PoloDriver

Following on from last month, the Polo has once again recorded a top 10 chart position in the UK’s best-selling cars, according to figures just released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). February 2012 saw Volkswagen UK sell 1518 units through its retailer network, making the Polo the eighth most popular car on these shores. Its stablemate the Golf was third with 2857 examples finding homes, while in a surprise entry, the larger Passat polled three places lower in sixth, shifting 1565 cars. The Ford Fiesta was again top of the supermini heap, with the Vauxhall Corsa coming in as runner-up.

New car registrations fell 2.5% in February to 61,868 units, says the SMMT, with supermini totals falling in February but up for the year-to-date by 2.9%, representing 35.0% of the total market. ‘The February new car market was broadly in line with industry expectations with a welcome increase in private retail activity,’ said Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive. ‘The March market will provide a much better indicator of industry health than the relatively low volumes traditionally seen in February.’ The top 10 UK best-selling cars in February 2012 and for the year overall (sales figure and position in brackets) are as follows:

1 Ford Focus: 3713 (9356, 2nd)
2 Ford Fiesta: 2899 (10,723, 1st)
3 Volkswagen Golf: 2857 (6849, 3rd)
4 Vauxhall Corsa: 2855 (6479, 4th)
5 Vauxhall Astra: 1589 (4929, 5th)
6 Volkswagen Passat: 1565 (3592, 9th)
7 Vauxhall Insignia: 1547 (4266, 7th)
8 Volkswagen Polo: 1518 (4416, 6th)
9 BMW 3 Series: 1474 (3476, 10th)
10 Nissan Qashqai: 1377 (4004, 8th)

Once again, Volkswagen Group South Africa leads the way in the South African new passenger car sales charts. The Polo Vivo in both hatchback and sedan guises was again the top-seller with 2651 units, but the fifth-generation, locally-made Polo 6R wasn’t far behind, with 2470 examples sold. 6033 Polo 6Rs were also exported from Volkswagen Group South Africa’s Uitenhage factory, which also manufactures the CrossPolo.

The Polo Vivo was launched in March 2010 as an entry-level model for the South African market, replacing the Series 1 Golf-based CitiGolf, and is available as a three or five-door hatchback and four-door booted saloon with 74bhp/84bhp 1.4-litre and 103bhp 1.6-litre petrol engines. Costing from R106,100 for the base-model 1.4 hatchback to R153,200 for the top 1.6 Trendline Sedan, the 2012 Polo Vivo is based on the revised version of the Series 4 Polo (9N3), built from 2005 to 2009. The fifth-generation Polo (6R) is available as both a three and five-door hatchback, in addition to the traditionally-styled four-door Polo Sedan.

After an 8-year absence, the Polo GT is back! Rumours of this potentially groundbreaking new Polo model only surfaced last week, but today, Volkswagen has made it official news. The Polo BlueGT (no space) was announced this morning at the 2012 Geneva Auto Salon, and pairs up the unlikely bedfellows of performance and frugality. Using ACT (Active Cylinder Technology) cylinder deactivation technology we first reported on recently, it is the first production Volkswagen to be fitted with such cutting-edge mechanicals. The 1.4-litre turbocharged engine is the first of the new EA211 series of powerplants which will become commonplace in Volkswagen’s new modular transverse matrix platform system.

Displacing 138bhp (103kW), the new unit gets the Polo BlueGT to 62mph from rest in 7.9 seconds, while top speed is 130mph. Emissions number 108g/km, some 31 less than the 178bhp Polo GTI, but specify the optional seven-speed DSG gearbox and this last figure tumbles further, with a CO2 reading of just 105g/km. Fuel economy is exceptional for a ‘warm’ hatch – the Polo BlueGT is forecast to do 60mpg on a combined cycle with a manual gearbox, and 62mpg when fitted with the semi-automatic shifter.

Of course, it’s all about the engine with the Polo BlueGT. Under light and medium loads, the second and third cylinders of the four-cylinder unit are automatically shut off, saving up 0.2 gallons when driven at a constant 31mph. Cylinder deactivation starts at engine speeds of between 1250 and 4000rpm, and at torque outputs of 18-74lb ft (25-100Nm). When the accelerator pedal is pressed, Volkswagen says that the two cylinders are imperceptibly reactivated. With mechanical switchovers happening in 13-36 milliseconds, a dashboard display lets drivers know when deactivation occurs.

Style-wise, the new Polo BlueGT is somewhere between a BlueMotion and a GTI. Visually triking nonetheless, it borrows the side sills and windscreen rain channels (we didn’t realise these were special!) from the thrifty Polo BlueMotion, while the rear spoiler, rear bumper and diffuser, and front bumper with LED running lights are also common to the GTI model. 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels help the Polo BlueGT stand out, as well as blue ‘GT’ badges front and rear, the tailgate one supplemented by a ‘BlueMotion’ script. A black-painted front grille and black door mirror cappings complete the look.

A black interior roof lining helps give the cabin a sporty ambience, while GTI instruments impart information to the driver. Bespoke BlueGT sport seats with grey and blue alcantara panels help distinguish the Polo BlueGT from its lesser siblings, while a flat-bottomed, leather-trimmed steering wheel features a blue ‘GT’ emblem. On sale in Europe in July, UK availability has yet to be confirmed, but if it was, we expect it to be near the end of the year, and at around £16,500, placing it directly between the 104bhp Polo 1.2 SEL TSI and the 178bhp Polo GTI. We hope Volkswagen UK decides to import it.

It seems that the Polo GTI my soon have an understudy. Hot on the recent news that the Polo is soon to feature Volkswagen’s cylinder deactivation technology, we’ve heard rumours that the car will debut at next week’s Geneva motor show, alongside the Golf GTI Cabriolet. Featuring a 138bhp (103kW), 1.4-litre engine which shuts off two cylinders under light loads (between 1250 and 4000rpm) reducing fuel consumption, we’ll bring you more news on this potentially exciting and technology-packed new Polo model as soon as details are officially announced.

[Source: Carscoop]

It’s soon to celebrate its 37th birthday, but today the Volkswagen Polo was announced as the best-selling supermini in Western Europe, based on new registrations by automotive data and marketing solutions organisation Polk. The fifth-generation Polo was launched in 2009, and has won numerous international prizes, including ‘European Car of the Year 2010’ and ‘World Car of the Year 2010’, as well as a ‘Red Dot Design Award’. The car has also won 22 out of 22 comparative tests both in Germany and overseas.

Dynamic design, driving fun, comprehensive safety equipment and a cutting-edge engine line-up mark out the latest Polo, although class-leading quality and refinement still have their part to play, just as they did when the first generation was launched in March 1975. The second-generation Polo arrived in 1981, while the third generation model came in 1994. The series four Polo was ushered in during 2001, bringing with it a whole host of safety features and technology, which its successor has comprehensively built upon.

‘After a very successful 2010, 2011 proved to be an outstanding year once again for the Polo. To be the number one in the supermini segment all across Europe demonstrates that the Polo is the first choice for many customers. In Western Europe alone, more than 340,000 vehicles were sold,’ says Xavier Chardon, Head of Sales Europe of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand. The international popularity of the Polo is reflected in the best-seller’s production locations. The latest Polo 6R is currently manufactured at, and sold from, seven global locations in Europe, Africa, South America, China, India and also Russia.

[Image: Massimiliano Sermisoni Fotografie]