Volkswagen Polo (2009)

[netburner]

To the point: The new Polo

The new Polo is one of the safest cars worldwide;
Polo’s TDI and TSI engines noticeably reduce fuel costs

Wolfsburg / Geneva, 02 March 2009 - No other car in this class has such a mature and high-end image as the new Polo. Comfort, quality and safety have all taken a considerable leap forward. One example: the Polo was specifically designed to attain the recently established, stricter and more comprehensive, 5-star EuroNCAP rating. The higher structural rigidity of the Polo’s bodyshell contributes to these results. In the footwell area alone, intrusion – related to the car body’s deformation strength in a frontal crash – was lowered by 50 percent! In the case of a side impact, the intrusion value was reduced by 20 percent.

Standard equipment for safety
In addition, the European version of the Polo now being presented is equipped with standard ESP electronic stabilization program with Hill Hold Control, and it has a highly effective network of airbags on board, including combined head-thorax airbags (integrated in the front seatbacks), belt tensioners and belt force limiters plus seatbelt warning indicator and head restraints that counteract the risk of whiplash injury (both front seats), three rear head restraints and Isofix child seat preparation.

Weight down, fuel consumption down
Despite significant improvements in all aspects of the car, it was possible to reduce the Polo’s body weight by 7.5 percent. The introduction of new TDI and TSI engines, as well as the 7-speed dual clutch transmission (DSG), has resulted in considerably reduced fuel consumption and emissions over a wide range of engine power outputs. An excellent example here is the new 1.2 TSI. This turbo-charged four-cylinder direct injection gasoline engine produces 77 kW / 105 PS, yet it consumes just 5.5 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (129 g/km CO2); this is 19 percent less than on the equivalent model of the previous generation!

In total, seven different engines will be offered on the new Polo in its first year – four gasoline and three diesel – spanning a power range from 44 kW / 60 PS to 77 kW / 105 PS. Five of these engines are entirely new or are being used for the first time in the Polo.

The new engines include all three TDIs (turbo-diesel direct-injection); thanks to the implementation for the first time of common rail technology in the Polo, these engines are both efficient and refined. The potential in the new TDI engines is clearly evident in the example of the Polo 1.6 TDI with 66 kW / 90 PS: when combined with a "BlueMotion package", its average fuel consumption of 3.8 liters per 100 kilometers and 96 g/km CO2 makes it the most fuel efficient and lowest emitting five-seater diesel in the world. The "BlueMotion package" may be combined with any of the three equipment lines developed for the Polo. Available for selection here are the base version "Trendline", the mid-level "Comfortline" and the top of the line "Highline".

Individually combinable high-tech features
Options that Polo drivers will be able to order on their new Volkswagen include static turning lights integrated in the front fog lights, (from "Comfortline" up), side curtain airbags (head airbag system for front and rear passengers), radio and radio-navigation systems and integrated hands-free telephone systems. A panorama sunroof and bi-xenon headlights will follow at a later time.

Market launch starts the end of June
Start of production of the five-door Polo is scheduled for the end of March. This will be followed, starting in the last week in June, by the market launch of the visually and technically advanced new edition of the million unit bestseller in Germany. Just two weeks later, thanks to an ambitious logistics plan, Volkswagen will begin selling the car across mainland Europe, and soon Polo engines will be revving up across all continents.


Note:
All data and equipment contained in this press release apply to models offered in Germany. They may differ in other countries. All information is subject to change or correction.
TDI, TSI, DSG and Twincharger are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG or other companies of the Volkswagen Group in Germany and other countries.

[netburner]

Polo #2

[netburner]

Polo #3

[netburner]

Polo #4

[netburner]

Polo #5

[Ferrer]

I want the new turbocharged 1.2 litre engine in the Ibiza.

Altough I doubt that in the real world you'll get any where close to those 5,5l/100km...

[ruim20]

Very nice, brilliante even, a modern 'old' Golf, i really like it the outside, the inside, that 1.2T.

IMO, this looks so much better than the new Ibiza, the problem is going to be the price, but if they are close then i'd take this one, the best Polo so far, and i never liked the Polo.

[Clivey]

Wow - someone has actually produced a car that is lighter than the previous-gen! *faints*

On a side note: Although it looks nice, why does it have to look so similar to the Golf? The Polo should have it's own identity and I'm betting that when it's released, most numpties won't be able to tell the difference!

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by Clivey

Wow - someone has actually produced a car that is lighter than the previous-gen! *faints*

You should faint some more because they are late to the party. Previous cars that have had that sort of lightening treatment include the Mazda 2 and 6, the Renault Megane and Laguna, the Ford Fiesta and the Seat Ibiza.

[Street_Dreamer]

Looks ok. It's much, much better than the previous generation, which looked terrible in my opinion, and I think the mini-Golf look works much better than anything on the old Polo. Interior looks boring, but it's not designed to be interesting i guess, it looks well bolted together and while it's boring it still looks good. Could do with wheels one inch bigger though

[LeonOfTheDead]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

You should faint some more because they are late to the party. Previous cars that have had that sort of lightening treatment include the Mazda 2 and 6, the Renault Megane and Laguna, the Ford Fiesta and the Seat Ibiza.

I wouldn't consider the Mazda 2, since it was a completely different kind of car, so even comparing the dimensions isn't fair.
agree on the others though.

[Clivey]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

You should faint some more because they are late to the party. Previous cars that have had that sort of lightening treatment include the Mazda 2 and 6, the Renault Megane and Laguna, the Ford Fiesta and the Seat Ibiza.

I was taking the p*ss.

One thing that I have noticed though is that despite them being lighter, cars like the new Fiesta are still hopelessly slow due to "fuel saving" long gear ratios. Ironically, that's more likely to make me thrash a car.

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by Clivey

One thing that I have noticed though is that despite them being lighter, cars like the new Fiesta are still hopelessly slow due to "fuel saving" long gear ratios. Ironically, that's more likely to make me thrash a car.

Yep, well I guess that ecomentalists realised they were giving us better cars, so they had ruin them in some way...

[clutch-monkey]

i quite like the look of it, looks sharp without being showy. perhaps closer to the feel of the original golf gti than the current one... will they give us the 1.4TSI engine in it for the polo gti version or will it be the ooold 1.8T again?

[Clivey]

Originally Posted by Ferrer

Yep, well I guess that ecomentalists realised they were giving us better cars, so they had ruin them in some way...

Lol! I was on PistonHeads earlier - Discussing the fact that the Corsa VXR is about 300kgs heavier than the old Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9 when someone made the comment that you "Couldn't make a modern hot hatch as light as the old GTi"...

...I'm thinking: "Why don't Fiat put the new Panda 100HP on a diet and give it about 40 more BHP?" That would suffice. It weighs around 990Kgs as it is now. Surely they could bin the Air Con etc. and make something in the spirit of the old Honda Integra Type-R?

Either that or someone could fit a Mitsubishi i with a Hayabusa engine...

Just a thought!