Dutch car magazine website AutoWereld.com has recently tested the 1.4-litre 84bhp version of the new CrossPolo. The testers seem impressed, too, although as with previous incarnations of the faux-by-four front-wheel drive, higher-riding Polo, they also criticise the more expensive price. Around €2000 more expensive than the continental Polo Highline at €18.690, the CrossPolo is a firm favourite with us at PoloDriver. Distinguishing it from lesser Polos are gunmetal-coloured 17-inch ‘Budapest’ alloys, anodised silver roof rails and door mirrors, grey plastic body cladding with unique front and rear bumpers, a 15mm higher ride height and unique interior trim. The Auto Wereld test (translated English version here) features a Flash Red car with a Hot Orange interior, a colour combination we’ve not yet seen.

[Image: AutoWereld.com]

First it was on, now it’s off. On off, on off, on off. Reports of the Polo heading Stateside in more traditional saloon form have circulated ever since the fifth-generation model’s debut in March 2009, and now that the notchback version is being sold in India (as the Vento) and Russia, it would appear that the three-box car won’t be heading to the US as originally thought. Slightly at odds with the US arm of VW stating it wants a back-to-basics approach to models in its range, Euro Car Blog reports that as Volkswagen has just launched a new interpretation of the ever-popular Jetta across the pond, a smaller Polo notchback won’t be in such high demand after all.

Do you think that by not selling the Polo Sedan in the US, Volkswagen has missed an opportunity? Leave a comment below and tell us what you think.

Following the historical inaugural round of the Volkswagen Polo Cup India 2010 on 29–30 May on a street circuit in Pune, Vishnu Prasad and Karthik Shankar were the most successful drivers at the second race weekend of the new championship at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore on 17–18 July. In the first race, 17 year-old Prasad clinched a commanding start-finish victory after starting from pole position. Sahil Shelar took second place in the 20-lap race in front of Shankar.

Great start
Vishnu had a great start and led comfortably with Sahil Shelar and Karthik Shankar close behind him. Sailesh Bolisetti made a brilliant overtaking move to pass Mohammed Fahad Kutty for 4th position on lap 11. The safety car came out on lap 12 after Suraj Bhagat stopped on track at the second corner due to a collision. It was back to racing when the safety car veered back into the pits with five laps to go. Vishnu had no trouble picking up from where he left off and crossed the chequered flag to win his first race in the Volkswagen Polo Cup India 2010.

A delighted Prasad said: ‘I had a great first race today. And I would like to thank Volkswagen for organising the event and the technical expertise from the coaches. Although I had few bad starts, it was a close race right till the end, and I fought hard to keep my 1st position.’ ‘This is my first time on the podium and I hope to be back here after the second race this afternoon. I am looking forward to starting in the reverse grid, it should make for a very interesting race,’ a pleased second placed Shelar said. Third placed Shankar commented, ‘It feels good to be back on the podium, for he third time. My focus remains on the championship and I hope to be on the podium as often as I can.’

Nail-biting finish
In race two, 24 year-old Shankar secured first place in front of Prasad and Parth Ghorpade. Mohammed Fahad Kutty had finished the race in 1st position, but he received a 30-second penalty for overtaking during the formation lap that resulted in him moving to 13th place. In the end it was a nail-biting finish as Vishnu Prasad finished on Karthik Shankar’s tail after the duo battled for the last 5 laps. The second race started as a reverse grid based on the results of the first race. Despite this, Shankar who started from 6th position on the grid to went on to win the race and was followed closely by Prasad and Ghorpade.

Shankar pulled-off some brilliant overtaking manoeuvres to get past Imran Majid and Alisha Abdullah. Prasad practically tailgated Shankar in the last five laps of the race and proved to be a formidable challenger for the top position. The reverse grid also proved to be a boon for Ghorpade who started in fourth position and ended the race in 3rd position to round off the top 3 podium honours. Sailesh Bolisetti, who started 5th on grid and was quickly, working his way up the grid had a disappointing finish to his race as he spun out on the 6th lap after a close battle with Imran Majid.

