PoloDriver

The arrival of the new Polo GTI has certainly attracted a fair share of press attention here in the UK. At least three motoring magazines have features on it in their current issues; here’s a quick round-up of its latest appearances. Top Gear magazine tests it alongside its contemporaries and larger competitors in an 11-car, 30-page hot hatch mega test – the July 2010 issue might not be around for much longer, so grab a copy now – while Volkswagen Driver’s July 2010 GTI special features a brief drive of the new hot shot Polo. What Car? meanwhile tests the new Polo GTI against the Mini Cooper S, Renaultsport Clio 200, and the SEAT Ibiza Cupra in its August 2010 edition. The same copy of the magazine also features a brief drive of the latest Polo BlueMotion, while the 89bhp SEL TDI is tested in its annual towcar awards.

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The hottest factory Polo to date was the 178bhp GTI Cup Edition produced in 2006 to tie-in with the German ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup racing series, so imagine our surprise when we saw this 485bhp monster in the May 2010 issue of Redline magazine. Yes, that’s right, a Polo GTI with 485bhp. Faster than a Mitsubishi Evo X FQ-330, Liam Burke’s tuned Polo sleeper boasts a GTI Cup Edition body kit, has 416bhp-per-tonne (203bhp-per-tonne more than the Evo) and 384lb/ft of torque. Quite an improvement on the standard GTI’s 148bhp and 384lb/ft. Available as a back issue, buy a copy of the May issue of the performance tuning title here and read more about this mental Polo.

[Images: Redline magazine]

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Extended family: new Polo range could expand to include MPV, cabrio and estate. Three-door GTI to confirmed for 2010 with a firecracking 200bhp

The 63rd IAA Frankfurt (the 2009 Frankfurt motor show to you and us) opened its doors today, and fresh from the halls, UK motoring weekly Autocar reports that once-dead variants of the new Polo could be resurrected. In an exclusive interview with Dr Ulrich Hackenburg, VW’s product chief, a new MPV, cabrio and estate could all be still to come.

It’s been reported elsewhere that a new four-door saloon of the new car would be built in China, India and Russia for local consumption, but it may also now be offered to European markets (including the UK), too. One or other of the MPV and estate will come as well, both based on the notchback.

One model that definitely is coming, and one that we reported on just last week, is the new high-performance Polo GTI. Autocar also reports that tests on a 200bhp version have been taking place at the Nürburgring, ahead of a late 2010 launch. Standard kit could include a DSG gearbox with paddle-shifts and an electronic limited-slip differential, similar to the Golf GTI’s XDS system.

In a final twist, a 280bhp ‘Cup’ model could also be offered for limited sale. A 180bhp GTI Cup Edition version of the outgoing car was offered in European markets to tie in with the ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup racing series, which has been visiting continental racing circuits since 2004.

Racing line: Polo GTI Cup Edition of 2006 had a 180bhp 1.8T engine, unique bodykit and interior, and was sold on mainland Europe in limited numbers

In a piece of equally encouraging news, Hackenburg declares that Volkswagen is determined to make the Polo ‘one of the most important Volkswagen models of all, rivalling the Golf in worldwide sales.’ About time, too. It’s only taken 34 years…

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2021 was a busy year for the Volkswagen Polo. Celebrating the model’s 46th anniversary, the refreshed sixth-generation car was unveiled and arrived in the UK towards the end of the year. The second-generation Polo commemorated the 40th year since its debut in the autumn of 1981.

The Polo Harlekin (Harlequin) marked its 25th birthday in 2021, and more teams took the Polo GTI R5 rally car on global stages. New models were launched in Germany, India and the UK, and the Polo’s popularity remained strong, its sales in selected markets remaining high.

Below, we round up the Polo’s biggest achievements in 2021. (Bold entries are illustrated by the picture above that particular month’s list of events.)

January

• Niclas Grönholm and Polo GTI R5 finish sixth at the 2021 Arctic Lapland Rally
• Polo Vivo crowned 2020’s most popular car in South Africa, selling 19,750 units from Volkswagen’s total sales of 53,319 units, giving the company an all-time local market share of 21.6 per cent
• Volkswagen Netherlands creates a new version of the Polo Harlequin to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original model
• Nikolay Gryzin takes his Polo GTI R5 to fifth place in the RC2 class at the 2021 Rallye Monte-Carlo
• Polo GTI R5 of Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel wins 2021 Qatar International Rally, their 15th victory at the event
• Polo Active special edition launches in Germany.

February

• Victory for the Larsen Motorsport Polo GTI R5 of Frank Tore Larsen and Morten Abrahamsen at the 2021 Lygnasprinten (image: Larsen Motorsport)
• The Polo GTI R5 of Egon Kaur and Silver Simm takes first place in the Rally2 class at the 2021 Otepää Rally. Georg Linnamäe and Volodymyr Korsia’s Polo GTI R5 finish second.

