PoloDriver

The new Polo GTI has been a while coming, but with the first customer car now in the country, the new owner tells us about his first weeks with the car, and his first impressions of the 178bhp twincharged performance Polo…

I’ve had a few incarnations of hot Polos over the years (1999 Polo 16V, 2001 and 2007 Polo GTIs) but this latest model was the most eagerly anticipated. And so far I haven’t been disappointed. I’ve come to this car from a 2007 last-model Polo GTI, but as soon as you sit in the car and close the door, (which has a satisfying ‘clunk’ to it), you realise you are in a car which feels like its from the class above. As noted in comments posted on this website, it does really feel like a small Golf GTI.

Out on the road the supercharged/turbocharged engine is eager to please, and with 184lbs ft of torque, there is plenty of power on tap. Just as happy as a motorway cruiser or negotiating the twists and turns of a country lane, this pocket rocket really is a pleasure to drive. It’s self-assured, gripping the road in whatever direction you send it in. The seven-speed DSG box is a smooth operator with satisfying gear changes, and whether you play with it in ‘Sport’ or stick it in ‘Drive’ and relax, it copes brilliantly. You could drive for miles in this car and still feel refreshed at the end of the journey, not something that can always be said for smaller cars.

Inside the cabin, road and other noise is kept to a minimum, a vast improvement on previous models. Gadgets and gizmos abound in the new GTI helping to give a hi-tech feel, and there are many nice touches for 21st century motoring. The only downside is that there is no Bluetooth option available on the UK specification models (Volkswagen UK’s official response is here – PD). This in a communications age seems a little bizarre and disappointing to say the least. In my opinion, someone at VW has slipped up by not having it included in the car.

So far then, just over a week of new Polo GTI ownership and although I’m still getting to know the car, I have to say it’s a delight and bags of fun to drive. It really turns some heads, too, even those of drivers in their huge and expensive machines. I haven’t regretted one solitary penny and as everyone knows it takes quite a few of them (£19,200 to be precise in this case) to purchase this latest baby GTI. But, thanks to Volkswagen, the supermini has truly grown up and what a classy act it’s turned out to be.

Willie le Roux and Hein van der Walt were the overall overall winners of the 34th annual Total Economy Run in Thaba ‘Nchu, Free State, South Africa, achieving a fuel consumption of 4.1l/100 km in a New Polo 1.6 TDI over a two-day 1100km route from 10-11 September 2010. The pair was also awarded for achieving the lowest consumption by a diesel car within Class J (diesel engines up to 1600cc). Second in the diesel category were motoring journalist Geoff Dalglish and Hendri du Plessis who achieved figures of 4.3l/100km in Class J with their Citroën C3 HDi. Roger Hills, a former winner of the Total Economy Run, and co-driver Gordon Stewart placed third in the Class J category in a Ford Fiesta 1.6 TDCi, with a fuel consumption figure of 4.4l/100 km. Pieter Holtzhausen and Danie Fourie took second place in Class E for petrol cars from 1501cc – 1600cc in a New Polo 1.6.

The winners of the lowest consumption by a petrol-engined car were motoring journalists Wynter Murdoch, a former winner of the same award, and Automobil magazine colleague Leon Schnell. Their Daihatsu Charade returned figures of 4.6l/100 km and won the Class A category (petrol engines up to 1100cc). Runners-up in the petrol category and winners of Class E (petrol engines from 1601cc – 1800cc) were Total Economy Run veteran Willie Nel and his son Willem in a Toyota Prius with a consumption figure of 4.6l/100km. Third overall and second in Class A were former racing driver and radio personality Jeanette Kok Kritzinger and Riette Wannenburg who managed 4.6l/100km in their Citroën C1.

The 2010 Total Economy Run class winners were as follows:
Class A: Wynter Murdoch/Leon Schnell (Daihatsu Charade), 4.59l/100km
Class B: Wynand Volschenck/Machiel Viljoen (Fiat Uno Mia), 4.92l/100km
Class C: Stuart Williams/Lauren Smit (Daihatsu Sirion 1.5), 5.72l/100km
Class D: Harry Young/Manfred Hertz (Ford Fiesta 1.6), 5.63l/100km
Class E: Willie and Willem Nel (Toyota Prius), 4.62l/100km
Class F: Gordon Noble/Graham Bate (Mazda6 2L), 5.99l/100km
Class I: Ben and Isabel van der Westhuizen (Lexus GS450H), 7.46l/100km
Class J: Willie le Roux/Hein van der Walt (Volkswagen Polo 1.6 TDI), 4.11l/100km
Class K: Rod Kinsey/Huibert Phielix (Audi 2 TDIe), 5.07l/100km
Class L: Ernest and Gert van den Berg (Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI), 5.50l/100km
Class M: Roger Rouessart/John Smit (Jaguar XFS), 5.69l/100km
Class O: Pritesh Ruthun/Reuben van Niekerk (Daihatsu Terios 4×4), 7.24l/100km
Class P: Dan Esterhuyse/Pierre Jordaan (Tata Xenon 4×4), 8.11l/100km

