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26 March 2014 ~ 0 Comments

Manitou Group VW Polo R2 diary:
Tour Natal 2014

In the first of a series of updates, PoloDriver.com will be following the fortunes of the Polo R2 rally car run by Manitou Group in the 2014 South African National Rally Championship.
Here, Henry Kohne, co-driver of Paulus Franken, tells the story of the team’s first outing of the season, the Tour Natal 2014

2014 Tour Natal: Manitou Group Volkswagen Polo R2
 
On the weekend of 14-15 March 2014, the South African (SA) National Rally Championship kicked off in Natal, and unfortunately our season didn’t start as we hoped. After putting in long hours and hard work into both the car and team during the pre-season, we were positive to have a good event in Natal.
 
We picked up technical issues as early as the first stage of the event, and were forced to retire from day one.
 
We were able to restart the event on Saturday morning, under Super Rally rules and had a trouble free run on day two, posting consistent top three times in class. Although we did not manage to score an good overall position at the end of the event, we were running a good pace on day two, proving that the work we put in during the off-season was worth it.
 
We are looking forward to the next event, which is the SASOL Rally on the 11-12 April 2014. The SASOL Rally is usually one of the benchmark events in SA rallying.
 
We would like to thank our sponsors Manitou Group, Volkswagen Motorsport, and SasolRacing for their support.

25 March 2014 ~ 0 Comments

New Polo released for UK ordering – prices and full specifications announced

2014 Volkswagen New Polo BlueGT (UK)

Today, the New Polo is available to order in the UK, and Volkswagen has released prices for the rejuventated model. Available from £11,100 ‘on the road’, the new car packs more technology and cleaner engines into a familiar yet subtly revised shape. Deliveries start in July.

The revised range sees the SE variant re-instated (with a new SE Design model), while the Match, R-Line, and R-Line Style are dropped.

Fuel efficiency of the new models is improved by up to 23 per cent with the new EU6 emission standard-compliant engines, while new 1.0-litre TSI units with 59 or 74bhp replace the previous 1.2-litre three-cylinder powerplants.

BlueMotion and GTI models arrive later in year, with the former now a petrol model. The latter meanwhile will come with the option of both a manual and DSG gearbox, instead of DSG-only.

All new Polos are fitted with Hill Hold and an Automatic Post-Collision Braking System which brakes the car after a collision to reduce kinetic energy significantly, minimising the chance or consequences of a second impact. 

ESC electronic stability control is standard, too, while optional safety features include a Driver Alert System (standard on BlueGT and £25 on other models) and Adaptive Cruise Control with Front Assist and City Emergency Braking, for £500. 

The new Polo debuts Volkswagen’s second-generation modular infotainment system which uses a proximity sensor that reacts to wiping movements used on smartphones. UK-bound Polos will offer Bluetooth connectivity and USB ports for media-in devices, while a navigation system for the 6.5-inch full colour touchscreen is optional from SE trim for £700.

In addition, MirrorLink™ will be offered as an option from SE models for £150. MirrorLink™ makes it possible to display and control certain approved Android smartphone apps on the infotainment screen.

Polo S
The New Polo range kicks off with the S. Standard kit is impressive, with a six-speaker Composition Audio System with 5.0-inch colour touchscreen, SD card reader, DAB radio and USB and aux-in connections fitted.

There’s also a height-adjustable driver’s seat, illuminated vanity mirrors, cup holders, and ‘gloss black’ interior highlights. The S A/C model adds manual air conditioning.

Polo SE
SE models add 15-inch ‘Lyon’ alloy models, a chrome-trimmed front air intake, body-coloured door handles and electrically adjustable door mirrors, a leather-trimmed three-spoke multifunction steering wheel (plus leather-covered gearlever and handbrake lever); a multifunction trip computer, remote locking and an alarm.

There’s also manual air conditioning and a Composition Media System with 6.5-inch colour touchscreen which adds a glovebox mounted CD player. Chrome highlights are fitted throughout the cabin, while five-door models get electric rear windows.

Polo SE Design
The new SE Design trim adds more style with 16-inch ‘Portago’ alloy wheels, a gloss black radiator grille and door mirror caps; front fog lights, dark-tinted tail lights and rear windows, as well as LED number-plate illumination. 

Inside, there is ‘Pyramid’ cloth upholstery with a choice of light-coloured ‘Ceramique’ or darker-coloured ‘Palladium Grey’ panels, and ‘Ceramique’ fabric inserts in the doors. There are dash panels in ‘Dark Rhodium’, front sports seats and aluminium-capped pedals (made more noticeable by the white footwell illumination).

This sounds like the limited edition Polo ‘Fresh’ model available in Europe.

Polo SEL
As before, the SEL model plays the ‘posh Polo’ card. In addition to the SE, SEL-specification adds 16-inch ‘Rivazza’ alloy wheels, front fog lights, tinted rear-windows, illuminated front footwells and a front centre armrest with storage compartment. Front and rear parking sensors are also standard.

Polo BlueGT
For now, the Polo BlueGT is the range-topper. Appearing largely as before, the 1.4-litre TSI engine with ACT cylinder deactivation now has 148bhp (an increase of 10bhp). The powerful yet parsimonious BlueGT rides on 17-inch ‘Montani’ alloy wheels and 15mm lower sport suspension, while externally it boasts a unique body styling kit, and gloss black radiator grille and door mirror caps. 

Inside, sports seats are trimmed in ‘BlueSpeed’ cloth with Alcantara bolsters and a black roof lining is fitted. An XDS electronic differential lock for improved traction and handling, cruise control and a Driver Alert System are standard.

