PoloDriver

Head over to the Times Online to read a first drive of Volkswagen’s latest pocket rocket by Clarkson. Yes, that Clarkson. A self-confessed lover of Golf GTIs old and new, does he like the hot Polo? A fan of the outgoing Polo GTI with 148bhp which appeared in 2006, he takes a long time to deliver his verdict. Read the Times Online’s mini-test – which first appeared in the Sunday Times – to find out (if you’re still with him at the end of the article – skip to about halfway through to read specifically about the new Polo GTI).

Following its recent launch in South Africa, Volkswagen has unleashed the new CrossPolo in Europe (UK availability is still to be announced). The fourth new Polo hatchback variant coming after the base model, BlueMotion and GTI, Volkswagen first pulled the covers off its new SUV-look baby back in February. You should know the basics by now, but if you don’t, then this latest version of VW’s faux-by-four supermini follows on from its Polo Fun and CrossPolo (Dune in the UK, Soho in Spain) predecessors and offers much the same; a 15mm higher ride height, unique body styling and alloy wheels, and a special colour palette. We’re big fans of the fashion-concious CrossPolo here at PoloDriver.

European cars are available with a wider range of engines than South African versions, with three petrol and three diesel engines on offer. Petrol-powered choices start with the 1.2-litre 74bhp three-cylinder motor, rising through an 84bhp 1.4, to the latest 1.2-litre turbocharged TSI unit with 104bhp. Diesel lovers can choose between 74, 89 and 104bhp TDIs, all of which are 1.6-litre units. Like the standard hatchback model, the new CrossPolo can be specified with Volkswagen’s latest twin-clutch, seven-speed DSG gearbox on 1.4-litre 84bhp petrol cars. Prices start at €16.550 for the 74bhp 1.2, rising to €20.100 for the 1.6-litre TDI with 104bhp. The full and official Volkswagen press release follows, along with a gallery of pictures.

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The new Polo GTI is to be Volkswagen’s first product launched digitally on the internet. Presented exclusively to customers in Europe via social networking site Facebook, users are alerted to the sporty new VW by the slogan, ‘Fast Lane – Driven by Fun.’ The company claims that the new exclusively digital campaign is not car advertising in the classic sense, but that it ‘specifically harnesses the diverse opportunities offered by social networks to inspire young drivers for the Polo GTI.’

Speaking about the launch of the English-language ‘Volkswagen International’ Facebook page, Luca de Meo, Director of Marketing, Volkswagen Group and the Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand, said: ‘Our aim is to inspire young people for Volkswagen brand products – in an international dimension. This campaign gets us close to customers and at the same time gives us the opportunity to engage in an intensive dialog with them.’

In typical, subtle Volkswagen fashion, three videos where the new Polo GTI is not immediately in evidence have been produced for the channel at www.facebook.com/volkswagen. The clips depict clever scenes that add an unusual touch to everyday life; a giant slide appears at subway steps, supermarket carts that are particularly agile, and an elevator that sounds like a rocket taking off. The films aim to convey the thrill of speed without encouraging fast driving.

Volkswagen’s social networking profile also includes the most important product information about the new Polo GTI as well as links to the company’s other global Facebook activities. A ‘Fast Wall’ has been added for member messages, and there are photographs of the Polo GTI itself. In addition, a competition – where a new Polo GTI is the prize – motivates users to be creative and submit their own ‘Fast Lane’ contributions.

If you’re marketing a car made in Germany, why not shoot the a series of TV commercials for the Indian market in South Africa? That’s precisely what DDB Mudra have done for its new campaign for the Polo in India. Aimed at the local market (the car is made in Volkswagen’s new Pune factory), the message is that the car’s extensively tested efficiency and suitability for Indian roads means that no further testing from owners is necessary. In other words, it’s tailor-made for Indian drivers, but has the might of German engineering behind it.

We’ll be featuring each of the four TV commercials in the series separately, so here’s the first. Focusing on the Polo’s increased ground clearance, the traditional Volkswagen element of subtle humour is clear to see, and being produced for the local market but under the brand umbrella, it fits neatly into VW’s global advertising strategy and feel. The ‘Made in India’ campaign also features a wide range of innovative print, outdoor and digital media. The new Polo costs from RS 4.5 lakh, and will face heated competition from the Maruti Swift, Ford Figo, Honda Jazz, Fiat Punto and Hyundai i20.

Volkswagen Polo ‘Made in India’ TV campaign credits
Creative agency: DDB Mudra
Chief creative officer: Bobby Pawar
National creative director: Rajeev Raja
Copy: Rajeev Raja/Hemant Sharma
Art: Ajmal Mohammad
Planning: Michael Follet
Client servicing: Ashish Marwah, Jay Mehta, Punit Bhatt, Vaibhav Bhargava
Agency film department: Tapan Sharma, Anil Sonawane
Production house: Stink
Director: Christopher Von Reiss
Post-production: Redrum
Media agency: Mediacom

The Polo is still a favourite of UK buyers according to the latest set of Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures for May 2010, sitting in 7th place in the top 10 sales chart, down one place from April’s 6th (though 68 units more were sold than the previous month). It’s also ahead of rivals such as the Peugeot 207 and Renault Clio, both of which don’t feature in the May tallies at all. The bigger Golf is two places ahead at number five. Overall, UK new car registrations climbed 13.5% in May to 153,095 units, marking the eleventh successive monthly rise, preceding an expected market decline.

Volumes over the first five months of the year have risen 22.0%, with the growth reflecting the weakness of the 2009 market. However, May 2010 sales tallies are still 14.6% or 26,177 units down on the 2008 level. Full year registrations total expected to dip slightly as scrappage boost comes to an end. Ford’s Fiesta was knocked off the best selling model list for the first time this year in May, by the Ford Focus. Growth in mini and supermini cars cooled, reflective of the rate of gain in previous months.

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

1 Ford Focus: 7163 units (41,419, 2nd)
2 Vauxhall Astra: 6743 units (36,099, 3rd)
3 Ford Fiesta: 6619 units (49,229, 1st)
4 Vauxhall Corsa: 5950 units (35,162, 4th)
5 Volkswagen Golf: 4314 units (27,092, 5th)
6 BMW 3 Series: 3732 units
7 Volkswagen Polo: 3721 units (22,561, 6th)
8: Mini: 3445 units (17,341 units, 9th)
9 Nissan Qashqai: 3359 units
10 Audi A3: 3093 units (16,346, 10th)

(The 2010 year-to-date best-sellers absent from May’s sales figures were the Peugeot 207 selling 20,346 units in 7th place and the Renault Clio, with 17,454 units, putting it in 8th place overall.)