PoloDriver

While most of Europe was asleep last night, Volkswagen unveiled more variants of the refreshed Polo range which was seen for the first time last month. Due to take world premiere starring roles on the Volkswagen stand at the Geneva motor show next week, the New Polo BlueMotion, BlueGT and CrossPolo have all now broken cover. Let’s take the new variants one by one.

New Polo BlueMotion
The big news here is the new petrol-powered Polo TSI BlueMotion. A new 1.0-litre 89bhp three-cylinder turbocharged engine carries the new car onto a claimed official fuel consumption figure of 68.9mpg and emissions of 94g/km. The new petrol version of the BlueMotion will be launched later in the year and will be the only BlueMotion model sold in the UK.

Europe on the other hand will receive a TDI BlueMotion with a new 1.4-litre three-cylinder TDI engine. With 91.1mpg mooted, Volkswagen claims makes it the most fuel-efficient five-seater car in the world. Emissions are equally impressive at 82g/km, while power is the same as the outgoing model at 74bhp. Range is said to be 900 miles from its 45-litre fuel tank – enough for a drive from Flensburg near Denmark to Venice!

Both TSI and TDI BlueMotion models gain a revised aerodynamic body kit and underbody panels. A burnished radiator grille insert and newly-optimised front and rear spoilers feature, with the rear spoiler swapping its trademark Mk 2 Polo appearance for a much more subtle affair. New 15-inch ‘Buenos Aires’ alloy wheels are fitted to the BlueMotions, while the new ‘Clearwater Blue Metallic’ colour is an exclusive BlueMotion shade. As before, chrome accents and special upholstery feature inside.

New Polo BlueGT
Looking largely similar as the outgoing model, the New Polo BlueGT boasts 10bhp more than before, so the lightly revised 1.4-litre engine now develops 148bhp. Sitting below the forthcoming GTI, the BlueGT has active cylinder management (ACT) which shuts off two cylinders during light engine loads and speeds. Six-speed manual and seven-speed DSG gearboxes are as before, while 58.8mpg and 110g/km of CO2 are said to be achievable.

Styling tweaks include a 15mm suspension drop, smoked tail lights, 17-inch alloy wheels, refreshed bumpers and side sills and a new rear spoiler. The interior features a multifunction display with ACT indication, cruise control and sports seats.

New CrossPolo
As before, the New CrossPolo will only be sold in selected markets, and won’t come to the UK. Gently restyled front and rear bumpers over the old car mark out the new model, and silver door mirrors now come with every version. Two new colours, ‘Honey Orange’ and ‘Titanium Beige’, smoked rear lights and new 17-inch “Canyon’ alloy wheels add the finishing touches.

Inside, the New CrossPolo features exclusive, more hardwiring and rugged fabrics on its sport seats, a new steering wheel as well as the new instruments and centre console featured on all New Polos. H7 headlights with optional bi-xenons also mark out the rejuvenated faux-SUV Polo. Initial engine choice will be made up from three petrols and three diesel units with power outputs from 74bhp to 108bhp. All feature a stop-start system and battery regeneration and all meet EU-6 emission standards.

As detailed at the international launch, standard on all versions of the New Polo is a revised electro-mechanical power steering system which, Volkswagen says, increases performance and comfort perceptibly. The Sport Select chassis with electrically-adjustable dampers is also new making its Polo debut, but is not available with BlueMotion or CrossPolo models.

Other New Polo highlights include an Automatic Post-Collision Braking System as standard and optional Front Assist with City Emergency Braking. New touchscreen infotainment systems also feature and the New Polo is the first Volkswagen with MirrorLink.

New Polo R-Line
As well as distinctive and separate mode lines, the European New Polo Comfortline and Highline are available with sporty customisation, courtesy of the new R-Line programme. Much as before, exterior and interior customisation is key here, with sports-styled front and rear bumpers, 16-inch ‘Salvador’ alloy wheels (with another 16-inch and three 17-inch designs available), sports seats and steering wheels all being part of the R-Line package. The R-Line is conspicuous by its absence in that it played no part in the newly-released New Polo family portraits.

Prices for the New Polo in Germany start at €12.450 for the three-door 59bhp Trendline model, while a limited-edition ‘Fresh’ model with the same number of doors and power retails at €16.075. Featuring special equipment and ‘Cornflower Blue’ paintwork, the Polo ‘Fresh’ is available for a limited time. UK prices and specifications will be announced when the New Polo is released for ordering in April. First deliveries are expected in July.

