PoloDriver

Fresh from its victory at the Rally Sweden last month, the Polo R WRC makes its Mexican debut this week at Rally Mexico, which runs from 7-10 March. The third round of the World Rally Championship (WRC), the 315bhp four-wheel drive rally Polo will face altitudes of up to 2700m above sea level, and a loose gravel surface, neither of which it has faced before. The 395km of 23 special stages begin on Thursday with the Guanajuato Street Stage, at the site of former silver mine – now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With shafts converted into roads, over 80,000 rally fans are expected to make the pilgrimage to see their WRC heroes.

With the altitudes come potential problems. As the air thins out the higher the cars climb, the 1.6-litre turbocharged engines lose between 28 and 30 per cent of their performance. The Volkswagen Motorsport engineers have prepared as well as possible for the demands of the high plains in the Sierra de Lobos, technologically helping the turbocharger from overheating –the key is to limit loss of performance without endangering the turbocharger’s stability.

Rally Sweden winner Sébastien Ogier (Polo R WRC #8), is looking forward to the event: ‘I was delighted with the win in Sweden. The way we presented ourselves as a team over the entire weekend was very impressive. However, that is yesterday’s news. For me personally, it is always very special to line up in Mexico. It was there that I drove my very first rally in the World Championship back in 2008 – and I promptly won my first race in the Junior WRC class. And, just like back then, we are now starting out on a new venture there with the Polo R WRC. Rally Mexico will give us our first true indication of how good the car is on a gravel surface.’

Jari-Matti Latvala (Polo R WRC #7), said: ‘One of the most important aspects of preparing for Mexico is how well you can cope with the time difference. If you have adapted to local time well, then your senses are sharper during the Recce. For this reason, I travel to California two weeks prior to the start, in order to acclimatise. We have to adapt in a lot of ways: unlike in Sweden, the grip level does not change as often on gravel. Despite all this, your concentration is really put to the test in Mexico.’

Meanwhile, Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost Capito is excited about how the Polo R WRC will fare in the unknown conditions: ‘The thin air and temperatures of above 30 degrees have a real impact – on both driver and co-driver, as well as the technology. The Rally Mexico is also the first round of the season on gravel, and we are obviously very excited to see how competitive the Polo is in Mexico.’

The Polo Dune lives again! The faux-by-four Polo Dune (or CrossPolo in Europe) which was introduced to the UK in 2004 lives again in South Africa as the Polo Vivo Maxx. Volkswagen South Africa has this week announced details of the new high-riding model, which it hopes will bolster sales still further of South Africa’s best-selling passenger car.

Only available in hatchback guise, the Polo Vivo Maxx borrows much from the previous UK-only Polo Dune, including raised suspension and aluminium roof rails. It also has painted exterior door mirrors and special ‘Maxx’ decals. There are no new bumpers or plastic cladding parts, though. In a nod to the new CrossPolo available in South Africa and mainland Europe, the Polo Vivo Maxx is fitted with that car’s 17″ ‘Budapest’ alloy wheels.

Inside, the Polo Vivo Maxx gets aluminium pedals, a titanium-painted centre console, front electric windows, manual air-conditioning, three-spoke leather sports steering wheel with grey stitching, radio/MP3/CD system with four speakers, and grey-edged floor mats. Driver and passenger airbags, ABS with EBD, an immobiliser and central locking also add to the equipment count. Only one engine choice is available – the 1.6-litre petrol engine developing 103bhp (more than was ever offered on the Polo Dune) from the Polo Vivo Trendline and GT powers the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox.

The Polo Vivo Maxx costs R160,300 (VAT and emissions tax included). In 2012, Volkswagen South Africa sold 34,873 Polo Vivos, which is manufactured at the company’s plant in Uitenhage, alongside the current Polo and CrossPolo (6R).

Following the pre-Geneva motor show announcement of the Golf GTD, Volkswagen has, unsurprisingly, released details of another Swiss débutante – the latest Golf GTI. And it differs quite considerably from its outgoing Mk 6 predecessor. Available for the first time in standard and ‘Performance’ versions, the new car is once again powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged TSI engine, but that’s where any technical similarities end. The 1351kg Mk 7 GTI develops 217bhp in standard form, but the ‘GTI Performance’ version boasts 227bhp, larger brake discs and a front limited-slip differential.