March

• 108bhp Polo Matt Edition 1.0 TSI launches in India: special features include matt grey paint, gloss black door mirror caps and rear spoiler, cruise control, multifunction steering wheel and a colour touchscreen infotainment system
• Polo GTI R5s take first and second places at the East Safari Rally with 10 out of 10 stage wins. Reigning champions Simos Galatariotis and Antonis loannou finish first ahead of Alexandros Tsouloftas and Stelios Elia
• Luca Pedersoli and Anna Tomas win Rally del Bardolino in their Polo GTI R5 – their maiden outing in the car
• First victory for Marco Signor and Francesco Pezzoli in their Polo GTI R5 at the Rally Ronde del Canavese
• Another debut win, this time for the Polo GTI R5 of Francisco Dorado and Roi Torrente at the 2021 Rallysprint de Valdelaguna
• Nikolay Gryazin and Konstantin Aleksandrov are victorious with their Polo GTI R5 at Valasská Rally ValMez
• Jurie Swart wins both races at the opening round of the 2021 Volkswagen Polo Cup in Cape Town, South Africa – the 2021 season celebrates the 25th anniversary of the one-make series. In the first round of the 2021 GTC SupaCup series, Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa Polo SupaCup driver Jonathan Mogotsi finishes second.

April

• Polo Active joins UK model range
• Refreshed MY22 Polo revealed in digital online premiere featuring more digital technology and updated looks
• Sixth-generation Polo evaluated for possible Indian launch on MQB A0 IN platform
• Carl Flash Tundo and Tim Jessop win the FIA African Rally Championship Equator Rally Kenya in their Polo GTI R5
• Kristian Poulsen and Ole R Fredriksen win Rally Himmerland, round one of the Danish Rally Championship – the second victory for Polo GTI R5 chassis #44 in Denmark
• First place for Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel’s Polo GTI R5 at Rallye Tierras Altas de Lorca
• Tomasz Kasperczyk and Damian Syty win the 2021 Tech-Mol Rally in their Polo GTI R5. Zbigniew Gabrys and Krzysztof Janik’s Polo GTI R5 also finishes on the podium at the first rally of the year in Poland.

May

• MY22 Polo GTI revealed in official Volkswagen design sketch
• Nasser Al-Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel win the Jordan Rally in a Polo GTI R5 – their ninth overall victory in the Volkswagen rally car
• 1-2 for the Polo GTI R5 at the Larnaca Rally – Alexandros Tsouloftas and Stelios Elia win the event, followed by Simos Galatariotis and Antonis loannou
• Jurie Stewart and Arnold Neveling victorious in the Volkswagen Polo Cup races held at Aldo Scribante, near Gqeberha. Jonathan Mogotsi drives his Polo SupaCup to a maiden win during the GTC SupaCup race
• Volkswagen Polo named the third most popular car in the UK during May 2021.

June

• The Polo GTI R5s of Osian Pryce and Noel O’Sullivan and reigning champions Matt Edwards and Darren Garrod debut at first round of the 2021 British Rally Championship at Oulton Park
• 1-2 for the Polo GTI R5 at the Super Prime Alpasa rally in Paraguay. Miguel Zaldivar Jr and Victor Aguilera finish first, followed by Diego Dominguez Sr and Edgardo Galindo
• 2022 Volkswagen Polo order books open in Germany
• Refreshed MY22 Polo GTI revealed with updated looks, DSG and 204bhp
• Frank Tore Larsen and Morten Abrahamsen steer their Polo GTI R5 to victory at the 2021 Aurskog-Holand Rally
• Volkswagen Polo named the sixth most popular car in the UK during June 2021
• With 11,560 cars finding homes in the first six months of the year, the Polo Vivo remains the most popular new car in South Africa. In second place, the sixth-generation Polo sells 9,045 examples.

July

• RacingLine releases Polo GTI ‘AW’ sport springs and turbo muffler delete products
• Volkswagen Polo crowned the UK’s most popular car, based on official registration figures, finishing ahead of the Toyota Yaris and Kia Sportage.

August

• The second-generation Polo celebrates four decades since it was launched to the press in Sardinia
• Jurie Stewart, Arnold Neveling, and Leyton Fourie win one Volkswagen Polo Cup race each at the East London Grand Prix circuit.

September

• The new MY22 Polo goes on sale in the UK, priced from £17,885 to £23,355
• Polo Trendline MPI, Comfortline TSI, Highline Plus TSI manual, and Highline Plus TSI and GT TSI automatic models demand a five-month waiting list in India, along with the Polo saloon-based Vento Highline TSI manual
• Sixteen-year-old Leyton Fourie claims both South African Volkswagen Polo Cup wins at the Red Star Raceway.

October

• Jurie Stewart wins Volkswagen Polo Cup South Africa races at Zwartops Raceway.

