29 December 2012 ~ 3 Comments

Limited-run performance Polos – 2004 Polo Club Sport

2004 Volkswagen Polo Club Sport

The €33.900 2013 Polo R WRC is just the latest in a line of limited-run Polos made by Volkswagen. An admittedly small line, the German manufacturer has, when it has seen fit, produced special runs of go-faster Polos, inspired by, or to celebrate, motorsport success. The Polo R WRC heralds the arrival of the Polo R WRC competition car which makes its debut in the World Rally Championship next year, and will see only 2500 left-hand drive examples leave the Volkswagen’s R GmbH skunkworks. It may well be the most powerful production Polo ever with 218bhp, but it’s not the first. An even more focused motorsport-inspired Polo left Volkswagen Individual’s production line eight years ago – say hello to the Club Sport.

The Polo Club Sport celebrated the ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup, a one-make series which visited the race tracks of Germany from 2004-2009. The race cars were proper, stripped-out tintops, powered by 1984cc, 148bhp FSI engines. It differed by having 30bhp more, courtesy of its 1.8-litre, turbocharged engine, ubiquitous in the Volkswagen Group range of cars at the time. A strict two-seater, Volkswagen encouraged potential owners to ‘Experience the fascination of motorsport’. It stated that ‘Stamina, concentration and enthusiasm’ were all part of the Polo Club Sport’s make-up, and going on looks alone, it appeared it could deliver.

Largely identical to the Polo Cup racers, the Club Sport featured external add-ons such as front and rear spoilers, side skirts, 17-inch ‘Aristo’ alloy wheels borrowed from the Golf R32 fitted with 205/45 R17 Dunlop tyres, and a sports-tuned exhaust. Colour choice was as limited as the car itself, with only Flash Red, Reflex Silver and Yellow being the available hues. Inside, the Club Sport was equally as focused. Two Recaro racing seats featured Schroth harnesses, while Alcantara was liberally applied to the headlining, pillar trim, luggage space and steering wheel (which later appeared without the suede-like material in the Polo Fun/Dune). A half-roll cage painted in the body colour completed the motorsport accoutrements, while a numbered plaque informed the driver of his/her place in the very limited production run.

How limited? That’s where the details of the Polo Club Sport get sketchy. Although brochures were dated May 2004, there seem to be no details on prices, production figures (exact or approximate), or whether the car only available to Polo Cup drivers, or the wider general public. We would hope it was the latter, but whatever was the true case, the Polo Club Sport remains arguably the most motorsport-focused road Polo there’s ever been, and has the potential to wipe the smile off the faces of those who think Volkswagen’s premium small hatch is best suited for those shopping runs to the local supermarket. You could drive to the shops in the Polo Club Sport of course, but you’d just have to go via the race track first…

2004 VOLKSWAGEN POLO CLUB SPORT

Engine: 1781cc four-cylinder petrol with turbocharger
Power: 178bhp/132kW (180PS)
Gearbox: Five-speed manual (MQ 250-5F)
Wheels/tyres: 17-inch ‘Aristo’ alloy wheels/Dunlop 205/45 R17 tyres
Exterior: motorsport front and rear spoilers, side skirts, sports-tuned exhaust
Interior: Alcantara-trimmed pillar trim, luggage space, roof lining and steering wheel, half roll cage, numbered dashboard plaque.

[Additional images: AutoBild.de]

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