Archive | Polo 2009-

10 March 2009 ~ 0 Comments

New Polo driving game races onto the Apple iPhone

The paint has barely been dry on the Geneva Motor Show cars, but Volkswagen has clearly had its eyes on the launch of the new Polo for quite some time. And, this multimedia game for the fashionable Apple iPhone clearly hints at the younger, techno-savvy market that the company is clearly chasing for its new premium supermini. Just that this new game exists is proof of that.

For its first interactive marketing venture on the iPhone platform, VW has called in the big guns. Developed by FISHLABS, the world’s leading developer and publisher of 3D racing games, VW Polo Challenge has eight animated tracks, and realistic four-point driving physics. Innovative controls and a score by up and coming German rockers Feinkost add to the game’s credibility.

As with other games for the platform, the new 3D-rendered Polo can be accelerometer-steered around its sunny landscapes by tilting the device itself, with the difficulty increasing with every track. And if driving the car around a virtual course isn’t enough, the game menu can navigate you to the nearest Volkswagen retailer via GPS and Google Maps so that you can put pedal to the metal on real roads (after you’ve read the included press pack, of course).

The German car maker appreciates the marketing value of the gaming application, and claims it is breaking integrated communication ground. Michael Schade, CEO of FISHLABS Entertainment GmbH is equally believing of the product, too: ‘VW has really touched the zeitgeist with the 3D racing game for the new Polo. Games are by far the most popular application for these groundbreaking Apple platforms, and with the help of our large fan community of umpteen million mobile gamers, the new VW Polo will spread like wildfire.’

Though not the first manufacturer-approved racing game (there’s also the Audi A4 Driving Challenge, while BMW has commissioned a Z4-based application), VW Polo Challenge is fun to play (though not for users with heavy-handed coordination like us), and looks great. Available for the iPhone and iPod touch, it can be downloaded now (free of charge) from the Apple iTunes Apps Store.

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10 March 2009 ~ 0 Comments

Freshly-minted Polo for US drivers?

After the flurry of last week’s Geneva Motor Show unveiling , more news and footage of the new Polo has been leaching from Volkswagen. First though, the bad news: it’s been reported that prices in the UK may rise by £500 (but it appears that you do get much more car for the money), and three-door versions arrive here in December, two months after the family friendly five-door models.
Not to worry, though, as it should be worth the wait.
One market that has waited for far too long is the US. The Golf (or Rabbit as it’s known Stateside) has long been the smallest Volkswagen on sale in the US, but that could be about to change. The Polo has never been sold to American punters in all its 34-year history, but many websites across the pond are reporting stories about an imminent turnaround.
Volkswagen Group of America CEO Stefan Jacoby has reportedly recently confirmed that the company now thinks the time is right to import the Polo, and finally make it a proper world car. On sale in China, South Africa, South America, and of course its mainstay market of Europe, it has always eluded US buyers. It makes sense – VW could make the car in its Mexican plant at Puebla alongside the Jetta and New Beetle models.
Primarily using the car to triple its annual US sales volumes to around 800,000 units, reports state the Polo could hit American shores as early as 2010/2011 to take full advantage of the small car market, currently the fastest-growing segment in the country. Jacoby’s statement of intent comes after VW’s development chief Ulrich Hackenberg spoke to Automotive News at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in January.
US Volkswagen enthusiasts have long hankered after the Polo (especially the GTI and more recently, the BlueMotion, although the new version does remind us of the Dodge Caliber), with forums abuzz with comments asking VW to import the car. Following the reports from the last couple of months, the big question is, are they about to be rewarded for their patience?

After the flurry of last week’s Geneva Motor Show unveiling, more news and footage of the new Polo has been leaching from Volkswagen. First though, the bad news: it’s been reported that prices in the UK may rise by £500 (but it appears that you do get much more car for the money), and three-door versions arrive here in December, two months after the family friendly five-door models.

2009 VW Polo F100309

Not to worry, though, as it should be worth the wait.