Tough fight
A delighted Shankar commented, ‘I had a clean start, but struggled with some understeer in the beginning of the race which cost me some time. Vishnu gave me a tough fight right to the end of the race but I was optimistic about my chances after the first race. I guess Lady Luck worked in my favour.’ Second placed Prasad said, ‘It was a tough race right from the start. I always knew I had a good car but had to make sure that I was always pushing. I was able to gain two positions in C1, catching up with Shankar.’ Third placed Ghorpade commented, ‘Although I had a bad start and lost a few positions in the beginning, I managed to fend off the pack to find a place on the podium.’

After two rounds, Shankar leads the points table with 94, followed by Prasad with 87, while first round winner Sailesh Bolisetti rounds of the top three with 77 points. The third round of the Volkswagen Polo Cup India 2010 will be held in August, with the qualifying round on 28 August 28 and race day on 29 August at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore. The Volkswagen Polo Cup India 2010 is run by Volkswagen India Motorsport in conjunction with JK Tyres. All 20 young competitors drive identical and centrally-prepared 129bhp TDI Polo Cup racing cars.

[Source: Volkswagen Motorsport India]

Here’s a long-forgotten TV commercial for the then-new facelifted Series 2 Polo. Arriving as the first small car range in the UK to fitted with three-way catalytic converters as standard, this clever 50-second TV spot from 1990 features a pristine white GT Coupé parked on a busy street and getting dirtier and dirtier as the seasons and day-to-day life debris pass it by. Soundtracked by ‘Oh What A Beautiful Morning’ (we don’t know singer; the song was covered by so many artists), we remember seeing the ad on TV at the time. As the car gets covered in more and more soot, grime, and weather and traffic-related dirt, the owner drives it off and the pay-off line is revealed: ‘The new Volkswagen Polo. Cars don’t come any cleaner.’ Understated genius.

[Source: m4ttyf via the Club Polo forum.]

Suspension kings Bilstein have recently launched a new sports performance suspension kit for the fifth-generation 6R Polo. According to the German company, the B14 kit brings motorsport technology to the small Volkswagen, and transforms ‘every Polo into a sports car, with perfect roadholding and optimum handling and steering.’ It also claims that the new kits offers the ‘perfect blend of dynamics and comfort,’ as well as improved safety and handling. The mono-tube gas pressure shock absorbers with upside-down technology and a flexible height control system also ensure increased lane-holding and braking stability.

A lowering range of around 35-50 mm on the front axle and around 30-45 mm on the rear axle is available. Made in Germany, the surface of the B14 kit is finished in Triple-C-Technology®, with spring plate and lock nuts of special aluminium alloy and high quality sports performance springs, making, the company claims, the suspension extremely strong, hardwearing and durable. Each sports and coilover suspension made by Bilstein is tuned and tested exhaustively by its engineers on the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring or at the company’s own test center in Papenburg. Download the company’s latest catalogue to find out more.

[Image: Bilstein]

Long-running UK modified Volkswagen magazine Performance VW features a pair of pristine Series 1 Polos in its ‘Mk 1 Madness’ August 2010 issue, on newsstands now. Part of Belgian pair Kevin Winnepenninckx and Luc Jani’s collection of Mk 1 Volkswagens, both the Miami Blue and Marino Yellow ‘70s cars are flawless and show, that with very few mods, how right the original Polo/Audi 50 styling was at the time and just how pretty those early cars are. As well as the pair of Polos, there is a smattering of Mk 1 Golfs (including a 500+bhp French fancy), a rapid Caddy and advice for giving your Mk 1 a big power performance transplant.

[Images: Performance VW]

If you’re looking into buying a new Volkswagen you might have wondered what a TSI engine is, and what the difference is between a TSI and TDI. Simply put, TSI are Volkswagen’s petrol engines and the TDIs are diesel. However there’s a bit more to it than that; the TSI engines actually take features from the diesel TDIs and normal petrol direct injection engines and mix them together.

The 1.4-litre TSI unit is a ‘hybrid’ engine that combines petrol direct injection with what VW call ‘twincharging’ – a turbocharger and supercharger working together. The result is a compact yet powerful engine that scores highly for both performance and economy, runs smoothly and quietly, and produces less CO2.

The following features are at the heart of the TSI formula:

First, a smaller and lighter engine. Decreasing engine size means less power is lost through friction, and reducing weight means the engine has less to move.

