PoloDriver

The first trial outing of the special sausage will be at the Monte Carlo Rally from 14-19 January 2014, and hungry rally fans can win a VIP trip to the event in the South of France, by becoming a ‘Fan Food’ tester. Just visit the link shown in the video and apply. Who knows, maybe the Volkswagen currywurst will become the undisputed world champion of rally food, just like the Polo R is the current WRC rally car king!

Following its adoption in Malaysia and Mexico, the Polo Sedan has been introduced to the Philippines. Based on the Vento, the fifth-generation 6R Polo-based saloon currently on sale in India (and marketed elsewhere as the Polo Sedan), the four-door notchback becomes the cheapest Volkswagen in the Philippines, available for 950,000 Philippines Pesos. Offered in top-spec Highline trim only, the car is fitted with the ubiquitous 1.6-litre, 104bhp TDI engine available in other markets.

As standard, the Filipino Polo Sedan is available with 15-inch alloy wheels, ABS, front airbags, a CD/USB/AUX-in music system, manual air-conditioning, and a five-speed manual gearbox. Indian Autos Blog reports that the Philippines’ Polo Sedan is rumoured to be manufactured in and exported from Volkswagen’s Chakan factory in India. JP Orbeta, President of Automobile Central Enterprise Inc, VW’s Philippines distributor, said: ‘Volkswagen has always been known as the People’s Car, and now with the introduction of the Polo Sedan, the possibilities of owning a fine German car with the latest in technological advancements becomes more attainable for the Filipino.’

[Source: Indian Autos Blog]

Volkswagen Motorsport, Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia were officially crowned 2013 WRC World Champions at a gala evening in Paris last week. The official FIA Gala saw the Frenchmen collect their trophies for their dominance in the 2013 championship. The pair clinched the title as far back as October, before the season reached its climax at Rally Wales GB. ‘I look back on an incredible year. If anybody had told us at the beginning of the season that Julien and I would end the season with nine wins and the World Championship title, I probably would have sent them straight to the team doctor. For Julien and me a dream has come true and we are both extremely proud and honoured to finally be able to hold the FIA trophy,’ Ogier remarked after receiving the much-deserved prize.

The manufacturers’ title also went to Volkswagen, with the team claiming the honours in its debut season, an amazing feat. Dr Heinz-Jakob Neußer, a member of the Volkswagen management board for technical development, accepted the trophy, while the championship-winning car, the Polo R WRC was parked on the stage, highlighting its part in the latest chapter of Volkswagen’s motorsport success. The outfit has been rewarded with other honours, too. The FIA Facebook page has voted Ogier and Ingrassia’s leap in the Polo R WRC over the notorious ‘Mickey’s Jump’ hilltop at Rally Italy as the ‘FIA Motorsport Moment of the Year 2013’. The award was voted for by rally fans.’

Ogier has also collected the the ‘Caschi d’Oro’ (‘Golden Helmet’) in Bologna, awarded by Italian motoring magazine Autosprint. Volkswagen also received an award for its outstanding achievement in this year’s World Rally Championship. Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, father of the Volkswagen WRC project and member of the Audi AG management board, accepted the prize with Ogier. The Frenchman then flew back to France to continue testing the Polo R WRC in pre-event sessions for the 2014 Monte Carlo Rally, which starts next month. Ogier, together with fellow VW drivers Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen has been performing test drives in the French Alps. Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen, who will divide up the test work throughout the week, covered 800 kilometres during the first four days of test driving, some of which took place at altitudes of 1500 metres.

We’ve reported that the 6R Polo hatchback is to be exported to Malaysia from Volkswagen’s Chakan factory in India, and now, the Polo’s saloon sister, the Vento, will be sent to Mexico from the same plant. Left-hand drive versions of the traditonally-styled notchback model are already on sale in the South American country, and Volkswagen India states that Mexico will become its single largest export market. It started exporting cars from its Pune plant in 2011 and then sent models to Middle East countries last year. The newly-exported car keeps the ‘Vento’ nameplate and is available in three petrol and three diesel versions.

Three trim levels are available to Mexican customers: Style, Active, and Highline. Style model equipment includes ABS, alarm, manual air-conditioning and remote central locking, while Active and Highline cars come with Bluetooth connection, and an SD card and iPod-compatible radio system. All versions come with 15-inch wheels as standard. Power comes from the 1.6-litre, 104bhp petrol and diesel four-cylinder engines already seen in the Indian Vento. These are coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox, although petrol cars also have the option of a six-speed ‘Tiptronic’ shifter.

Petrol model prices start at $186,200.00 for the base-model Style, rising to $209,290.00 for the Highline equipped with the automatic gearbox. Mahesh Kodumudi, President & Managing Director, Volkswagen India Private Limited, said: ‘The Vento was specifically designed and built for Indian customers. However its success in a competitive market like India has opened up doors for exporting this car to various other markets.’ The Vento is now sold in Algeria, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa, named ‘Polo Sedan’ in some markets. The Polo hatchback is also on sale in Mexico, in Comfortline and Highline guises.

Volkswagen India has confirmed that it will export CKD kits of the Chakan-built Polo to Malaysia shortly. This follows news that the Polo Sedan on sale in Malaysia is now based on the Indian-built Vento (Polo saloon). CKD versions of the hatchback were sent to DRB-Hikom’s factory in Pekan during September for assembly. The new car will replace the current Malaysian Polo, which itself is based on the European model. The Indian-imported model has been spotted out testing, and appears to feature different rear lights with revised graphics.

The current Polo hatchback costs RM 114,888.00 and is fitted with the familiar 1.2-litre TSI engine, developing 103bhp. The powertrain is yet undefined for the new model, though those currently rumoured include a three-cylinder petrol unit or the Polo Sedan’s 1.6-litre 103bhp engine coupled to a six-speed automatic gearbox. An introduction date is yet to be announced, but Volkswagen Malaysia is offering an RM 5,000 rebate on new TSI-engined Polos until 31 December 2013, so a Malaysian market introducion could well be imminent.