PoloDriver

Now that the marketing machine has swung into action, Volkswagen South Africa has aired the first new TV commercial for the entry-level Polo Vivo. Created by Ogilvy Cape Town and with ‘So much to celebrate,’ the 60-second spot plays on the feelgood factor of the car that Volkswagen wants to use to capture potential Polo Vivo owners. The company will be hoping that, like the on-screen bystanders in the spot, prospective Vivo drivers will be carried along by a wave of euphoria for its new baby…

German modifying firm Rieger Tuning has taken the latest 6R Polo under its wing and launched a styling kit for Volkswagen’s award-winning newcomer. Visual enhancements include a front spoiler with a carbon-look lip and a rear apron with carbon-look diffuser. There are also new sill extensions and 18-inch matt black/polished Barracuda Racing ‘Karizzma’ multi-spoke alloy wheels with 215/35-18 tyres. A suspension kit is also on offer. Want to know more? Download the PDF here.

‘The new Polo is very attractive,’ it says. We’ve got our hands on the latest brochure for the new 2010 Polo GTI. Months before the car comes across to the UK, this French language, February 2010-dated, 12-page catalogue could be considered a piece of preview literature, but with specifications and paint colours, the only thing that’s really missing is a price list. We suspect it was a hand-out at the recent Geneva motor show.

There’s not much contained within it that we don’t already know. But, what we can tell you is that the new hot shot Polo is available in two standard flat paint colours (Black and Candy White), while optional metallic finishes are Flash Red, Argent Grey and Shadow Blue. Intense Black is the only pearl-effect colour. Standard kit includes a larger rear spoiler, ‘GTI’ script (in recent VW tradition, no Polo badging is on the car at all), Xenon headlamps, twin exhausts, front fog lights, 7J x 17 ‘Denver’ alloy wheels and a 15mm lowered chassis.

Moving inside, there’s ‘Jacky’ red and black tartan trim covering the sports seats, Climatic semi-automatic air-conditioning, a multifunction computer and an RNS 310 CD/MP3/SD card music system. The only factory-fitted, pay-extra options appear to be optional LED running lights, automatic Climatronic air-conditioning, RCD 210/310/510 music systems and black alcantara trim for the sports seats. We’ll let you know when UK prices and specifications for the 178bhp, DSG-equipped new Polo GTI have been confirmed.

It’s the news we’ve not been waiting for. While the Polo GTI with 178bhp will be speeding into the junior hot hatch market later this year, the much-rumoured Polo R will not be following it. At least that’s the story according to UK motoring weekly Auto Express, which states that bosses at the German giant’s new performance division have vetoed a new 200bhp-plus Polo to take on the Renaultsport Clio 200, the current junior hot hatch king. We’d heard it rumoured, but didn’t want to believe it.

The confirmation comes as VW launches its new performance division, Volkswagen R GmbH. Set to be what M Division is to BMW and AMG to Mercedes-Benz, the new company will focus on producing the hottest versions of regular models. The new engineering-focused division already bears fruit; the 269bhp Golf R and 264bhp Scirocco R (pictured above) are both products of the R team. R-Line models with cosmetic upgrades but no mechanical tweaks will also originate from the newly-created division.

Based not far from Volkswagen’s huge Wolfsburg corporate headquarters at Warmenau, Volkswagen R GmbH has more than 350 staff, meaning that super-performance-focused cars can be developed and built from the ground up. Future projects include a production version of the Detroit 2009 motor show wowing BlueSport roadster, but not, it would seem, an ultimate performance Polo.

Volkswagen South Africa has finally updated its website to list the new Polo Vivo among its model range. The new entry level Series 4F Polo/Polo Playa-based Volkswagen will, the company says, ‘set new benchmarks in its category for affordability, quality, safety, space and comfort.’ The Polo Vivo’s mission is a very simple one: to make motoring accessible to more South Africans (notably first-time buyers and pensioners, who may well then graduate to the new Polo, natch).

The hatchback and sedan are on sale now with 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre engines, starting at R101,500 for the base-model 1.4. It’s a popular car, too, with demand outstripping supply; Volkswagen South Africa says that 71,500 have been ‘exported’ so far (from a 50,000 target), the highest ever recorded. ‘So much to celebrate’ is the marketing message, and with that in mind, we thought we’d let you know that both wallpapers and a screensaver for your computer desktop are available to herald the Polo Vivo’s arrival. Preview them below and grab them here (click on ‘Wallpapers’).