Factory options
Additional options for the New Polo include automatic lights and wipers, electronic climate control, an electric sliding glass sunroof, electrically folding door mirrors and bi-xenon headlights. Later in the year, full-LED headlights will also become available across the range. A full price list for New Polo models is below. For more information visit www.volkswagen.co.uk.

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21 March 2014 ~ 0 Comments

Volkswagen Sasolracing triumph at
2014 Tour Natal Rally

2014 Tour Natal Rally: Zulu/Peskin

It was a good start to the season for the Volkswagen Sasolracing team over the weekend of 14-15 March, as the regrouped South African rally squad scored its first podium result of the 2014 season. Hans Weijs Jnr and Björn Degandt claimed third place in KawZulu-Natal, their Polo S2000 proving to be a more than capable steed.

It was the duo’s first event back in South Africa and the Tour Natal provided high temperatures and humidity levels, as well as challenging slippery and loose gravel surfaces.

‘The stages here in KwaZulu-Natal are quite slippery,’ said Weijs. ‘We made notes on our recce pass and used those for the first of the stages, pushing harder on the second run. Running first on the road on Friday was quite taxing but we made sure to keep our times quite close to the leaders. It feels good claiming a podium in this event, we are on a good level and think we will be pushing from stage one at the next rally.’

It was a good event for the other Sasolracing drivers, too. The new partnership of Henk Lategan and Pierre Arries worked well, with the pair claiming fifth place overall. Always in the top five times of each stage on day two saw them pushing for a podium spot.

‘Running wide on a corner in the second-last stage, we beached the car,’ said Lategan. ‘The surfaces here are so slippery that if you get it just a little bit off the line, things can go wrong quickly. Overall it wasn’t a bad rally and Pierre and I are working well together. I think it will take a few more rallies to get up to speed, but it is going well.’

For Polo S2000 newcomers Gugu Zulu and Carl Peskin, it wasn’t quite such a good outing. Finishing as a Super Rally entry rather than in the points, the former Polo Vivo S1600 pair were still positive after their first event with a more powerful car.

‘This is a whole new way of driving,’ said Zulu. ‘The brakes, the suspension, the grip, the level of control is just so different, so advanced over the previous generation we raced last year. I still need to build full confidence, but the car is amazing and I hope to get to grips with it very quickly.’

Mike Rowe, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport was pleased with his team’s result. ‘This event is notoriously tough with difficult road conditions. Hans and Björn did very well on Friday, but sweeping the roads at the head of the field certainly took its toll in terms of time. Henk Lategan and Pierre Arries are doing well, their partnership solidified tremendously after the first day and we could see the increase in pace today. Gugu Zulu and Carl Peskin showed a lot of pace and this shows real promise for them the rest of the season.’

Other Polo finishers included AC Potgieter and Tommy du Toit who came in 13th in their Polo S1600 and 19th-placed Chad Van Beurden and Nico Swartz also in a Polo S1600. Paulus Franken and Henry Kohne brought their Manitou Polo S1600 home in 23rd place, while Volkswagen Sasolracing Polo S2000 pair Thilo Himmel and Armand Du Toit finished one place below Franken and Kohne.

The next round of the 2014 South African National Rally Championship is the Sasol Rally, which sees the drivers head to Nelspruit on 11-12 April.

19 March 2014 ~ 0 Comments

2015-specification Polo R WRC to see outings this season

2013 Volkswagen Polo R WRC, Rally Greece: Latvala/Antilla

Ahead of its planned debut next year, the next version of the Polo R WRC will appear later this year, Autosport magazine reports. With a homologation date set for 2015, the revised World Rally Championship Polo will take part in two national-level events in Europe before the end of 2014. The new development of the championship-winning car is expected to see revised aerodynamics and a paddle-shift gearbox. With 42 days allocated for testing per season, running on the additional smaller events means no time is lost from that tight and limited window.

[Source and further information: Autosport]

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17 March 2014 ~ 0 Comments

Polo hatchback and saloon prices reduced in Brazil

2014 Volkswagen Polo Sportline (Brazil)

The Polo hatchback and saloon ranges have been reduced in price in Brazil ahead of the model’s discontinuation later in the year, reports Noticias Automotivas. Now starting at USD $46,690 for the Polo 1.6 hatchback, Polo Sedan (saloon) prices kick off at USD $48,790 for a similarly-engined car.

Reductions range from USD $2460 for the base model to USD $3250 for the Sedan in 1.6 I-Motion guise. The Brazilian Polo and Polo Sedan are based on the facelifted Mk 4 model, discontinued in Europe in 2009 with the introduction of the current 6R fifth-generation car. Find out more here.

2014 VOLKSWAGEN POLO / POLO SEDAN PRICES (BRAZIL)
Polo hatchback new price / old price
1.6: USD $ 46,690 / USD $49,150
1.6 I-Motion: USD $49,470 / USD $50,795*
BlueMotion 1.6: USD $51,220 / USD $53,680
1.6 Sportline: USD $49,190 / USD $51,683 R *
Sportline 1.6 I-Motion: USD $ 51,970 / USD $55,170

Polo Sedan: new price / old price
1.6: USD $48,790 / USD $51,990
1.6 I-Motion: USD $51,570 / USD $54,820
1.6 Comfortline: USD $51,290 / USD $54,280
Comfortline 1.6 I-Motion: USD $54,070 / USD $57,120
2.0 Comfortline: USD $54,890 / USD $57,880

[Source: Noticias Automotivas]

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