PoloDriver

Volkswagen is clearly doing something right. No doubt the enhanced specification of Match and Match Edition models has helped, but the Polo remains in the top 10 best-selling cars in the UK sales chart, according to the latest figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The evergreen supermini was the UK’s eighth best-selling car in July 2013, which although a fall of one place when compared to June, doesn’t alter the Polo’s seventh best-selling car in the UK for the year-to-date placing.

The SMMT has significantly raised its forecast for 2013 new car registrations, predicting sales will reach 2.216 million units, 8.4 per cent ahead of 2012. There were strong performance across the private, fleet and business market sectors, and the market saw the 17th successive monthly rise in July, growing 12.7 per cent to 162,228 units. ‘Strong business and consumer confidence in July saw the new car market continue to rise, posting double-digit growth. Recently, we’ve seen a range of economic indicators point to improving conditions and our raised sales forecast emphasises how positively we view the rest of 2013,’ said Mike Baunton, SMMT Interim Chief Executive. The UK’s top 10 best-selling passenger cars during July 2013 and the year-to-date (sales figure and position in brackets) are as follows:

1 Ford Fiesta: 9089 (72,129, 1st)
2 Ford Focus: 7229 (54,904, 2nd)
3 Vauxhall Astra: 6165 (39,896, 4th)
4 Volkswagen Golf: 5166 (37,297, 5th)
5 Vauxhall Corsa: 4986 (51,133, 3rd)
6 Nissan Qashqai: 4312 (31,424, 6th)
7 BMW 3 Series: 3070 (24,658, 8th)
8 Volkswagen Polo: 3001 (26,288, 8th)
9 Nissan Juke: 2943
10 Fiat 500: 2768


(The 2013 top 10 best-selling car absent from last month’s sales figures is the BMW 1 Series in 10th place with 22,437 units sold.)

Editorial website motoring.com.au has recently named its recommended cars for 2013, and the Polo has triumphed in the city car category. Volkswagen did well in the Australian website’s list, with four recommendations from its passenger car and commercial vehicles ranges. The Polo won the award in 2012 and keeps it for 2013. It was the same story for the Touareg, which scooped the gong for best SUV over $50k, while the new Volkswagen Golf took the best family car under $30k win. The Amarok pick-up meanwhile was named best ‘tradie’.

The motoring.com.au recommended cars categories correspond with search options across parent company carsales.com Ltd’s network of websites which include carsales.com.au, CarPoint.com.au, Redbook.com.au and motoring.com.au. The awards are defined by Redbook data including factors such as price, size, and passenger capacity. motoring.com.au and carsales.com Ltd Editor in Chief, Mike Sinclair, said: ‘Volkswagen is one of the world’s iconic auto brands. It’s a measure of its models’ competence and competitiveness that four of them have again been selected in motoring.com.au’s Recommended Car awards.’

Shaking off its winter chills, Rich Gooding’s 2001 Polo GTI sprung into spring. But as the warmer weather arrived, so did a small list of jobs…

Not all old cars feel old. Take my Reflex Silver 2001 Polo GTI for example. Its funny when what’s termed as an old car is distinctly modern when compared to old cars a couple of generations ago. It’s been a busy five months since my last report on Y464 GHJ, which has now covered 92,000 miles, 24,000 of those under my ownership. It’s still proving to be an able and enjoyable companion, fast and feisty when you want to be, and quiet and comfortable when you don’t. That’s a trait which, in my opinion, a GTI should automatically have bestowed upon it, and Volkswagen did a commendable job 12 years ago.

It’s a common problem with turn-of-the-new-millennium VWs, but the interior door handles of my car were peeling dreadfully when I bought it. The plastic paint coating comes off the handles at quite a rate. To be honest, I didn’t take much notice at the time, but have wanted to replace them ever since. Back in January I ordered a set of door pulls with corresponding screw cover panels from Inchcape Chelmsford, and they were recently fitted when the car was in the garage recently for another job. And they look great, and improve the interior appearance no end. A job well done. Not all parts are available to order, though – the inset panels for the electric mirror controls and matching blanking panel on the passenger side are no longer available. I’ve made do with the old ones – thankfully you can’t see the join…

In February, the cold weather took its toll on the battery. After a quick and dirty recharge, it was back to Sani’s Motors of Chelmsford (01245 460040), my local VW specialist and the only garage I trust with the car, to see what the friendly chaps could diagnose. A new item was the only option and after a £69.60 (including fitting) lightening of my wallet, the GTI and I were on our way again. The new battery has needed charging once after I left it for over a week thanks to the arrival of a SEAT Toledo test car, but it currently seems to be fine (pun intended). In the spring I also fitted a brand new ‘GTI’ badge on the front grille and red ‘I’ badge on the tailgate (the ‘G’ and the ‘T’ still don’t look too bad – they’re only a little pitted) that I’ve had since Christmas 2012, but was waiting for better weather to get the job done.