Both versions develop 258lb ft of torque, with the standard Golf GTI sprinting to 62mph from rest in 6.5 seconds and onto 152mph. The ‘GTI Performance’ has a 3mph higher top speed and cuts 0.1 seconds off the benchmark sprint time. The pair also now feature concessions to economy with Stop/Start systems and EU-6 emissions technology. Economy hasn’t always been high on the sporting Golf’s agenda, but Volkswagen states that the latest standard version of the iconic hatchback posts 47mpg and low 139g/km emissions when specified with a six-speed manual gearbox.

The discreet features that have distinguished the Golf GTI for over 36 years remain in place. A red trim line on the grille extends neatly into the headlights, while the brake calipers are painted in a similar shade, and peep through new 18-inch ‘Austin’ alloy wheels (much less distinctive than the Mk 5 and 6’s ‘Monza’ rims in our opinion). There are also special side sills, a rear diffuser, twin exhausts, smoked LED tail lights and LED numberplate lamps to beef up the Mk 7 Golf’s sharp new suit. UK specification will include bi-xenon headlamps complete with LED daytime running lights.

Interior highlights include sports seats with classic tartan cloth upholstery, black rooflining and fashionable red ambience lighting. GTI drivers will also appreciate the bespoke sports steering wheel, gear lever and instrument cluster, trim strips and stainless steel pedal caps. UK Volkswagen Retailers start taking orders for the new GTI on 26 March, with the first deliveries due in June. Final UK pricing and detailed specification are yet to be confirmed, but are expected to start at £25,845 for the standard three-door manual car, with ‘GTI Performance’ models around £1000 more.

The current Polo has been with us since 2009. Four years is a lifetime for some automotive models, but with the latest version of Volkswagen’s evergreen small car, it seems we’re still in the infancy of its lifecycle. Deliveries of the eco-warm hatch Polo BlueGT are just starting to trickle in, as well as the first examples of another new addition to the Polo range – the Polo R-Line. Not to be confused with the limited edition 217bhp Polo R WRC ‘street’ car which takes styling cues from Volkswagen’s Polo R WRC competition car, the R-Line marries a punchy engine with some welcome visual add-ons.

For a not inconsiderable yet competitive £15,295 for the three-door (two extra doors are available for an additional £620), the Polo R-Line takes the 1.2-litre turbocharged engine from the Polo SEL and adds some much-needed aggression, in the form of an R-Line styling kit. R-Line flourishes include restyled front and rear bumpers, a larger rear roof spoiler, deeper side skirts, gloss back grille, 16-inch ‘Mallory’ alloy wheels (similar to the larger rims fitted to the full-fat Golf and Scirocco R models), as well as 65 per cent tinted rear windows and a smattering of ‘R-Line’ badges. It’s a purposeful yet subtle makeover, but one that certainly makes the Polo R-Line look the part.

It’s a similar understated story in the cabin, too, but everything you could wish for is included. Unique sports seats trimmed in Titan Black ‘Kyalami’ cloth with Crystal Grey ‘San Remo’ (a long-standing Volkswagen tradition of using racing circuit names continues) microfibre bolsters carry R-Line-embossed headrests; a flat-bottomed, three-spoke leather-wrapped steering wheel is borrowed from the Polo GTI; and there are aluminium pedals and sill kickplates. Technical kit includes a tyre pressure monitor.

All Polos now receive a DAB radio as standard, and Bluetooth is now fitted to S models and above. The R-Line also gets black headlining – which really does contribute to the cocooning and sporty feel of the interior – and a gloss black centre console and air vent surrounds. It all adds up to a genuinely go-faster feeling and is unbelievably available for less cash than the SEL, from which the R-Line borrows so much.

The standard chassis settings are from the SEL, too, which is an indication that even Volkswagen doesn’t see this car as an out-and-out performance model. Even sports suspension isn’t part of the R-Line’s gene pool, which could be a good thing – the R-Line rides and soaks up the bumps in the usual calm and no-nonsense Polo manner. Sadly, the Polo R-Line keeps the SEL’s minimum steering feel, too, but it’s pleasant enough, with a nice degree of weighting from the speed-sensitive rack. The 215/45 R16 tyres grip well and the R-Line scoots around corners with the minimum of fuss.

