PoloDriver

It’s been another busy and exciting year for the Volkswagen Polo. Of course, the big news of 2014 has been the worldwide launch of a comprehensively revised version of the fifth-generation Polo. New engines, safety technology, interior refinements and a gently restyled exterior update it against refreshed competition.

On the asphalt and gravel stages of the World Rally Championship, the Polo has, like 2013, once again come out on top. Taking 12 event wins out of 13, the 300bhp four-wheel drive Polo R WRC has claimed the Manufacturers’ Championship title for Volkswagen Motorsport, and also carried Frenchmen Sébastien Ogier the Julien Ingrassia to their second consecutive Drivers’ Championship prize.

Other Polo-based motorsport series have also continued around the globe, with Wolfsburg’s small car competing as a rally, rallycross and also a track machine. Here, we round up the Polo’s biggest achievements in 2014. (Bold entries are illustrated by the picture above that particular month.)

January

– Refreshed fifth-generation Polo (known as ‘6C’) presented in Wolfsburg
– Polo ends 2013 as the eighth best-selling car in the UK
– 2014-specification Polo R WRC rally car unveiled

– Sébastien Ogier wins 2014 Rallye Monte Carlo with Polo R WRC

– Polo Vivo and is the best-selling car in South Africa for 2013; Polo 6R is runner-up

– Polo is the fifth best-selling car in the UK.

February

– Jari-Matti Latavala takes Polo R WRC to victory in Rally Sweden
– New Polo MY2015 production starts at Volkswagen Navarra factory
– New Polo BlueMotion, BlueGT and CrossPolo revealed ahead of Geneva motor show
– Volkswagen Motorsport signs rallycross partnership with Marklund Motorsport
– Polo is the sixth best-selling car in the UK.

March
– Mathew Hodges and Daniel Rowe take wins at 2014 Engen Volkswagen Cup opener
– Sébastien Ogier wins Rally Mexico, with Jari-Matti Latvala in second place
– Polo hatchback and saloon prices reduced in Brazil
– Volkswagen Sasolracing Polo S2000 triumph at 2014 Tour Natal Rally
– New Polo released for UK ordering – prices and full specifications announced
– Dewald Brummer and Tasmin Pepper take Engen Volkswagen Cup spoils at Killarney
– Polo is the seventh best-selling car in the UK.

April
– Volkswagen Russia sells 200,000th Polo Sedan; introduces ‘Style’ special edition
– Zulu and Peskin rally fourth for Volkswagen Sasolracing at Sasol Rally
– Volkswagen India exports 50,000th Vento; ‘Preferred’ special edition launched
– Marklund Motorsport unveils 2014 World Rallycross Championship Polo RX
– Ogier and Volkswagen claim third 2014 WRC win at Rally Portugal
– Volkswagen Navarra produce 1.5 millionth Polo A05 (6R) at Pamplona
– Alexey Ignatov victorious at Volkswagen Polo Cup Russia opener in Moscow
– New 91mpg, 82g/km Polo BlueMotion TDI available to order in Germany
– Polo is the eighth best-selling car in the UK.

May
– Indian-built Volkswagen Vento passes Asean NCAP crash tests
– Heikinnen and Marklund finish fourth and fifth at World RX of Portugal
– Three-car triumph for Volkswagen Motorsport at Rally Argentina
– Volkswagen Academy India apprentices build firefighting Polo
– Heikinnen and Foust finish fourth and fifth at World RX of Great Britain

– Scott Speed drives Polo RX to rallycross victory at GRC Barbados
– Volkswagen India pulls out from 2014 Indian Rallying Championship
– Polo is the eighth best-selling car in the UK.

June
– Matharoo leads Volkswagen Polo R-Cup India 2014 after opening races
– Ignatov scores Volkswagen Polo Cup Russia hat-trick at Taman Rally
– ‘Drive Confident.’ Volkswagen launches New Polo advertising campaign
– Speed scores second Global Rallycross Polo RX victory at X Games 2014
– Ogier and Volkswagen Motorsport victorious at Rally Italy
– Points for Heikinnen’s and Marklund’s Polo RXs at Rallycross of Norway
– Volkswagen 1-2 for Ogier and Mikkelsen at Rally Poland.