Second, direct petrol injection and twincharging. Engines run by burning fuel (combustion). The more efficient the combustion, the higher the power output and the lower the fuel consumption. VW’s twincharging system means a turbocharger and supercharger working together. The supercharger is powered via belt drive from the crankshaft, giving optimum pulling power even at very low revs. At higher speeds the turbocharger (a system that uses the energy from exhaust gases to power the air intake that is essential for combustion) joins in, making the system more energy-efficient.

Volkswagen have used a number of design tricks to make the TSIs even more efficient. These include redesigning moving parts to use less materials (and therefore be lighter) and optimising the fuel injection. This second point needs a little more explanation.

Two of the key factors in engine design are pressurising and cooling air in the cylinder (because oxygen is needed for combustion and air is only 21% oxygen), and pressuring fuel so that it can be injected into the cylinder as a fine spray and mix as quickly and evenly as possible with the compressed air prior to combustion. The TSI’s turbocharger has its own separate air cooler, which means that the volume of air held in the system to charge the cyclinder with has been halved. The pressure required for combustion can build up far more quickly, meaning further efficiency savings all round.

The TSI engine has been well-received by motor critics worldwide, and the 1.4-litre twincharger unit has won the International Engine of the Year award in the 1.0-1.4 litre category every year since 2005. It also won Best Green Engine in 2009. A 1.2-litre TSI engine is also available, fitted with a turbocharger only.

Victoria Stubbs, Vindis
Vindis are retailers for all Volkswagen models including the ever-popular secondhand VW Golf

Following its Moscow debut, the new Polo-based Vento saloon has recently been unveiled in India. With an extended wheelbase and traditional three-box notchback profile, the latest booted Polo takes on a separate identity to the three and five door hatchback models, and is powered by 104bhp 1.6-litre petrol and diesel engines. As with the Derby of 1977, the Vento is one of Volkswagen’s more pretty and gracefully-styled saloon cars, with a tail which reminds us of the original Vento’s successor, the 1998 Series 4 Golf-based Bora. To be sold alongside the locally Pune-built Polo hatchbacks, the Vento completes the Polo line-up in India, fast becoming one of the fifth generation car’s major markets. Volkswagen Germany and Volkswagen India press releases and images follow.

[Volkswagen Germany press release]

Volkswagen presents the new Vento in India
Wolfsburg / New Delhi, 06 July 2010

Volkswagen has presented today in India, the new Vento. ‘We have the new sedan designed in many ways tailored to the needs of the Indian market alone, its extended wheelbase lifts it into a new category of vehicle. Again, this Volkswagen stands for German engineering and has leading features in its segment,’ says Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member for Development of the Volkswagen Brand, on the occasion of the presentation in New Delhi.

Christian Klingler, Corporate Board Member for Sales and Marketing, commented: ‘For the Volkswagen Group India is an important strategic growth market. With our brands Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda, we will increase sales and market share in this booming auto market further.’ In the first six months of 2010, the Group delivered 16,900 vehicles in India, an increase of over 100%, and a larger growth than the overall market (+29%). This underlines the success of Volkswagen in India and serves as a solid foundation for our long-term goal to reach 8 to 10% market share for the company.’

Neeraj Garg, a Member of the Board and Directors, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Volkswagen Group Sales India Pvt. Ltd said on the sidelines of the celebrations: ‘The Vento is in India, and is a completely new range of Volkswagen. It will be an important pillar for the brand, and on with which we will drive the growth of the entire brand in the country.’

The technical basis is provided by the current Polo, ‘Car of the Year’ and ‘World Car of the Year’ 2010. The notchback version, however, has a wheelbase lengthened by 82mm. The new Volkswagen Vento is offered in India powered by a petrol or diesel engine. Both versions are equipped with 1.6-litre units and provide 77kW/105PS.

The Vento Highline includes safety equipment including ABS and front airbags for driver and front passenger. An anti-theft system with interior monitoring and additional acoustic signal is also offered. The Vento Highline also comes equipped with a four-speaker CD/MP3 sound system power mirrors, Climatronic air conditioning with air jets in the rear passenger compartment) and remote central locking. A multi-information display with warning function for open doors, height-adjustable driver’s seat and the height and longitudinally-adjustable steering column increases the driving comfort.

The vehicle is produced at the Volkswagen plant in Chakan with a capacity of 110,000 vehicles per year. Distribution is nationwide, through 47 Volkswagen retailers.

