PoloDriver

A 1976 Berg Cup-style Series 1 Polo racer will run at the ADAC 24-hour Classic race tomorrow at the Nürburgring. The wide-arch Polo will contest the 1300cc class at the Nordschleife event, and will be decked out in the latest Polo R WRC livery colours. Driven by the father and son pairing of Herbert and Michael Schmitz, the original Polo will be joined by the ex-Group 4, Oettinger 16V-engined 220bhp Mk 1 Golf GTI which starred at the Wörthersee GTI Festival last year, and a 1981 Group 2 Scirocco. More than 180 vintage and classic cars will fight for race positions and championship points at this year’s ADAC 24-hour Classic, which starts on Friday 18 May at 12.55pm.

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Finally it’s official! Although consistently denied, there is a Polo which will be hotter than the current 178bhp GTI, and here’s the proof: the Polo WRC Street concept, unveiled today at the 31st GTI Festival in Wörthersee, Austria. Powered by a 2.0-litre engine developing 217bhp (220PS/162kW), the limited-edition Polo ‘WRC Street’ will go on sale in late 2013, after the rally-prepped Polo R WRC hits the asphalt, gravel and snow tracks, to capitalise on the motorsport model’s halo effect. Additional features of the Polo WRC Street includes a black rear spoiler and diffuser, sports suspension, multi-spoke alloy wheels, black wheel arch trims and ‘R-WRC’ graphics and badging. It certainly looks the part, and initial web reports suggest that an even hotter Polo R road-going model is also in the pipeline.

Another star of the Volkswagen stand in Reifnitz, is the Polo R WRC itself. Contesting the FIA World Rally Championship in 2013, the 1.6-litre turbocharged motorsport model is currently in development, being tested by Volkswagen’s lead driver, Sébastien Ogier. Seen in Austria as a running car, the four-wheel drive Polo R WRC develops 296bhp (300PS/220kW), and gets to 62mph from rest in 4.1 seconds. Other cars on the Volkswagen stand at the Wörthersee 2012 event which runs from 16-19 May is the production version of the Golf GTI Cabriolet, a black and red-themed Golf GTI ‘Black Dynamic’ which was built by nine Volkswagen apprentices, and the Golf GTI ‘White Concept’ with Oryx White matt paintwork.

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Bought eight months ago, how is Rich Gooding’s 10 year-old Polo GTI adjusting to daily life once again? It’s not all been plain sailing…

The largest development in the ownership of Y464 GHJ came back in January. As reported last time, I took a job at a local design agency which put the car back in daily use, a somewhat alien concept to it. It was used sporadically after I bought it back in September, but had sat for at least four months before coming home with me. Sadly, that spell has now ended and I’m back to freelance work, which sees the car getting less use. Sad news for me, but happy news for the car, as the mileage is currently being kept down. And it also means that I enjoy it more when I do drive it, a positive upside.

On the whole, there’s been no major negatives to report over the three-month period that the car was in regular use. Every day it provided reliable transport, with a added sporty spring in its step, and, as reported last time, it can do the sporty thing and the calming thing in equal measure. I’ve been reading some old road tests of the car, and found out that only 4 per cent of Polo sales in 2001 were of the GTI, and in total, from the summer of 2000 when it was introduced to the start of 2002, only 3393 examples found their way onto UK roads. Well-equipped now, let alone back then, it should have sold more, but was up against fierce competition in the form of the Peugeot 106 and 206 GTIs, and the Citroën Saxo VTS.

The early-2000s Polo GTI deserved to be bought in bigger numbers on looks alone. I’ve said it before, but it is a good-looking car. But, that doesn’t mean it can’t be improved. A little. I’ve added red edging trim to the grille surround (sometimes referred to as ‘lipstick’), to bring the car in line with Volkswagen GTIs from 2004-2009, and think it looks a lot more ‘GTI’ than without, the red trim picking up the red ‘I’ on the front grille ‘GTI’ badge. I’ve yet to replace the rear ‘GTI’ badge with the new one I have sitting in storage, but with the weather the way it has been over the past month or so, there’s been neither rarely a dry day, or a warm one for me to even contemplate easing the old badge off. And, with Volkswagen events being cancelled left, right, and centre due to sodden venues, the car’s not had much chance to be shown off anyway. Let’s hope that soon changes.

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With the UK press launch of its funky new Citigo city car happening today and tomorrow, we just had to cover this, the Škoda Citigo Rallye Concept. Designed to pull in the crowds and heighten awareness of the Czech company’s new mini car at the 2012 Wörthersee Treffen in Austria from 16-19 May where all things Volkswagen Group GTI are celebrated, the standard Citigo has been popping the pumping-up steroid pills, resulting in a look that’s not too far removed from the Fabia S2000 rally car.

Huge wheel arches have been added to the standard three-door Citigo’s bodywork, to cover the 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels. An aggressive roof spoiler and front bumper also add menacing touches, turning the cutesy Citigo into something a Stormtrooper might drive, with this rendering’s black and white colour scheme. Škoda will also show the Citigo DJ at Wörthersee – a rolling disco with 100,000 watts of sound. That shouldn’t be hard to miss then. With the Citgo Rallye concept and the VW Polo R WRC both being shown at the legendary Austrian event, it should be a good one…

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Volkswagen UK is adding DAB radios as standard to all its 2013 passenger cars, including the Polo, in readiness for the switch to digital radio broadcasting. Offering drivers a clear and crackle-free sound, a larger range of stations is also available, along with specialist genres. All Volkswagen DAB systems will also pick up AM and FM frequencies, as well as play MP3-compatible and regular CDs, while every model in the range comes with an aux-in socket to connect iPods and other MP3 players. The 2013 model-year Polo S now comes with six speakers connected to a standard RCD 310 audio unit to make the most of the higher quality digital audio, and this basic specification is equalled or bettered up through the range of Volkswagen cars.

Upgrade options include the MDI multi-device interface, which allows easy connection of iPods or USB sticks, which can then be controlled via the car’s audio system; Bluetooth connection of compatible telephones and music playback; Dynaudio speakers and amplifiers; higher-power audio systems with colour touchscreen controls and an SD memory card slot; and touchscreen satellite navigation systems, including with built-in HD memory. The only previous DAB unit available for the Polo was the RCD 510 touchscreen radio system, costing £300 as an optional upgrade. All 2013 model-year VW passenger cars can be ordered from your local Volkswagen Retailer from now.

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