July
– New Polo launched in South Africa
– Mikhail Krivospickiy scores debut 2014 Volkswagen Polo Cup Russia win
– PoloDriver publishes New Polo first drives magazine
– Foust takes Polo RX to Finnish FIA World Rallycross Championship victory
– Official New Polo accessories range launched
– New Polo launched in India
– Volkswagen Sasolracing score victories at the Volkswagen Rally
– Polo tops the sales charts in South Africa
– 2014 World Rallycross Championship semi-finals for Heikinnen in Höljes
– Foust takes victory at New York Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship race
– Polo is 400,000th car produced at Volkswagen India’s Pune factory
– Heikinnen claims World Rallycross win in Belgium; record Polo field
– #PoloTag marketing campaign launched in South Africa
– Bogomolov and Zimin claim Volkswagen Polo Cup Russia win at Rostov Velikiy
– Russian Volkswagen Polo Sedan line-up revised; new 83bhp 1.6-litre engine
– Polo is the best-selling car in South Africa; Polo Vivo in second place.

August
– Eibach launches suspension kits for Polo R WRC road car
– Volkswagen India launches the Android tablet-equipped Vento Konekt
– Marklund takes majestic World Rallycross Championship podium place in Canada
– Latvala delivers spectacular drive to take 2014 Rally Finland win
– Sixth place for Foust at GRC Dayona
– New Polo launched in Australia
– Ogier and Latvala crash out of Rally Germany; Mikkelsen is third
– Lategan and White finish Cullinan Rally just outside podium
– Polo is the seventh best-selling car in the UK.

September
– Brummer brings home the 2014 Engen Volkswagen Cup spoils at Zwartkops
– New Polo launched in Japan
– Volkswagen South Africa refreshes Polo Vivo range
– Heikinnen and Marklund fail to make Supercar Final at World RX of France
– Top five Toyota Dealer Cape Rally finish for Weijs Jnr and Degandt
– Fifth place for Heikkinen at World RX of Germany
– Speed secures Polo R win at Red Bull Global Rallycross Los Angeles
– Volkswagen takes 1-2-3 win and World Championship title at Rally Australia
– Volkswagen India unwraps refreshed Vento; 1.5 TDI and DSG gearbox added
– Sixth for Speed at Red Bull Global Rallycross Championship in Seattle
– Polo Vivo is the best-selling car in South Africa
– Polo is the fifth best-selling car in the UK.

October
– Latvala and Anttila claim historic victory at Rally France
– Marklund Motorsport edges closer to World Rallycross title in Italy
– Official first details of New Polo GTI released
– Ignatov takes 2014 Volkswagen Polo Cup Russia title at Rally Tmutarakan
– Marklund Motorsport leads World RX teams’ points after World RX of Turkey
– Weijs Jnr puts Polo on the podium at 2014 Polokwane Rally
– Polo Vivo is the best-selling car in South Africa
– Ogier takes victory and 2014 WRC Drivers’ Championship title at Rally Spain
– Polo is the seventh best-selling car in the UK.

November

– Van der Linde named 2014 Engen Volkswagen Cup champion
– Gupta does the Volkswagen Polo R-Cup India 2014 double in Greater Noida
– New Polo TSI BlueMotion available to order in Europe
– Ogier scores final 2014 Volkswagen victory at Wales Rally GB
– New Polo launched in Mexico
– Wejis and Degandt claim Bela-Bela Rally win and second place in SANRC
– Polo is the fifth best-selling car in the UK.

December
– Marklund Motorsport scores second place in World Rallycross Championship
– PoloDriver.com highly commended in the UK’s 2014 Guild of Motoring Writer Awards
– Revised Polo scoops carsales.com.au 2014 Best City Car Award
– Our cars: 2013 Polo R-Line – report three
– 600bhp Polo RX stars at the 2014 Race of Champions in Barbados
– New Polo GTI UK pricing announced: to start at £18,850
– Karthik Tharani is crowned Volkswagen Polo R-Cup India 2014 champion
– Polo BlueMotion TSI and TDI UK order books open: priced from £14,730
– Volkswagen launches German market Polo Lounge special edition model.

It’s once again been a busy Polo year for Volkswagen and also for us here at PoloDriver. We would like to thank the loyal readers and followers who have helped make the year another enjoyable one, and hope that you’ll enjoy the developments and stories coming to the website in 2015.

[Click on the ‘Polo 2009-’, ‘WRC’ and ‘Motorsport’ tags in the category drop-down list in the right-hand sidebar of the website to see all entries pertaining to the revised fifth-generation Polo, Polo R WRC, and Polo motorsport activity respectively. Choose other category or month sections for relevant entries.]