PoloDriver

With darkness hours about to get longer with the end of British Summer Time this weekend, Volkswagen UK is supporting TyreSafe’s winter tyre campaign with the launch of its own winter tyre programme. A cost-effective way for drivers to get the right winter tyres on their Volkswagen, a set of four tyres can be fitted to existing wheels, starting from £250 fully fitted. In addition, complete winter tyre and wheel sets are also available. The 15 to 19-inch alloy wheels specified in the programme have been designed to offer maximum anti-corrosion resistance to snow and salt, and start from £725 including fitting.

Volkswagen Accessories is also offering a similar programme on mainland Europe. For the Polo, the five-spoke ‘Sima’ alloy wheel is offered in both 14 and 15-inch sizes, with Semperit Master-Grip 185/60 R14 82T (€149.00) or Michelin Alpin A4 185/60 R15 88T EL (€179.00) tyres. The smaller rims and tyre set fit Series 4 (9N and 9N3) Polos built from 2002-2009, while the larger pairing fit all current 6R Polos, including standard, GTI, and Cross Polo models. As well as tyres and wheels, Volkswagen also offers durable high-quality nylon tyre/wheel storage bag – cost is £25 inclusive for a set of four.

As most people drive to and from work in the early morning and late afternoon, when temperatures are even lower than the daily average, Volkswagen states that winter tyres are recommended over summer tyres for up to six months of the year. Winter tyres use a rubber compound optimised for temperatures of less than seven degrees celsius. Conventional tyres become stiffer at low temperatures, but the winter compounds remain softer and therefore better able to maintain grip. They also benefit from a special tread pattern that optimises water displacement and additional grooves, called sipes, which help to maximise traction.

Winter tyres therefore help to provide better grip whether under cornering, braking, or acceleration, and whether the roads are wet, icy, snowy or simply cold. According to safety organisation tyresafe.org, they can reduce braking distances by up to 11 metres in icy conditions, and around eight metres (or two car lengths) on snowy roads. For more precise information on UK specifications, visit your Volkswagen Retailer or www.volkswagen.co.uk and for further details on the benefits of cold weather/winter tyres visit www.tyresafe.org/wintertyres.

Volkswagen Motorsport’s Polo R WRC campaign became a little more prepped at the weekend, as a successful Rally de Espagna test was enjoyed by the factory team who plan to run Polo R WRCs in 2013. Once again, Škoda Fabia S2000s were used to gain experience in top flight rallying. Two teams took part – Germans Christian Riedemann and Michael Wenzel and Spaniards Yeray Lemes and Rogelio Peñate. Lemes and Peñate claimed fourth place in class and 14th overall, while Riedemann and Wenzel crossed the finish ramp in Salou eighth in class and 20th in the overall rankings. Volkswagen will continue its WRC preparations at the Wales Rally GB from 10-13 November. German Sepp Wiegand will drive with Dakar Rally-winning co-driver Timo Gottschalk while the Dutchman Kevin Abbring will line-up with co-driver Lara Vanneste. The full Volkswagen Motorsport press release follows.

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We’ve got the photos, but we’ve yet to publish a report. Performance VW magazine obviously haven’t been so busy, though, as within its pages in the latest issue is a report on the Club Polo show held back at the end of July. With words and pictures by leading light and journo Alex Grant (with help from long-standing Club Polo-er Martin Buck), the two-page write-up features lots of snaps of the best cars at the event (our Polo GT coupé gets half a wheel in, too!), and makes for a good quick read. Blessed with good weather, we went to Billing Aquadrome for the Sunday and had a good, Polo-filled day. One for the diaries next year. Look out for our photo report on PoloDriver.com.

[Image: Performance VW]

The Polo has a double appearance in the UK weekly motoring magazines this week, as both Autocar and Auto Express test the £13,225 1.4 Match against notable rivals. J9 VWW, a Sea Blue 84bhp Match five door is pitted against the new Chrysler (née Lancia) Ypsilon SE, while Autocar sees the same car square up to 14 of its most notable rivals in a 14-page supermini mega-test. The competition includes the Audi A1, Citroën C3, Fiat Punto, Ford Fiesta, Honda Jazz, Kia Rio, Mazda 2, Peugeot 207, Renault Clio, Seat Ibiza, Škoda Fabia, Suzuki Swift, Toyota Yaris and Vauxhall Corsa. We won’t spoil either result here, but we will say that the Polo makes the final top six in the Autocar test… Both magazines are on sale now, until next Wednesday 26 October.

[Image: Auto Express]

Following its creation of a modern-day Polo Harlequin courtesy of a multi-coloured film wrap, Drift Bridge Volkswagen of Epsom have again made an eye-catching Polo to lure potential customers onto its forecourt. Once again, Paul Baker is the man behind the idea, and this time, the wrapped car apes the Polo R WRC unveiled earlier this year by Volkswagen Motorsport. In a repeat of the last process, wrapping was carried out by professional wrappers Creative FX, with Chris Pook leading the transformation. Based in Bromley, Greater London, Creative FX specialises in vinyl wrapping and personalisation of cars, vans, bikes and scooters, as well as offering stone chip protection and window tinting services for customers.

‘We had it done after seeing the pictures of the Polo R WRC at the Frankfurt Motor Show. We always try to be current and do something that grabs people’s attention, said Paul Baker. ‘The car is for sale, and is a Candy While 1.4-litre 84bhp Match with ‘Knight’ alloys, VW genuine accessory boot spoiler painted white then wrapped in matt black, and VW genuine accessory exhaust trim. It’s certainly getting allot of attention parked on my forecourt!’ Paul also states that the car is for sale, at £14,495, but that he’d let it go for less once it’s served its purpose. Alternatively, Drift Bridge VW Epsom would transform another car should anyone want a Polo R WRC replica sooner. The wrapped Harlequin may also be up for sale soon.