One market that has waited for far too long is the US. The Golf (or Rabbit as it’s known Stateside) has long been the smallest Volkswagen on sale in the US, but that could be about to change. The Polo has never been sold to American punters in all its 34-year history, but many websites across the pond are reporting stories about an imminent turnaround.

2009 VW Polo P100309

Volkswagen Group of America CEO Stefan Jacoby has reportedly recently confirmed that the company now thinks the time is right to import the Polo, and finally make it a proper world car. On sale in China, South Africa, South America, and of course its mainstay market of Europe, it has always eluded US buyers. It makes sense – VW could make the car in its Mexican plant at Puebla alongside the Jetta and New Beetle models.

Primarily using the car to triple its annual US sales volumes to around 800,000 units, reports state the Polo could hit American shores as early as 2010/2011 to take full advantage of the small car market, currently the fastest-growing segment in the country. Jacoby’s statement of intent comes after VW’s development chief Ulrich Hackenberg spoke to Automotive News at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in January.

2009 VW Polo R100309

US Volkswagen enthusiasts have long hankered after the Polo (especially the GTI and more recently, the BlueMotion, although the new version does remind us of the Dodge Caliber), with forums abuzz with comments asking VW to import the car. Following the reports from the last couple of months, the big question is, are they about to be rewarded for their patience?

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03 March 2009 ~ 0 Comments

2009 Polo: first official pictures and details

2009 Volkswagen Polo: first official pictures and details
That was a surprise, and yes, it did throw us. Doubting that Volkswagen would pull the covers off the new Polo at the Geneva Motor Show which opens to the public today, the company went and did just that, and the first exciting details are below. The first pictures show that the car looks sleeker, more dynamic, and posher than any other Polo before it.
The sharp suit really does look great and much better than the outgoing car. The front echoes the new Golf, while the rear has jewel-like flat tail lamps, while in profile, there’s more than a shade of Volkswagen’s South American models such as the Gol. I like it, and look forward to casting an eye over it in the metal.
Aside from the new looks, there’s obviously new tech, too. New TSI and TDI engines take the headlines here, as does a 7 per cent weight saving over the current car, but while length and width increase, the height drops. To match the body, the interior is posher, too, with options borrowed from much larger cars once more. Volkswagen UK’s full press release is below.
Smarer, lighter, and even cleaner: fifth generation Polo unveiled
New Polo unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show
All-new body accompanied by 1.2-litre TSI and 1.6-litre TDI common rail engines
New Polo BlueMotion II Concept Car also unveiled promising CO2 emissions of just 87g/km and a combined 85mpg.
The fifth generation of Volkswagen’s evergreen supermini, the Polo, has been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, 34 years after the original went on sale in the UK. It’s sharper, lighter, safer and more cutting edge than ever before and is set to establish new standards in the small car class. Not only does the new Polo weigh 7.5 per cent less than the vehicle it replaces – despite being marginally wider and longer – but it’s also stronger, promises greater refinement and efficiency and features new packaging to make it the most versatile iteration yet.
The stylish Polo debuts a new look as well as highly efficient TSI and common rail TDI engines to set new benchmarks in efficiency – bettering even the high standards set by the outgoing car. In addition, advanced safety systems and an all-new construction allow it to meet the criteria for the recently introduced five-star EuroNCAP standard.
