge’ badges and dark-tinter rear windows. Inside, there are ‘Deep Inox’ centre console inlays, ‘Tartan’ upholstery, leather-trimmed steering wheel, gearknob and handbrake lever, and ‘Lounge’ floor mats.

Other standard equipment features front fog lights, ‘coming home’ headlight function, rain-sensing wipers, fatigue detection system, ‘Climatronic’ climate control, auto-dimming interior mirror, cruise control and six speaker ‘Composition Colour’ infotainment system.

Optional packages include the R-Line styling package comprising of colour-coded rear spoiler, ‘R-Line’ badging, ‘R-Line’ bumpers, and 7J x 17 ‘Mallory’ alloy wheels. A ‘Lounge Plus’ package adds ‘Salvador’ 7J x 16 alloy wheels, LED headlights, headlamp washers, and a low washer fluid level warning light.

The Polo Lounge is just one of the Volkswagen’s new Club and Lounge new special edition models, launched this month by Volkswagen’s new ‘Marketing Manager’ Robbie Williams. To find out more, click here.