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Rally Portugal from 3-6 April, the toughest event so far of the 2014 World Rally Championship season, saw Volkswagen emerge victorious for the third time this year. World Champions Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia fought hard to take their third podium, scoring the Volkswagen Polo R WRC’s record eighth consecutive event victory – the longest winning run in WRC history.

Ogier and Ingrassia’s team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila finished 14th after a major crash rendered the Finnish duo’s Polo R WRC undrivable on day two of the event. A super-human overnight effort by the crew’s mechanics saw the car restart the next day under Rally 2 regulations, looking as a good as new. Challenging for the lead from second place on the Friday saw Latvala make a minor mistake, which then flipped and rolled the #2 315bhp Polo.

But, picking up four valuable points for the Manufacturers’ Championship proved the efforts were worthwhile. Latvala and Anttila then went on to take two stage wins, and also finished runners-up on the Power Stage, picking up a further two bonus points.

Latvala was reflective: ‘The Rally Portugal has shown once again that it is deservedly seen as one of the most difficult rallies in the world. Our pace was very good, so we had the opportunity to finish on the podium. Unfortunately, however, an avoidable little mistake on Friday had pretty big consequences. That was very disappointing and put paid to any chances of a good result. We then altered our strategy and targeted the Power Stage.’

The final Volkswagen crew, Andreas Mikkelsen and Mikko Markkula, also endured a varied event. Making their second Rally Portugal start in the Polo R WRC, the pair created a new set of pace notes. However, the heavy rain and poor visibility during the recce meant their new notes didn’t correlate with the changing conditions. Mikkelsen and Markkula decided to set about a damage limitation exercise, and not take any risks. But, a fourth place finish is still something worth savouring.

‘The Rally Portugal did not go as I had hoped, although the eventual result was not so bad. We decided to write some new pace notes. However, the heavy rain during the ‘Recce’ made visibility so poor that I could not really put any faith in them. The variable conditions at the start of the rally also made me a bit cautious. I lost a lot of time, but the last thing I wanted to do was to take too many risks. That paid off, in terms of the result at least: fourth place is the best we could really have hoped for,’ commented Mikkelsen.

For Ogier and Ingrassia, though, the Rally Portugal victory was the icing on a difficult-to-bake cake. The ingredients were all there, from an early win on the pre-rally ‘Fafe Rally Sprint’ (in front of 140,000 spectators) to the powerful Polo R WRC. But, the French pair’s 19th triumph wasn’t easy, with the lead changing and three different manufacturers on the podium during the event.

‘Four wins in five years. It is no exaggeration: the Rally Portugal is one of my very favourites! The whole week has been fantastic. First the show in front of more than 100,000 fans at the ‘Fafe Rally Sprint’, and now the icing on the cake with our title defence at the Rally Portugal on the Algarve. The encouragement and support of the fans is rather special here. We only took as many risks as needed on soft tyres on the final day. I heard that Markku Alén is the uncrowned king with five wins in Portugal. We can achieve that too next year. That is our goal,’ said a determined Ogier.

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The rally monster from Wolfsburg also celebrated another milestone in Portugal. Contesting its 300th special stage on Friday, just as it had on its previous anniversaries – 50, 100, 150 and 250 – the Polo R WRC celebrated its latest achievement with another stage win. Seven special stages later it had taken another milestone: the 200th stage win since making its debut in 2013.

By the end of the Rally Portugal, Volkswagen had won 204 of the 312 special stages it has contested since the start of last season – a success rate of 65 per cent. Of 850 possible top-three times, 459 have gone to the Polo R WRC. Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia’s victory marked the 24th podium and 14th win in 17 rallies since 2013 for Volkswagen.

The WRC crews head next to South America for the Rally Argentina from 8-11 May.

2014 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP,

RALLY PORTUGAL: FINAL RESULTS

1 Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F), Volkswagen: 3h 33m 20.4s
2 Mikko Hirvonen/Jarmo Lehtinen (FIN/FIN), Ford: + 43.2s
3 Mads Østberg/Jonas Andersson (N/S), Citroën: + 1m 12.4s
4 Andreas Mikkelsen/Mikko Markkula (N/FIN), Volkswagen: + 4m 50.5s
5 Henning Solberg/Ilka Minor (N/A), Ford: + 5m 10.2s

2014 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP,

DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS

1 Sébastien Ogier, 91

2 Jari-Matti Latvala, 62

3 Mads Østberg, 48

4 Andreas Mikkelsen, 36
5 Mikko Hirvonen, 36

2014 FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP,

MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS

1 Volkswagen Motorsport, 144

2 Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT, 75

3 M-Sport, 60

4 Hyundai Motorsport, 45

5 Volkswagen Motorsport II, 40

Even though full specifications for the refreshed model have been announced by Volkswagen UK, buyers are still flocking to buy the fifth-generation Polo. UK buyers bought 8306 examples of Volkswagen’s small car last month, no doubt buoyed by the introduction of the new ’14’ registration plate. That puts in seventh place in the UK top 10 best-selling cars chart, according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

New car registrations rose by 17.7 per cent to reach 464,824, a figure which was only bettered in March 2004 (466,954). Year-to-date tallies are up 13.7 per cent on 2013. Among the Polo’s contemporaries, once again the Ford Fiesta topped the top 10 table, with 25,753 units sold. The Vauxhall Corsa was third with 16,231 cars finding new homes. For the first time, the Toyota Yaris entered the UK’s best-sellers, coming in at number 10, selling 7438 cars.

