PoloDriver

The one millionth fifth-generation Polo 6R has been produced in Volkswagen’s factory in Pamplona, Spain and has landed in Sydney, Australia to be united with its owner Allan Anonat (seen receiving the car from Dealer Principal Darryl Pribut). The five-door Candy White Polo GTI (with panoramic roof, xenon headlamps, daytime running lights and 17” ‘Detroit’ polished alloy wheels) left Spain in July and arrived in Port Kembla, New South Wales this month. The fifth-generation Polo was introduced in 2009 and has been a success in Australia, winning a host of major awards from motoring magazines and websites.

[Source: vwwatercooled.org.au]

Here’s 68 seconds of fun for a Friday. Founded in 2009 by Adnan Ebrahim, motoring website carthrottle.com aims to ‘make car discovery fun again,’ and bills itself as a site with ‘funky fresh news, reviews and videos with a sprinkling of celebrity.’ Its content is certainly fun, as this Polo GTI video which was posted earlier this week shows. A spoof take on the famous 1987 Volkswagen ‘Casino’ ad, it ends with the tag line ‘Guys. Try It’, alluding to the German car makers famed hot hatch brand. Very nicely shot and very tongue in cheek, it stars one of Volkswagen UK’s press cars, and is one of the funniest pieces of film we’ve seen this week (Ice Dude notwithstanding). Find all of carthrottle.com’s videos here.

Volkswagen UK announced today that the Polo BlueGT is now available to order, with the first customer deliveries expected in December. Available from £17,400, the BlueGT mixes near-economy figures of the Polo BlueMotion with near-performance levels of the Polo GTI. Powered by a 138bhp, 185lb ft (250Nm) turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine, the unit has active cylinder deactivation (ACT), which shuts off two cylinders at low engine speeds, as first seen in the Audi A1. This results in a claimed 61.4mpg on the combined cycle, and 107g/km. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, but buyers can also choose the seven-speed DSG transmission. Top speed is 130mph and 0-62 mph takes just 7.9 seconds. The Polo BlueGT is the first production Volkswagen car to have the ACT technology fitted.

The new EA211 engine automatically closes down cylinders two and three under light and medium loads (between 1400-4000rpm and 18-74lb ft – 25-100Nm – of torque), producing fuel savings of up to 0.4 litres per 100km in the EU driving cycle. At a constant 30mph (50km/h) the savings can be as much as one litre per 100 km, and even at 44mph (70km/h) in fifth gear, Volkswagen says that around 0.7 litres per 100km can be saved. The two cylinders are imperceptibly reactivated when the accelerator pedal is pressed and all mechanical switchovers occur within 13 to 36 milliseconds, depending on engine speed. A display in the instrument binnacle lets the driver know when cylinders are deactivated.

Externally, the Polo BlueGT is distinguished by multi-spoke 17-inch ‘Montani’ alloys and blue-coloured GT badges front and rear, while the suspension is lowered by 15mm. There’s also a Polo GTI rear spoiler, front and rear bumpers and LED daytime running lights), and Polo BlueMotion side sills and front windscreen rain channels. A black-painted front grille and black door mirror caps complete the look, while a unique exterior paint, ‘Blue Silk’, is available as an option. The BlueGT also borrows the Polo GTI’s black interior roof lining and instruments, while a unique BlueGT-emblemmed steering wheel and sports seats feature in the cabin, along with DAB radio/iPod connectivity, cruise control, and a Bluetooth connection.

Polo BlueGT prices (18 October 2012)
Polo BlueGT 3dr: 6-spd manual, 107g/km, 61.4mpg, £17,400
Polo BlueGT 5dr: 6-spd manual, 107g/km, 61.4mpg, £18,020
Polo BlueGT 3dr: 7-spd DSG, 107g/km, 61.4mpg, £18,745
Polo BlueGT 5dr: 7-spd DSG, 107g/km, 61.4mpg, £19,365

Note: the car shown has optional xenon headlights and no front fog lights.

Shanghai-Volkswagen has launched the Polo GTI onto the Chinese car market, but all is not what it seems. Externally identical as the European model which develops 178bhp/132kW, the Chinese version of the performance hatchback makes do with 131bhp/96kW. Still equipped with a seven-speed DSG gearbox, the pared-down Chinese car uses an older 1.4-litre turbocharged ‘TSI’ engine to propel it. Critics are vary of the expensive price, too: 158.900 Yuan, which equates to approximately US$25,000 or £15,500.

Debuting at the Chengdu Auto Show on 19 September, the Chinese-spec Polo GTI is manufactured by joint-venture company Shanghai-Volkswagen, and certain reports state that the European engine would have been too costly to import, as the car is made locally. It will only be available with five doors, and has a 0-62mph time of 9 seconds, as opposed to the European car’s 6.9 seconds. It also misses out equipment highlights such as 17-inch wheels (smaller 16-inch rims will be fitted), LED daytime running lights, xenon headlights and headlight washers, multifunction steering wheel as well as cruise control.

In its latest issue out today, UK motoring magazine Autocar reports that a production version of the Polo R will be unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March 2013. Fitting in neatly with the full-blown 300bhp all-wheel-drive Polo R WRC taking to the world’s rally stages, the hot newcomer is said to have a tuned version of the outgoing Mk 6 Golf GTI 2.0-litre engine, developing 225bhp. A mechanical limited-slip differential is also set to feature, according to Autocar’s sources. A concept version of the Polo R – the Polo WRC Street – was shown at the 2012 Wörthersee GTI Festival back in May. Prices and exact details of the hottest-ever Polo have yet to be revealed.