Styled by a team led by Walter de Silva (Head of Design, Volkswagen Group) the fifth generation Polo establishes a distinctive new look for the car that draws on the design direction established by the Scirocco and Golf. Clean, uncluttered lines mix with a thin, horizontal grille element framed by a set of sleek light units. The use of horizontal lines in the grille and lights allows the Polo to appear lower and wider than it really is. The simple design approach continues to the back of the car, which features a set of
distinctive new rear lights and a wider track (1,464 mm front, 1,456 mm rear) to underline the impression of solidity.
At 3,952mm in length the new Polo is 36mm longer than the car it replaces. Its width, at 1,682mm, has also grown by 32mm, yet the overall height has dropped by 13mm to 1,454mm, lending the car a more purposeful stance. These slightly larger dimensions and a longer wheelbase mean there’s greater space inside the new Polo. Head, shoulder and legroom have all increased, as has the load volume which now totals a minimum of 280 litres and a maximum of 952 litres.
Up front, elegant white backlit dials are set into a dashboard constructed out of high-quality, soft touch plastics. Volkswagen’s renowned attention to detail remains apparent in the new Polo with subtle aluminum highlights dotted around the interior and the option of a handy air conditioned glovebox and an easily accessed connection point for an MP3 player. In addition, and for the first time on a Polo, the RNS 310 touchscreen satellite navigation system can be specified along with a three-spoke, multifunction steering wheel.
Continuing the programme of efficiency improvements established by Volkswagen, the new Polo is powered by a mix of advanced naturally aspirated 1.2- and 1.4-litre engines as well as a new turbocharged 1.2-litre TSI petrol unit joining another all-new 1.6-litre TDI common rail diesel engine. All are equipped with either five- or six-speed manual gearboxes as standard and, for the first time on the Polo, selected variants can be specified with Volkswagen’s advanced and lightweight seven-speed DSG gearbox.
A Polo BlueMotion model will also join the range shortly after launch. Powered by a highly efficient 1.6-litre 90 PS TDI common rail diesel engine and linked to a five-speed gearbox with lengthened ratios in third, fourth and fifth, the new BlueMotion achieves 74 mpg while emitting just 96g/km of CO2 – bettering the outgoing Polo BlueMotion model which is itself one of the most fuel efficient vehicles currently on sale. The gains in efficiency don’t stop there: in 2010 the second generation BlueMotion will follow.
Shown as a concept car at Geneva, and equipped with an all-new 1.2-litre three-cylinder common rail diesel engine developing 75 PS, the BlueMotion II will be capable of returning 85 mpg on the combined cycle while generating just 87 g/km of CO2. Making this possible is a package of modifications including the new engine, automatic Stop-Start and regenerative braking, a gearbox with revised ratios, optimised aerodynamics beneath the vehicle, suspension lowered by 15 mm and the fitment of low rolling resistance tyres.
The new Polo features a comprehensive roster of standard safety equipment including for the first time on all models four airbags, anti-lock brakes, Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP) and ISOFIX anchor points all fitted as standard. Production of the new Polo for the UK market starts this summer before first deliveries take place in October. Prices will be announced nearer this time.
Engine derivatives available in the UK from launch as follows:
Petrol
1.2-litre 60 5-spd
1.2-litre 70 5-spd
1.4-litre 85 5-spd / 7-spd DSG
1.2-litre TSI 105 6-spd
Diesel
1.6-litre TDI 75 5-spd
1.6-litre TDI 90 5-spd

