PoloDriver

Bought eight months ago, how is Rich Gooding’s 10 year-old Polo GTI adjusting to daily life once again? It’s not all been plain sailing…

The largest development in the ownership of Y464 GHJ came back in January. As reported last time, I took a job at a local design agency which put the car back in daily use, a somewhat alien concept to it. It was used sporadically after I bought it back in September, but had sat for at least four months before coming home with me. Sadly, that spell has now ended and I’m back to freelance work, which sees the car getting less use. Sad news for me, but happy news for the car, as the mileage is currently being kept down. And it also means that I enjoy it more when I do drive it, a positive upside.

On the whole, there’s been no major negatives to report over the three-month period that the car was in regular use. Every day it provided reliable transport, with a added sporty spring in its step, and, as reported last time, it can do the sporty thing and the calming thing in equal measure. I’ve been reading some old road tests of the car, and found out that only 4 per cent of Polo sales in 2001 were of the GTI, and in total, from the summer of 2000 when it was introduced to the start of 2002, only 3393 examples found their way onto UK roads. Well-equipped now, let alone back then, it should have sold more, but was up against fierce competition in the form of the Peugeot 106 and 206 GTIs, and the Citroën Saxo VTS.

The early-2000s Polo GTI deserved to be bought in bigger numbers on looks alone. I’ve said it before, but it is a good-looking car. But, that doesn’t mean it can’t be improved. A little. I’ve added red edging trim to the grille surround (sometimes referred to as ‘lipstick’), to bring the car in line with Volkswagen GTIs from 2004-2009, and think it looks a lot more ‘GTI’ than without, the red trim picking up the red ‘I’ on the front grille ‘GTI’ badge. I’ve yet to replace the rear ‘GTI’ badge with the new one I have sitting in storage, but with the weather the way it has been over the past month or so, there’s been neither rarely a dry day, or a warm one for me to even contemplate easing the old badge off. And, with Volkswagen events being cancelled left, right, and centre due to sodden venues, the car’s not had much chance to be shown off anyway. Let’s hope that soon changes.

With the UK press launch of its funky new Citigo city car happening today and tomorrow, we just had to cover this, the Škoda Citigo Rallye Concept. Designed to pull in the crowds and heighten awareness of the Czech company’s new mini car at the 2012 Wörthersee Treffen in Austria from 16-19 May where all things Volkswagen Group GTI are celebrated, the standard Citigo has been popping the pumping-up steroid pills, resulting in a look that’s not too far removed from the Fabia S2000 rally car.

Huge wheel arches have been added to the standard three-door Citigo’s bodywork, to cover the 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels. An aggressive roof spoiler and front bumper also add menacing touches, turning the cutesy Citigo into something a Stormtrooper might drive, with this rendering’s black and white colour scheme. Škoda will also show the Citigo DJ at Wörthersee – a rolling disco with 100,000 watts of sound. That shouldn’t be hard to miss then. With the Citgo Rallye concept and the VW Polo R WRC both being shown at the legendary Austrian event, it should be a good one…

Volkswagen UK is adding DAB radios as standard to all its 2013 passenger cars, including the Polo, in readiness for the switch to digital radio broadcasting. Offering drivers a clear and crackle-free sound, a larger range of stations is also available, along with specialist genres. All Volkswagen DAB systems will also pick up AM and FM frequencies, as well as play MP3-compatible and regular CDs, while every model in the range comes with an aux-in socket to connect iPods and other MP3 players. The 2013 model-year Polo S now comes with six speakers connected to a standard RCD 310 audio unit to make the most of the higher quality digital audio, and this basic specification is equalled or bettered up through the range of Volkswagen cars.

Upgrade options include the MDI multi-device interface, which allows easy connection of iPods or USB sticks, which can then be controlled via the car’s audio system; Bluetooth connection of compatible telephones and music playback; Dynaudio speakers and amplifiers; higher-power audio systems with colour touchscreen controls and an SD memory card slot; and touchscreen satellite navigation systems, including with built-in HD memory. The only previous DAB unit available for the Polo was the RCD 510 touchscreen radio system, costing £300 as an optional upgrade. All 2013 model-year VW passenger cars can be ordered from your local Volkswagen Retailer from now.

Debuting online on Friday evening, the new Volkswagen UK commercial for the Polo revives the familiar ‘Small but tough’ tagline from 2004, and chronicles the early life of a young girl. Volkswagen UK says that the 90-second spot ‘shows the evolving relationship of a protective father and his daughter, from the moment he first brings her home from hospital to the day she finally leaves home, when he hands her the keys to a shiny new Polo – ensuring she “stays in safe hands.”’ Soundtracked by Sniffy Dog’s ‘Whispers and Stories’, the ad seems to have gone down well – we particularly like the Mk 2 Polo coupé which appears at the very beginning of the commercial. Let Volkswagen UK know what you think of the ad on its Facebook page, and visit the company’s website to find out more information on the Polo itself.

The Volkswagen Polo R WRC rally car will appear at the 31st GTI Festival in Reifnitz, Wörthersee, Austria, this coming weekend, 16-19 May. Continuing the tradition set by the Scirocco GT24 and the Golf24 endurance racers which were also presented at Wörthersee, the Polo R WRC will be admired by more than 100,000 visitors to the three-day event. After the Polo R WRC’s appearance in Austria, the Volkswagen Motorsport team will head to Greece for the Greek round of the 2012 World Rally Championship on 25-27 May. Once again, two Škoda Fabia S2000s will be fielded, this time driven by the pairings of Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia and Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Fløene.