The six-speed gearbox is lovely to use, with a short and precise action, while the brakes are equally responsive. The 1.2 TSI engine must rate as one of VW’s best, with strong performance (even from low revs), and a willingness to rev, accompanied with a welcome aural rortiness as the engine reaches it upper revolutions. Volkswagen quotes a 0-62mph time of 9.7 seconds, and this decent level of performance is married to decent economy, too. Where most cars with a bit of poke may not be so parsimonious, the Polo R-Line scores here – we saw a reading of 42.3mpg over our 200 miles.

Overall, it’s quite a convincing package. The Polo R-Line offers style, performance, practicality and economy, few of which would have bedfellows in the past. It costs less to buy than the Polo SEL on which it’s based, too. With more than a passing resemblance to the £4135 more expensive Polo GTI but with cheaper running costs and enough enjoyable real-world performance, VW’s latest R-Line model is an unexpected range highlight. It may be on the warm side rather than scalding hot, but the Polo R-Line is stylish and spirited enough to be exclusively enjoyable.

VOLKSWAGEN POLO R-LINE
Price: £15,295
Engine: 1.2-litre four-cylinder, turbocharged
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Power/torque: 104bhp/129lb ft @ 1550-4100rpm
0-62mph: 9.7 seconds
Top speed: 118mph
Economy (combined cycle), CO2: 53.3mpg, 124g/km
Weight: 1088kg
Equipment: 16” ‘Mallory’ alloy wheels, R-Line styling kit, front fog lights, privacy rear windows
On sale: Now
Rivals: Alfa Romeo MiTo TwinAir, Citroën DS3 VTI, Ford Fiesta EcoBoost, Suzuki Swift Sport
Find out more: http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/#/new/polo-v/which-model/compare/1291//

The Engen Volkswagen Cup exploded back onto South African racetracks at the weekend, with 26 Polo Vivos taking to the tarmac of Kyalami for the first round of the one-make national circuit racing championship. The two races were packed with action, and from the off, Jeffrey Kruger stormed ahead to show that he is hungry to achieve success this year. Kruger claimed pole position from a top qualifier draw, and led to the finish. Kosie Weyers fought off Dewald Brummer and Bryan Morgan for second. A burst water pipe sidelined Morgan, and then an incident between Ryan Rhode and Gerhard Henning called out the safety car and the red flag.

Mark Silverwood lead from pole position in race two, fighting off Brummer. The pair crossed the start/finish line neck and neck at the end of the first lap, with Brummer taking the lead. Weyers then put a relentless challenge on Brummer, eventually emerging victorious, claiming his first victory at Kyalami. The Masters category for drivers over 25 saw Eddie Rodrigues take a top 10 finish in the second race, with Juan Gerber and Jesse Adams chasing him for the category spoils. Round two of the 2013 Engen Volkswagen Cup takes place at Killarney in Cape Town on 16 March.

The 2013 Engen Volkswagen Cup series is similar to the other racing Volkswagen Polo Cup single-series championships run in China, Europe and India. Just as in those official Volkswagen series, the South African one-make format highlights new driving talent. In the Engen series, as many as 35 drivers regularly race in technically identical, 2.0-litre 234bhp Volkswagen Polo Vivo racing cars. For 2013, the Engen Volkswagen Cup cars are powered by the new Engen Primax fuel.

RACE RESULTS

Race 1
1 Jeffrey Kruger (7: IndyOil)
2 Kosie Weyers (5: Engen Primax)
3 Dewald Brummer (22: UMP/Horne/MAD Racing)

Race 2
1 Kosie Weyers (5: Engen Primax)
2 Dewald Brummer (22: UMP/Horne/MAD Racing)
2 Mark Silverwood (32: OKI Printing Solutions/Q8 Oils)

Overall standings
1 Kosie Weyers (5: Engen Primax)
2 Dewald Brummer (22: UMP/Horne/MAD Racing)
3 Mark Silverwood (32: OKI Printing Solutions/Q8 Oils)

Masters
1 Eddie Rodrigues (M7: SEW Eurodrive)
2 Juan Gerber (M8: Carfind.co.za)
3 Jesse Adams (M3: VW Motorsport/Star Motoring)