March saw the MoT come and go. Uneventful at the time, there were advisories for the brakes. The nearside rear brake disc was worn and pitted, but was not seriously weakened. It was the same story for one of the front discs, too. The nearside rear parking brake only just met the required efficiency, and a similar affliction affected the rear service brake. Spring was a busy time for the Polo, as it was back in the garage again a couple of weeks later when it suffered a broken driver’s side wing mirror. Another driver was going slightly too fast down I road I used to use regularly (I stopped using it as was so busy but was running late that morning) and swiped the GTI’s mirror back against the window glass, smashing the mirror glass and cracking the case. The impact was so hard, there was no mirror glass left and the window now has permanent marks on it where the casing struck. £120 of new casing, glass and painting later and the Polo’s battle scar had gone. An expensive running late mistake…

South African Engen Volkswagen Cup driver Jeffrey Kruger took victory at the second round of the Volkswagen Polo R-Cup India 2013 on 11 August. During the first race of the double-header, the championship leader and guest driver couldn’t get past pole-sitter Prasanth Tharani and had to settle for second place. Rahil Nooranj completed the podium positions. Nooranj then crossed the line first in the second race, but was awarded a 20-second time penalty for a jump start. This meant Kruger was handed his second win of the season, finishing ahead of Tharani and Yatin Magu. ‘I’ve made the podium in every Volkswagen Polo R-Cup India race so far. That’s given me the motivation to win even more races,’ said Kruger.

The races at Coimbatore also saw the debut of the support championship the Volkswagen Vento Cup. With a field of eight cars, the 10-lap race marked, as far as we know, the first time the Polo’s booted sister has taken to the race track. Details on the cars themselves are scant, but they may be the same as the Tiger Sports 180bhp 900kg racing Vento unveiled last month. Volkswagen India Motorsport runs the five-round Volkswagen Polo R-Cup India 2013 series in conjunction with JK Tyres. The field of young, largely Indian racers drive identical and centrally prepared 1.4-litre TSI-engined, 178bhp Polo R-Cup cars. Round 3 of the championship is due to take place on 27-29 September at Greater Noida.

It is with sadness that PoloDriver.com reports that Team GC Diesel is withdrawing from rallying with immediate effect. The outfit has competed in the South African National Rally Championship, and the team’s last event was the Volkswagen Rally, held in the Eastern Cape on 3-4 August. PoloDriver was following the fortunes of the team closely, not least because because the matt black Polo was wearing its PoloDriver.com stickers with pride, spreading the word through the South African rallying fraternity.

Team GC Diesel states that the decision was not an easy one to make, but in essence boils down to business commitments. Driver Morne Janse vans Rensburg with his simplistic website design ideas recently received a wonderful opportunity to expand his business which could lead Mo’s Bosch Diesel Service Centre into a world class leader in the diesel and auto electrical field, while still based in the the Eastern Cape. Vans Rensburg recently took his Polo S2000 to an eighth place finish and second in the class on the recent Volkswagen Rally.

‘This was hard for me to make a decision at this time of my sporting career, but ultimately I have to look at my business career first to be able to enjoy my sport. There are many people who I would like to thank in getting me this far and high up in my sport. Fortunately, there were many who believed in me from a young age and invested a lot of resources. I would like to thank my recent investors, my biggest believers (my family), Christo from GC Diesel, Mike Rowe and Andre van der Watt from Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa. Also a big thank you to my team for their efforts and to Rikus Fourie my co-driver, who stayed onboard from the lower 1400 and 1600 classes to S2000,’ said van Rensburg.

He concluded that the announcement does not exclude further future endeavours in rallying, but that the short term goal now is to kick start his business ‘into a higher gear’. Further acknowledgements went to GC Diesel Pumps, Mo’s Bosch Diesel Service Centre (prepares and maintains the rally car on events), SASOL (fuels and lubricants), Capri Spares (a reputable local after market parts supplier and supporter of Eastern Cape motorsport), and also PoloDriver.com (thanks to Richard for his valuable support to all things VW Polo). A sad time, but we hope to see Morne and Rikus back on stages in the future.