[Volkswagen India press release]

Volkswagen presents the new Vento in India
New Delhi, July 6, 2010

Volkswagen, Europe’s largest car maker unveiled its new sedan the New Volkswagen Vento in New Delhi today.

‘For the Volkswagen Group, India is an important strategic growth market, as we continue to grow our volumes and market share in this automotive boom market with our brands Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda,’ said Christian Klingler, Group Board Member for Sales and Marketing commented during the car presentation.

‘In the first six months of 2010, the Group delivered 16,900 vehicles in India, showing an increase of more than 100% and therefore a higher growth than the overall market (+29%). This clearly reflects the success story of Volkswagen in India and builds a strong base for our long term goal to achieve 8-10% market share for the Group’, Klingler continued.

Speaking about the showcasing of the Vento, Mr Neeraj Garg, Member of Board and Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Volkswagen Group Sales India Pvt. Ltd said: ‘The Volkswagen Vento is a completely new product offering from Volkswagen in India. It will be another important brand pillar for us to stimulate the brand’s growth in the country. The Vento stands for German engineering and best in class features. This particular model has been specifically designed with the expectations and wants of our customers in mind, making the Vento set benchmarks in its class.’

The new Volkswagen Vento will be available with a petrol and diesel variant. The petrol variant is equipped with a 1.6-litre engine with an output of 105PS @ 5250rpm and torque of 153Nm @ 3800rpm. The diesel variant is also equipped with the 1.6-litre engine with an output of 105PS @ 4400rpm and a torque of 250Nm @ 1500-2500rpm.

It will be available in two trim levels: Trendline andHighline. The petrol variant is paired with a five-speed manual and a six-speed automatic gearbox and the diesel variant is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. The interior is equipped with storage compartment in front doors for 1-litre bottles, sunglass storage inside the glove box, foldable roof handles with coat hooks, front and rear centre armrest, cupholders and ‘Livon’ fabric upholstery. All these are proof of the sure instinct of high design quality which interprets the classic elements of the Vento in a contemporary way.

With the exterior, the Vento offers body-colored bumpers, chrome inlays in the front grille, body-coloured exterior door handles and mirrors (Highline), rough- road package with increased ground clearance and partially zinc-coated body with 6 years anti-rust warranty. With regards to safety, the Vento Highline is equipped with ABS, front airbags for driver and co-driver, anti-theft system with interior surveillance and back-up alarm.

On comfort, the Vento Highline offers CD/MP3 player with four speakers, electrically-adjustable mirrors, Climatronic automatic air-conditioning with rear AC vents, remote central locking, multi-function info display including door opening warning, height-adjustable driving seats and a steering wheel adjustable for reach and rake.

The Vento will establish a leadership position in its class with category defining attributes of space, style, comfort and safety. It will be manufactured at Volkswagen’s Chakan plant with an annual capacity of 110,000 cars and will be available through Volkswagen’s 47 dealerships across the country.

The current issue of Auto Express pits the latest version of the Polo BlueMotion against its arch nemesis, the Ford Fiesta, in frugal ECOnetic guise. The £15,045 Polo costs £400 less than the Fiesta, but has 20bhp less, powered by a 1.2-litre TDI engine. The 94bhp Ford makes it power courtesy of a 1.6-litre TDI unit, but is 7g/km dirtier than the Volkswagen, quite literally soiling its scorecard in eco circles. We’ve tested the Polo BlueMotion recently and found it to be fun in a basic, economy kind of way. Which car wins the Auto Express eco pairing? Buy a copy of issue 1,123 (14–20 July 2010) to find out.

[Image: Auto Express/Pete Gibson]

In recent weeks we’ve showcased the four TV commercials in the Polo’s ‘Made in India’ campaign, created by DDB Mudra. The agency has also come up with a range of innovative print, outdoor and digital media. Similarly to the TV commercials, all the other elements of the campaign highlight the fact the the Indian-built Polo is tailor-made for Indian drivers, but has the might of German engineering behind it. This print ad from the campaign focuses on the economy and technical aspects of the car and features ‘The Polo Mileage Test,’ as well as tying in neatly with the TV commercials – head over to PoloDriverTV to watch the set of four spots. The new Polo costs from RS 4.5 lakh, and will face heated competition from the Maruti Swift, Ford Figo, Honda Jazz, Fiat Punto and Hyundai i20.