[Source: Volkswagen South Africa]

UK new car registrations continue to fall, according to the latest figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The market is down 8.9% compared to 2009, but when compared to the same period last year, the SMMT states that the volumes sold are actually 16.3% ahead. And while the Polo may have dropped from the monthly list of UK top 10 best-sellers for the first time since January 2010 (we suspect that the delivery delays being reported have a part to play), it stands firm when volumes are calculated for the year-to-date, sitting in sixth place with 36,290 units sold. The Ford Fiesta is still the top-selling supermini, with 19,078 cars sold in September 2010, while the Vauxhall Corsa takes the runner-up place, with 14,249 vehicles finding UK homes. The UK’s top 10 best-selling cars (number of units sold) for 2010 year-to-date are as follows:

1 Ford Fiesta: 85,941
2 Vauxhall Astra: 66,104
3 Vauxhall Corsa: 65,396
4 Ford Focus: 64,548
5 Volkswagen Golf: 44,399
6 Volkswagen Polo: 36,290
7 Peugeot 207: 34,798
8 Mini: 32,376
9 BMW 3 Series: 31,698
10 Nissan Qashqai: 30,477

Over the weekend of 26-27 September the Volkswagen Polo Cup India 2010 made its debut at the Irungattukottai race track in Chennai. Championship leader Sailesh Bolisetti from Vishakapatnam, thrilled spectators to win the first race of Round 4, with local hero Vikash Anand taking second position ahead of Parth Ghorpade. Bolisetti completed the race in 25 minutes and 35 seconds to win his fourth race of the season. Pole sitter Vishnu Prasad jumped into the lead at the start and had an eight second lead over Bolisetti before he retired on lap 5. Ghorpade meanwhile put on an impressive display to win the second race, while Mumbai driver Mohammed Fahad Kutty finished in second position ahead of Imran Majid. Ghorpade completed the 3.717km race in 25:13.862 to win his second race of the season.

‘This was a really tough race and I am really happy to win here. The conditions were tough and I was not prepared to take any risks. I had to defend for the last 5 laps but am very happy with my performance today,’ Bolisetti commented on his first race win. Second placed Anand was equally pleased. ‘It feels great to come second in the inaugural race in Chennai, my hometown. It was a close battle with Sailesh and I had a chance or two to overtake him, but it didn’t work out.’ Prithviraj Siddappa, Head of Motorsports, Volkswagen India said, ‘It feels good to have our first race in Chennai. The whole team has had a really tough weekend with the changing weather conditions. Hats off to the mechanics for being quick with the tyre changes and getting the cars ready on time.’

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Not for the first time, the Polo Vivo held onto its best-selling car in South Africa crown last month, despite a 10.5% decrease in passenger car sales being reported which is also mentioned in various car reviews too. A total of 29,993 new cars were sold in the country, a 26% increase on September 2009. Volkswagen South Africa’s entry-level Polo Vivo sold 1939 units, while both it and the fifth-generation New Polo produced at the company’s Uitenhage factory faced build delays, attributed to strikes by motor industry component supplier workers.

‘Despite significant stock shortages as a result of recent industry wide strikes, the Polo Vivo range continued to dominate the entry segment with sales of 1,939 units,’ said Mike Glendinning, Volkswagen Group South Africa Sales and Marketing Director. ‘Supply of both the new Polo and Polo Vivo ranges, manufactured in our Uitenhage plant, was adversely impacted by the prolonged industry strikes. While down on what was an exceptionally buoyant month of new passenger car sales in August, the September new passenger car market performed well, supported by seasonally strong demand from rental car companies.’

The Polo Vivo, which was launched in March 2010 as an entry-level model for the South African market. Available as both a hatchback and saloon with 74bhp/84bhp 1.4-litre and 103bhp 1.6-litre units, two trim levels are available: base and Trendline. Costing from R104,065 for the most basic 1.4 model, the Polo Vivo is based on the facelifted version of the Series 4 Polo, built from 2005 to 2009. Changes include front and rear bumpers, as well as a revised front grille and other minor bodywork revisions.