PoloDriver

Following their announcement last October that multi-spoke 17 and 18-inch alloy wheels and lowering springs will be available for the new Polo, German tuners JE Design have gone one better and built a tuned version of Volkswagen’s new baby. Primarily to promote the company’s new programme for the car, to our eyes, the striking JE Design striking fifth-generation Polo is similar in style to the Volkswagen Polo Cup India race cars.

The chaps from Leingarten have manufactured their own parts for the body kit from high quality ABS plastic to an original equipment specification. A unique CNC-milling process ensures a perfect fit and the carbon-look bumper inserts, together with the headlamp eyebrows, add a touch of menace. The body kit (which also includes deeper side skirts) is priced at €1528 including VAT, while the twin sports exhausts which poke out of the carbon-look rear lip are €599.

LED daytime running lights can be added for €399 and are fitted in the standard front bumper air inlets. JE Design state that they have two uses; when dipped headlights are turned on, the LEDs become parking lights while when main headlamps are engaged, traffic safety is improved as the LEDs are much brighter, like most modern-day Audis. At the moment, it appears to be more show than go, with no engine upgrades listed. Contact official JE Design UK importers Prestige Styling or JE Design direct for more details.

Eibach is the latest company to offer suspension upgrades for the new Polo and just like the donor car itself, comfort, enhanced dynamism and safety are all key requirements for any offerings from the German tuner. Acquired racing know-how from motorsport activities is felt in the company’s products and Eibach says that even with the lowered centre of gravity offered by its Pro-Kit Performance springs, there is no loss of comfort. Other (predictable) advantages are that the new Polo becomes more sporty and the road-holding is improved.

Ride height can also be altered to an individual’s taste with Pro-Street-S coil overs and together with the Pro-Spacer wheel spacers, provides even better handling. Made of high-strength aluminium, the spacers push the wheels out to the corners of the car, giving it a wider stance and adding extra stability. All Eibach suspension components for the new Polo (6R) are available through authorised resellers and are provided with high quality anti-corrosion protection and are fully TÜV-certified.

Back in September, German Volkswagen and Audi tuners ABT unveiled its latest take on the Polo, but, of course, this is just the newest in a line of Polo ‘specials’ the engineers and stylists at Kempten have produced. We found this smart (and we should think, rare) Series 2F coupé at German Polo fan site PoloMagazin.

Primarily concerned with chassis tuning and body styling, this set of ABT modifications were designed for Polos from 1991 to 1994. The body was lowered by 40mm by way of shortened springs and dampers, while 7J x 15 ‘A5’ alloy wheels (with an ET of 35) got power down to the road, as well as providing more kerbside appeal.

Finally, a different-looking (and sometimes ill-fitting) front grille made the ABT Polo 2F stand out, if taking away some of its identity. Inside, a sporty ABT steering wheel takes centre stage. With no further body add-ons and no engine upgrades, it was clearly much simpler 18 years ago and ABT certainly took a more restrained approach, unlike today.

Would-be modders of the new Polo will be delighted. The car has only just gone on sale, and already KW Automotive GmbH is offering several different coilover suspension kits for the model. ‘Variant 1’ with solid damping control and lowering heights of between 35 to 65mm offers ‘an optimal balance between sportiness, comfort and safety,’ say the tuning firm. This most basic version is also zinc-plated, making it not only perfect for winter use but also durable.

Stepping up, ‘Variant 2’ features adjustable rebound damping – ideal for drivers who seek adjustments on the basic lowering set-up, enabling a tailored, personal feel. ‘Variant 3’ is harder still, derived from motorsport, and, once again, can be tailored to the personal preference of the driver, offering both high-performance and comfort. The separate and independently adjustable rebound and compression damping allows individual suspension adjustments.

The unique patented system with its each two-stage valves allows a rebound damping (for comfort) and a compression damping adjustment (for driving dynamics) in low speed ranges, while the more responsible and saftety-crucial high speed ranges are fixed. Like the other two kits for the new Polo, ‘Variant 3’ features in-line stainless steel technology and is TÜV-approved.

Available from €799, the KW coilover suspension kits for the new Polo come with a certificate for trouble-free registration with the Technical Control Board (TÜV) (should you be an owner in Germany), as well as detailed instructions for assembly and adjustment. No prices or details have yet been confirmed for the UK market, but for more information about the extensive suspension kit programme offered by KW Automotive GmbH and application lists for other Polo models, click here.

While Volkswagen is still deciding on the specification and power of the new Polo GTI, renowned German tuner ABT Sportsline has stepped in and announced its own take on the hot Polo. They say they’ve created a car with ‘character’, and although based on the five-door bodyshell, the result is certainly striking.

A carbon-look rear spoiler and apron insert give the ABT Polo a racy look, while the twin exhausts signal its intentions. Anthracite-coloured 8J x 18-inch alloy wheels add to the visual appeal, and in a throwback to 1970s styling motifs, the bottom of the doors have ABT-branded decals.

To go with the show, there’s also more go. Careful tuning of the new car’s petrol and diesel units has produced more power, but left the emissions and fuel economy the same as the standard model’s. The top-flight 1.2-litre TSI engine produces 128bhp in the Allgaeu tuner’s hands (up from 103), while the 1.6 TDI sees increases in all its forms (73bhp to 88bhp, 88bhp to 108bhp, 103bhp to 128bhp). The tuner also claims increased dynamism, too, with lowered springs to give improved handling.

ABT has yet to give prices or availability for the UK market.