PoloDriver

The new issue of evo magazine sees the new Citroën DS3 Racing square up to its rivals, one of them being the new Polo GTI. Over roads in South Wales, ex-Autocar hack Chris Harris and the team tests the hot Polo (for the first time in right-hand drive on UK roads) against the 204bhp DS3-R, the 208bhp Mini Cooper S, the 198bhp Renaultsport Clio and the 189bhp Vauxhall Corsa VXR. Surprisingly, the 1390cc TSI-engined Polo scampers to 62mph faster than its four rivals and sits towards the lower end of the price range, too, at £19,410 for the five-door tested here. The main criticisms? As with other recent tests (revised online Autocar first drive here), the DSG-only option comes in for some flak, as does the GTI’s more refined nature. Which car is victorious? Watch the video (unfortunately we couldn’t embed it), and read the full group test in issue 154 of evo, out tomorrow, 2 February.

The fifth-generation Polo is showcased in the latest issue of Volkswagen interactive magazine, Das. The third issue of VW’s innovative online and digital platform publication, Das features a digital section on the latest Polo, and includes videos about its design and marketing, an animated ‘Polo Time Machine’ showing the five different generations since 1975, as well as clips showing the recent ‘Last Tango in Compton’ UK TV commercial and the Polo GTI drifting in the snow. There’s also a car configurator and links to Volkswagen’s Facebook ‘Fast Lane’ digital media advertising campaign. All slickly done (if a little slow at times), the magazine is primarily aimed at Apple iPad users, but a web-based version is also available here. As well as the Polo section, there are features on Race Touareg pilot Carlos Sainz, Volkswagen quality testing, Volkswagen news, Argentina in 3D, and the latest BlueMotion initiatives.

We didn’t see this one coming. The latest issue of Volkswagen modders’ title Performance VW, has a feature on the very pretty Series 2 Polo saloon, owned by ‘hardcore Dubber’ Brett Keane. The 1988 Porsche Arctic Silver car features early Polo saloon square headlights, shortened tail lamps (a very subtle and neat visual trick), and ‘old-skool’ 7×13” ATS Classic alloy rims. Power is provided by a 1272cc-based HH Sorg Motorsport Formula Konig engine, fed by Weber twin-40 carbs. It really is a stunning machine, and so simple, too, providing instant inspiration. To read the full story, buy a copy of the February 2011 issue of Performance VW magazine, available until 10 February.

[Image: Performance VW]

The chaps at Auto Express have tested the latest Polo GTI against its in-house rivals the SEAT Ibiza Cupra and the Škoda Fabia vRS (finally with a Volkswagen UK press office car). All powered by the same 1.4-litre, 178bhp supercharged and turbocharged TSI engine, small chassis tweaks on all separate them from each other. As does price. The Polo is predictably the most expensive of the trio at £18,275, the SEAT’s cheaper at £17,188, while the Škoda is a bargain basement £15,700. All three look different too, with the Ibiza the most extrovert of the trio, with the Škoda’s trademark bright green paint job (sadly not present here) aimed at younger drivers. The Polo is arguably aimed at an older and more sophisticated audience with its restrained and traditional GTI detailing. Which hot tot wins? Watch the Auto Express video above to find out.

The current issue of What Car? magazine carries a mega 13-page group test of premium superminis to mark the UK launch of the Audi A1. Tested in 1.4 TFSI Sport trim, it’s pitted against in-house rival, the Polo (on which it’s based and represented here in top flight SEL trim), the Alfa Romeo Mito 1.4 Multiair TB 135 Lusso and the Mini Cooper 1.6. The magazine uses the same 1.2-litre 104bhp TSI-engined press car we drove back in June (pictured above) for the test, and although the Polo gives away 16bhp to the Audi, it beats its cousin on price, pegged at £14,710 for the three-door car, against the A1’s £15,670 with the same amount of openings. Both cars score the same for average miles per gallon, range and CO2, so it really is a case of which model you prefer. To find out which car wins, buy a copy of the January 2011 issue of What Car?, on sale until 16 December.

To read PoloDriver’s first drive of the Polo SEL 1.2 TSI, click here. The third of our special digital ‘mini-magazines’, check out the PoloDriver bookshelf for our previous two titles.