The UK’s top 10 best-selling passenger cars during February 2014 and the year so far (sales figure and position in brackets) are as follows:

1 Ford Fiesta: 25,753 (39,240, 1st)

2 Ford Focus: 16,680 (24,759, 2nd)

3 Vauxhall Corsa: 16,231 (23,839, 3rd)

4 Volkswagen Golf: 13,142 (19,160, 4th)
5 Vauxhall Astra: 11,359 (17,465, 5th)

6 Nissan Qashqai: 8858 (12,937, 7th)

7 Volkswagen Polo: 8306 (13,631, 6th)

8 Fiat 500: 8136 (11,685, 8th)

9 BMW 3 Series: 7782 (11,027, 10th)

10 Toyota Yaris: 7438


(The 2014 top 10 best-selling car absent from last month’s sales figures is the Audi A3 with 11,583 units sold.)

Our friends at Indian Autos Blog have today confirmed that Volkswagen Russia has just sold the 200,000th Polo Sedan. Based on the fifth-generation Polo hatchback (6R), the Polo Sedan (or Vento in India) is also sold in South Africa. The 200,000th milestone car was a Comfortline petrol model.

The Polo Sedan was introduced in 2010, a year after the 6R hatchback. It is produced at Volkswagen Russia’s Kaluga factory, which itself produced its 700,000th car in November 2013.

A new version of the Polo Sedan, the ‘Style’ (above), hit the Russian market in January 2014. With a special Toffee Brown Metallic body colour, chrome detailing, dark-tinted rear windows, ‘Spokane’ alloy wheels, the Polo Sedan Style also features rear LED numberplate lighting and unique badging. The interior boasts chrome door sills, gloss black trim, climate control, Volkswagen’s latest design of radio system, and a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob.

As with most other markets offering the car, Volkswagen Russia sells the notchback Polo with a 1.6-litre petrol engine, coupled to either a five speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. The base Trendline variant is available only with the manual gearbox and is priced at 473,900 Roubles, while the mid-level Comfortline costs 558,900 Roubles. The range-topping Highline costs 639,900 Roubles.

[Source: Indian Autos Blog]

Volkswagen has today announced its latest weapon in its driver alert system arsenal. As well as the company’s Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Post-Collision Braking, Lane Assist, Park Assist and Driver Alert systems, is the new Coffee Convenience function. Taking a leaf from Fiat’s book of keeping drivers refreshed, certain new Volkswagen models – including the New Polo – will be available with an in-car coffee machine.

When the Driver Alert System flashes up a fatigue warning, all the driver has to do is to press a button on the multifunction steering wheel and the in-glovebox machine will brew a cup of freshly ground coffee. A second coffee cup display in the multifunction dashboard display will inform the driver that the perfect cup of coffee is ready to drink, encouraging a rest stop.

This is important, as, Volkswagen states that overtired drivers cause up to 25 per cent of all accidents on motorways. In time, a function will also be fitted to allow drivers to locate a branch and pre-order a hot drink form any motorway service station coffee shop. In addition, VW-branded ‘Aprilscherz’ coffee will also be available from the Autostadt complex shops in Wolfsburg, home of the global Volkswagen headquarters.

Round two of the 2014 Engen Volkswagen Cup saw close and exciting racing at the Killarney race circuit in Cape Town, South Africa over the weekend of 29-30 March. Dewald Brummer scythed his way through the pack from ninth place to emerge as the winner of race one. But, as is usually the way with a grid full of Polo Vivos, that race wasn’t without incident.

An on-track clash between Mathew Hodges and Eddie Rodrigues saw Rodrigues at the side of the circuit with a damaged Polo. Moments before, Juan Gerber ended up on his roof after striking the tyre wall, bringing out the safety car. Until that point, Brummer had been fighting a close battle with Daniel Rowe.

Once the sorry-looking cars had been removed from the circuit, the resulting two-lap sprint to the finish finished in favour of Brummer.

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First past the chequered flag, she had Sheldon van der Linde almost hanging onto the bumper of her PG Glass-sponsored Polo Vivo during the last few laps. Van der Linde started in second place and had to hold off Jano van der Westhuizen.

Championship leader Daniel Rowe cemented his lead at Killarney. Posting the fastest qualifying times, he started each race from fifth place on the grid, but finished on the podium once the each event’s action had ended.

In the Masters category, Trevor Bland was the winner, ahead of Hodges and Shaun Holtzhausen. Bland took the lead of the Masters runners off Hodges who lead the category at the end of each round one.

RACE RESULTS
Race 1
1 Dewald Brummer (2: MAD Racing / GMP)
2 Daniel Rowe (11: Ferodo Racing)
3 Jano van der Westhuizen (15: Kwikfix)

Race 2
1 Tasmin Pepper (31: PG Glass)
2 Sheldon van der Linde (16: Ferodo Racing)
3 Daniel Rowe (11: Ferodo Racing)

Overall
1 Daniel Rowe (11: Ferodo Racing)
2 Tasmin Pepper (31: PG Glass)
3 Sheldon van der Linde (16: Ferodo Racing)

Masters
1 Trevor Bland (M6: PG Glass)
2 Mathew Hodges (M3: ITR Africa / 959 Panelbeaters)
3 Shaun Holtzhausen (M9: Firequip / Phoenix Signs

Championship Points (unofficial)
1 Daniel Rowe (11: Ferodo Racing): 90
2 Sheldon van der Linde (16: Ferodo Racing): 78
3 Jano van der Westhuizen (15: Kwikfix): 73
4 Mathew Hodges (M3: ITR Africa / 959 Panelbeaters): 72
5 Tasmin Pepper (31: PG Glass): 71
6 Dewald Brummer (2: MAD Racing / GPM): 67
7 Trevor Bland (M6: PG Glass): 64
8 Andrea Bate (37: Monroe Racing): 52
9 Michael Gibson (21: MAD Racing / GPM): 43
10 Christopher Shorter (33: Hollard / Glass Group): 31