This morning, PoloDriver.com took delivery of L9 VWW, a Polo BlueGT fresh from Volkswagen UK’s press car fleet. We’ll be spending 10 days with the split-personality hatchback in the south-west of England, and it will no doubt be an interesting period. The Polo BlueGT features a 138bhp 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine with Active Cylinder Technology (ACT) which deactivates two cylinders under light engine loads. This helps the sporty-looking small VW to achieve quoted figures of 72.4mpg on the combined cycle, and only 107g/km of CO2. The Polo BlueGT gets from 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds, and a five-door like our test car costs from £18,155. See how we get on during the week by following us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/polodrivercom or by using the hashtag #bluegttosw

At the recent ‘Engine of the Year’ awards, Volkswagen’s TSI petrol engine claimed a prize for the seventh consecutive year in the 1.0-1.4-litre category. The company also received the ‘Best New Engine’ award for its TSI unit with active cylinder management (ACT), that powers (among other cars) the Polo BlueGT. The ‘Engine of the Year’ awards recognise the best engine development of the past 12 months. Active cylinder management made its debut in the 1.4 TSI Polo and Golf models with 103kW/138bhp. Temporary shut-off of the second and third cylinders – in conjunction with an economical style of driving – reduces fuel consumption by up to 0.4 litres per 100km in the EU driving cycle. 

At a constant 30mph, the savings can be as much as 1 litre per 100km, and even at 44mph in fifth gear, around 0.7 litres per 100km can be saved. Volkswagen states that cylinder deactivation occurs at engine speeds of between 1400 and 4000rpm, and at torque outputs of 25 to 100Nm (18 to 74lbs ft). If the driver presses the accelerator pedal, the two cylinders are imperceptibly reactivated. All mechanical switchovers occur within 13 to 36 milliseconds, depending on engine speed. The multifunction display in the Polo BlueGT’s instrument binnacle lets the driver know when the pair of cylinders are deactivated. The Polo BlueGT range starts at £17,535 for the three-door car.

Volkswagen unveiled the latest chapter in the Polo’s story back in March at the Geneva motor show, and now the Polo BlueGT has had its first driving presentation in Amsterdam. Featuring active cylinder management (ACT), it marries the concepts of ‘dynamics’ and ‘fuel efficiency’ together, shutting down two cylinders of the four-cylinder TSI petrol engine at lower speeds – the first such system in a production Volkswagen. Developing 138bhp (103kW) from its 1.4 litres, the Polo BlueGT accelerates to 62mph in 7.9 seconds (1.4 seconds slower than the 178bhp Polo GTI), and when fitted with the optional seven-speed DSG transmission, records a fuel consumption figure of over 60mpg. Emissions are 108g/km, top speed is 130mph.

Active cylinder management turns off cylinders two and three, kicking in between torque outputs of 18-74lb ft and between 1250 and 4000rpm, and the added benefits of direct injection, BlueMotion Technologies (Stop/Start system, battery regeneration, aerodynamic components) all play their part in making the Polo BlueGT close the gap between the turbocharged 1.2-litre model with 104bhp and the twincharged 178bhp Polo GTI. Volkswagen states that when ACT is active, fuel consumption in the EU driving cycle is reduced by about 0.4 l/100km. Distinctive features of the fun yet parsimonious Polo BlueGT include 17-inch ‘Montani’ alloy wheels, a Silk Blue Metallic paint finish (other colours are available, too), special aero kit, and a 15mm lower ride height. On sale in Germany in the autumn, the Polo BlueGT will cost from €19.650. No confirmation has yet been given for UK market availability.

We’ve managed to get our hand on an early Polo BlueGT brochure, and it reveals a few more details about the technology-laden small hatchback, which is released for sale in Germany in July. Just to recap, the Polo BlueGT mixes near-GTI performance with near-BlueMotion levels of economy, thanks to its clever 1.4-litre 138bhp TSI engine, which features cylinder deactivation technology. Running in two-cylinder mode between torque outputs of 18-74lb ft and between 1250 and 4000rpm, Volkswagen states that the changeover is imperceptible. The Polo BlueGT gets to 62mph from rest in 7.9 seconds, while emitting just 108g/km of CO2, and with forecasts of over 60mpg on the combined cycle, it seems performance and economy can be bedfellows after all.

So, what else does the brochure tell us? Only four paint colours are available – Candy White, Silk Blue Metallic, Reflex Silver Metallic and Intense Black Pearl Effect – with only the former being standard at no extra cost. The seats are trimmed in ‘Blue Speed’ mesh-type cloth with while blue alcantara panels, and the multifunction steering wheel, gear lever gaiter and handbrake are wrapped in leather with ‘Grey Crystal’ stitching. Wheels are 17-inch ‘Montani’ silver alloys, although can be specified with an Anthracite finish at extra cost. We also hadn’t noticed how the rear spoiler is supported by two black aerodynamic fairings either side of the rear window – a neat, but subtle touch. The one thing this early preview brochure doesn’t include however is prices.