November

• MY22 Polo GTI joins the UK model range with a starting price of £26,430
• Polo Vivo Black Style launches in South Africa. Special equipment includes black 16-inch ‘Portago’ alloy wheels, gloss black mirror caps, roof and B and C pillar covers, black sill covers, a body-coloured boot spoiler, privacy glass, a chrome exhaust tip as well as anthracite headlining and sun visors
• Autocar publishes its first UK drive of the new MY22 Polo.

December

• What Car? long lists Polo as a Car of the Year Awards 2022 small car entrant
• Auto Express, Carbuyer and What Car? publish the first UK drives of the new MY22 Polo
• MY22 Polo announced for sale in South Africa from January 2022
• 2022 Volkswagen Polo Cup unveils CompCare Medical Scheme as sponsor; Jurie Stewart wins Killarney races at final round of 2021 series, but Leyton Fourie crowned 2021 Volkswagen Polo Cup champion
• South African Volkswagen Polo GTC SupaCup tested during Killarney 9-Hour race ready for 2022 season
• A panel of broadcasters, car designers, engineers, motorsport legends and auto industry journalists and media professionals announces MY22 Polo as one of the Best Cars of the Year 2021/2022 award winners in tenth place.

As another year passes, we would like to thank our readers and followers old and new, and we’ve got lots more stories and features coming to the website in 2022.

[Click on the ‘Polo 2017-’, ‘Polo Vivo’, ‘Polo GTI R5’ and ‘Motorsport’ tags in the category drop-down list in the right-hand sidebar to see all entries relating to the sixth-generation Polo, Polo GTI R5, and Polo motorsport activity respectively. Choose other category or month sections for relevant entries.]

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Volkswagen Motorsport India is celebrating 10 years of its one-make racing success in 2020 with the return of its competition Polo. The Polo burst onto India’s motorsport scene with the Volkswagen Polo Cup back in 2010 and at the Auto Expo 2020 event in New Delhi, Volkswagen India took the wraps off the newest version of its race Polo. The new racer will power onto circuits later this year, and replace the Ameo Cup.

Showcasing TSI technology, Volkswagen Motorsport India’s 2020 Race Polo is powered by a version of the fifth-generation Polo GTI’s 1.8-litre petrol engine delivering 210bhp and 236lb ft (320Nm) of torque, with a push-to-pass option which unleashes an extra 20bhp. Mated to a six-speed sequential gearbox and limited slip differential, the new Race Polo – which is based on the fifth-generation car, still the most current model in India – also features an electronic shift actuator for speedy gear changes and adheres to international standards of motorsport safety.

We unveil the Motorsport marvel. Meet the New Race Polo.@SirishVissa @VWmotorsportind #VWxAutoExpo #VolkswagenMotorsport #RacePolo #VolkswagenIndia #AutoExpo2020 pic.twitter.com/ktKcbyYlaB

— Volkswagen India (@volkswagenindia) February 6, 2020

Sirish Vissa, head of Volkswagen Motorsport said: ‘The Polo continues to be the most loved hatchback among Indian customers. We are thrilled to bring the race version of the Polo back to the Indian racing circuit, enabling our Indian drivers to experience this powerful hatch. As a brand, we relentlessly make efforts towards providing the best of technologies to our Indian drivers.’

‘Fun-to-drive experience’
Unveiled alongside the all-electric ID Crozz, Steffen Knapp, director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars said: ‘We, at Volkswagen, take immense pride in showcasing our best technology to the Indian customers through the ID Crozz and Race Polo. The two are symbols of Volkswagen’s ground breaking and innovative technologies that continue to offer Volkswagen’s core DNA of safety, build quality and fun-to-drive experience.’

The 2020 Volkswagen India one-make Polo series has already had its driver selection process, with over 1,300 applications for the 11th edition of the championship. A series of tests including assessments for aptitude, driving skills (you can hire the best driver from Safe driver Dubai here), and fitness took place in January. ‘It is a proud moment for us to mention that with a decade’s presence in India, Volkswagen continues to be the only OEM directly involved in motorsport. With the eleventh edition of this championship, Volkswagen would like to reiterate its continued commitment in promoting motorsport in India,’ Vissa noted.

Ten years of success
The Volkswagen Polo Cup India was launched in 2010, and featured 1.6-litre, diesel-powered Polo racers. In 2012 the championship switched to TSI petrol power and changed its name to the Volkswagen Polo R Cup India. DSG gearboxes were also introduced. The Polo’s saloon sister, the Vento was tested for the first in the Indian Touring Cars (ITC) Championship, and the one-make baton was passed to the Vento in 2015. The Volkswagen Vento Cup India bowed out to the Ameo Cup in 2017, which used racing versions of India’s Polo-based sub-compact saloon, the Ameo.

[Images: Volkswagen India]

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