2009 VW Polo F030309

That was a surprise, and yes, it did throw us. Doubting that Volkswagen would pull the covers off the new Polo at the Geneva Motor Show which opens to the public today, the company went and did just that, and the first exciting details are below. The first pictures show that the car looks sleeker, more dynamic, and posher than any other Polo before it.

The sharp suit really does look great and much better than the outgoing car. The front echoes the new Golf, while the rear has jewel-like flat tail lamps, while in profile, there’s more than a shade of Volkswagen’s South American models such as the Gol. I like it, and look forward to casting an eye over it in the metal.

Aside from the new looks, there’s obviously new tech, too. New TSI and TDI engines take the headlines here, as does a 7 per cent weight saving over the current car, but while length and width increase, the height drops. To match the body, the interior is posher, too, with options borrowed from much larger cars once more. Volkswagen UK’s full press release is below.

Smarter, lighter, and even cleaner: fifth generation Polo unveiled

  • New Polo unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show
  • All-new body accompanied by 1.2-litre TSI and 1.6-litre TDI common rail engines
  • New Polo BlueMotion II Concept Car also unveiled promising CO2 emissions of just 87g/km and a combined 85mpg.

The fifth generation of Volkswagen’s evergreen supermini, the Polo, has been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, 34 years after the original went on sale in the UK. It’s sharper, lighter, safer and more cutting edge than ever before and is set to establish new standards in the small car class. Not only does the new Polo weigh 7.5 per cent less than the vehicle it replaces – despite being marginally wider and longer – but it’s also stronger, promises greater refinement and efficiency and features new packaging to make it the most versatile iteration yet.

The stylish Polo debuts a new look as well as highly efficient TSI and common rail TDI engines to set new benchmarks in efficiency – bettering even the high standards set by the outgoing car. In addition, advanced safety systems and an all-new construction allow it to meet the criteria for the recently introduced five-star EuroNCAP standard.

2009 VW Polo R030309

Styled by a team led by Walter de Silva (Head of Design, Volkswagen Group) the fifth generation Polo establishes a distinctive new look for the car that draws on the design direction established by the Scirocco and Golf. Clean, uncluttered lines mix with a thin, horizontal grille element framed by a set of sleek light units. The use of horizontal lines in the grille and lights allows the Polo to appear lower and wider than it really is. The simple design approach continues to the back of the car, which features a set of distinctive new rear lights and a wider track (1,464 mm front, 1,456 mm rear) to underline the impression of solidity.

At 3,952mm in length the new Polo is 36mm longer than the car it replaces. Its width, at 1,682mm, has also grown by 32mm, yet the overall height has dropped by 13mm to 1,454mm, lending the car a more purposeful stance. These slightly larger dimensions and a longer wheelbase mean there’s greater space inside the new Polo. Head, shoulder and legroom have all increased, as has the load volume which now totals a minimum of 280 litres and a maximum of 952 litres.

DB2009AU00245

Up front, elegant white backlit dials are set into a dashboard constructed out of high-quality, soft touch plastics. Volkswagen’s renowned attention to detail remains apparent in the new Polo with subtle aluminum highlights dotted around the interior and the option of a handy air conditioned glovebox and an easily accessed connection point for an MP3 player. In addition, and for the first time on a Polo, the RNS 310 touchscreen satellite navigation system can be specified along with a three-spoke, multifunction steering wheel.

Continuing the programme of efficiency improvements established by Volkswagen, the new Polo is powered by a mix of advanced naturally aspirated 1.2- and 1.4-litre engines as well as a new turbocharged 1.2-litre TSI petrol unit joining another all-new 1.6-litre TDI common rail diesel engine. All are equipped with either five- or six-speed manual gearboxes as standard and, for the first time on the Polo, selected variants can be specified with Volkswagen’s advanced and lightweight seven-speed DSG gearbox.

A Polo BlueMotion model will also join the range shortly after launch. Powered by a highly efficient 1.6-litre 90 PS TDI common rail diesel engine and linked to a five-speed gearbox with lengthened ratios in third, fourth and fifth, the new BlueMotion achieves 74 mpg while emitting just 96g/km of CO2 – bettering the outgoing Polo BlueMotion model which is itself one of the most fuel efficient vehicles currently on sale. The gains in efficiency don’t stop there: in 2010 the second generation BlueMotion will follow.

Shown as a concept car at Geneva, and equipped with an all-new 1.2-litre three-cylinder common rail diesel engine developing 75 PS, the BlueMotion II will be capable of returning 85 mpg on the combined cycle while generating just 87 g/km of CO2. Making this possible is a package of modifications including the new engine, automatic Stop-Start and regenerative braking, a gearbox with revised ratios, optimised aerodynamics beneath the vehicle, suspension lowered by 15 mm and the fitment of low rolling resistance tyres.

The new Polo features a comprehensive roster of standard safety equipment including for the first time on all models four airbags, anti-lock brakes, Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP) and ISOFIX anchor points all fitted as standard. Production of the new Polo for the UK market starts this summer before first deliveries take place in October. Prices will be announced nearer this time.

Engine derivatives available in the UK from launch as follows:

Petrol
1.2-litre 60 5-spd
1.2-litre 70 5-spd
1.4-litre 85 5-spd / 7-spd DSG
1.2-litre TSI 105 6-spd

Diesel
1.6-litre TDI 75 5-spd
1.6-litre TDI 90 5-spd

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