PoloDriver

Following on from its junior hot hatch group test starring role in the July 2010 issue of CAR, the new Polo GTI has recently been given a full workout for the magazine’s website. The arrival of the 178bhp performance-orientated Polo seems to have been delayed with extended build dates reported, as well as a shortage of dealer stock, but it should hopefully be worth the wait. CAR reports that although ‘Volkswagen’s new Polo GTI is a very competent car, its rivals are raucous and delightful, or chic and stylish, and the VW seems to ignore both camps and offer something more refined.’ So it may be no firecracker like the red hot Renaultsport Clio 200 (or the even more extreme and on-edge ‘Cup’ versions), but what’s wrong with that? Volkswagen GTIs have always offered refinement and classless practically with a sporting edge, and the latest Polo GTI, at first glance at least, seems to continue that tradition.

According to the latest batch of figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), UK new car registrations fell again in August, as widely predicted. However, ahead of the ‘60’ plate change, the market remains up 13.2% over the first eight months of 2009, but with figures down 17.5 % last month, we’re pleased to report that the Polo remains in the UK’s top-sellers list. In ninth place, the fifth-generation car charts at the same position as in July, selling 1193 units. The Polo’s long-standing rival, the Ford Fiesta continues to be top of the August charts, with 2260 units sold, in what is traditionally the lowest-selling month for new cars due to the 1 September plate change.

‘New car registrations were down 17.5% in August and conditions will remain challenging through the rest of the year,’ said Paul Everitt, SMMT chief executive. ‘The industry enjoyed a better than expected first half of the year and, despite the difficulties, SMMT is forecasting that new car registrations will close just ahead of 2009 figures.’ Diesel cars still outsold petrol models, with 29,111 derv-burners shifted, compared to 25,505 petrol-powered models. Turned into year-to-date figures, the numbers make even more interesting reading; petrol models are still ahead with 709,151 units sold, compared to 576,627 diesel cars.

The UK’s top 10 best-selling cars for August 2010 and the year-to-date (total sales figure and position in brackets) are as follows:

1 Ford Fiesta: 2260 units (66,863, 1st)
2 Ford Focus: 1926 units (54,448, 2nd)
3 Vauxhall Astra: 1906 units (53,449, 3rd)
4 Vauxhall Corsa: 1629 units (51,447, 4th)
5 BMW 3 Series: 1600 units (25,849, 8th)
6 Volkswagen Golf: 1511 units (37,171, 5th)
7 Nissan Qashqai: 1456 units (24,836, 10th)
8 Vauxhall Insignia: 1193 units
9 Volkswagen Polo: 1193 units (30,574, 6th)
10 Audi A3: 1037 units

(The 2010 year-to-date best-sellers absent from August’s sales figures were the Peugeot 207 selling 27,880 units in 7th place, and the Mini with 25,189 units, placing it 9th overall.)

The best-selling car brand in South Africa now has another reason to stay at the top of the charts. The Polo Vivo now comes with air-conditioning as standard, with the exception of the 1.4-litre 74bhp three-door base model hatchback. ‘The new Polo Vivo is manufactured in South Africa exclusively for South African motorists. In fact, local content levels in the new Polo Vivo now exceed 70% – illustrating the true South African colours of the Polo Vivo. The inclusion of air conditioning as standard throughout the range should make the Polo Vivo proposition to South African motorists even more enticing,’ said Mike Glendinning, Director Sales and Marketing, Volkswagen Group South Africa. Prices of the air-conditioning equipped Polo Vivo hatchback and sedan ranges from 1 September 2010 (including VAT and CO2 emissions tax) are detailed below.

Polo Vivo hatchback
1.4 3dr 74bhp, R104,065
1.4 5dr 74bhp, R116,065
1.4 5dr Trendline 84bhp, R127,465
1.6 5dr 104bhp, R142,320
1.6 5dr Trendline 103bhp, R150,320

Polo Vivo sedan
1.4 4dr 74bhp, R121,965
1.4 4dr Trendline 84bhp, R133,365
1.6 4dr 104bhp, R148,220
1.6 4dr Trendline 104bhp, R156,220

The Polo G40 celebrated its 25th birthday at the AutoMuseum Volkswagen over the weekend, with a gathering of early Polo G40 fans from all around the world. Around 40 Polo G40s from 1987 and 1989 and their owners were expected at the AutoMuseum Volkswagen on Saturday, coinciding with the first International Polo G40 meeting in Wolfsburg. Owners had their photos taken with their cars at Castle Wolfsburg, setting for the original 1985 Polo G40 press photo (above), before moving onto the AutoMuseum Volkswagen where their vehicles were presented to visitors in the evening. The museum itself presented two special Polos of its own: the 155bhp rear-engined Sprint, and the Ökopolo, an economically-minded study, and a precursor of the modern-day Polo BlueMotion.

Volkswagen developed the 40mm spiral-shaped G-Läder supercharger in 1985, and fitted it to a trio of pre-production G40s to set long-distance speed records. Driven by Volkswagen engineers, motoring journalists and racing drivers, the cars set new 1300cc class records for both speeds over 24 hours (130.08mph) and average speed over 5000km (127.75mph). A production version of the G40 was presented at the 1985 Frankfurt Motor Show and had the designation Polo GTG40. A limited run of 500 cars with 115bhp became available in 1987 and between 1988 and 1999 a further 1500 models were made, all left-hand drive, and all selling out immediately. The Polo G40 went mainstream in 1990 with the launch of the facelifted Series 2 Polo, available in coupé form only and with 113bhp. It was sold until 1994, when the third-generation Polo was launched.

We’ve recently updated the Series 1 Polo (1975-1981) heritage and specials pages with a few more historical facts. The original Polo’s first public viewing was at the London Motor Show at Earl’s Court in the autumn of 1975 (or so a period cutting we’ve recently got hold of tells us – note the early pressed steel wheels in the photo above). A year later, the first of two runs of the special Polo Jeans was launched in Europe. In a similar vein to the Jeans Beetle of 1974, the Polo Jeans had denim upholstery, unique badging and a special colour palette. We’ve also done some digging and found out that the car came with wider tyres (depending on which of the 895cc and 1093cc engines were fitted). The first batch of Polo Jeans models appeared in August 1976, the second following in June 1978.