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Volkswagen Polo R WRC Street Could Come with AWD  The latest addition to the Volkswagen Polo lineup is the powerful Polo R WRC Street version powered by a 2.0-liter TSI engine with an output of 220 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. This version sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds and can hit a top speed of 151 mph. The only problem is that it comes only in front-wheel drive. Well, now it looks like VW may be having second thoughts about this hot hatch carrying only FWD. According to head of R&D Ulrich Hackenberg, Volkswagen may offer a four-wheel drive version of the Polo R WRC Street, but only for several countries in the world. He confirmed that such a model is still not under development, but he "could imagine it." If built, the Polo R WRC Street AWD would likely be developed on the company’s PQ25 platform that has already been used for the all-wheel drive Audi A1 quattro. Unfortunately, there we won’t see it here in the U.S., but it’s still cool regardless. 2013 Volkswagen Polo R WRC Street
Volkswagen went to Wörthersee earlier this year with a concept car designed and built for the street. This new Polo WRC Street Concept was based on the Polo R WRC announced last year and was designed as a preview version of an extremely sporty small series due to be launched in late 2013. At the Polo R WC’s unveiling in Monaco, we finally got a look at the production mode. Of the Polo WRC Street, but it, like its racing counterpart, dons the “R” badge. The new Polo WRC Street will feature a highly unique and distinctive design language distinguished by a rear spoiler, a diffuser, a sports suspension, and an inscription with R-WRC logos. Volkswagen will adopt the same white exterior paint combined with blue and gray elements as seen on the rally car. Along with its unveiling, VW also revealed all of the pertinent specifications related to the model. We still have yet to hear everything, but enough to wet our whistles. As time passes, VW will slowly get us all of the details. To read all about the 2013 VW Polo R WRC Street, click past the jump. Full story 2013 Volkswagen Polo R WRC Rally Car
When Volkswagen said that it was entering the World Rally Championship in time for the 2013 season, it stamped the announcement by revealing the Polo R WRC Concept, the prototype model of what would eventually become VW’s production series race car. Over the weekend at Monaco, Volkswagen finally pulled the covers off of the latter, giving further indication that it’s ready to take the WRC by storm next year. Judging by the overall look of the car, the high-performance sports hatch appears to have retained most of the design and performance characteristics of the concept. The rally-inspired lower front spoiler with large air inlets are still there, as is the spoiler on the rear edge of the roof and the rear diffuser. Some new additions on the body are purely aesthetic, including the “WRC” badging on the rear and the “R” logos on the front and rear. The race version of the Polo R WRC also receives a set of 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 215/35R18 tires. Helping bring it to a halt are 16-inch disc brakes. Inside, the rally car comes equipped with a race-spec interior, highlighted by a black roof liner, race-style pedals, an Alcantara steering wheel, and the typical insanely long rally transmission stick. Overall, the car only weighs 1,200 kg (2,645 pounds), which Volkswagen accomplished by using carbon and Kevlar on the doors, tailgate and wheel arch extensions. The svelte weight even accounts for the wider frame of 1,820 mm (71.65 inches), which is around 138 mm (5.43 inches) wider than the production model. In terms of performance, the Polo R WRC Edition is powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged TSI four-cylinder engine that has been limited to only produce 315 horsepower. This engine mates to a six-speed sequential transmission with a 0-to-100 km/h (62 mph) time of just 3.9 seconds. The Polo R WRC Rally Car will make its long-awaited debut at the Monte Carlo rally this coming January with Sebastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala taking the helm. The event should be a good barometer for the company and the team to gauge how ready the car is when it makes its WRC debut later that year.
2013 Volkswagen Polo BlueGT
Volkswagen has been really busy with its compact European hatchback, the Polo, as of late. First Vee-Dub released the Polo R-Line, then it teased us with the Polo WRC Street, and the latest was the high-performance Polo R. As per usual, none of those models are making it to the U.S. – sigh – but our U.K. friends get to tell us all about them. VW is at it again by giving our Euro readers yet another version of the Polo to whip around. This time, however, this one is a hybrid of sorts. No, not an electric-gas hybrid, but rather a nice mixture of performance and fuel economy – kinda like eating fat- and sugar-free ice cream, but it still actually tastes like ice cream. So how tasty is this Ben and Jerry’s sans the fat and sugar? Does it still have the tasty peanut butter-filled pretzels and chucks of chocolate in it, or is more like what you really get when you buy “healthy” ice cream: tasteless frozen skim milk with chunks of strange, chewy mess obviously sweetened with saccharine? Click past the jump to read our review and find out. Full story
2014 Volkswagen Polo R Volkswagen’s compact hatchback positioned right between the Up! and the Golf – the Polo – is all set to put on its big-boy pants. That’s right; VW is giving the Polo the “R” treatment. No, we’re not talking about the “R-Line” treatment, which is little more than some aesthetic changes. We mean the balls-to-the-wall high-performance “R” treatment, much like what the Golf is getting. The details on this model are not yet complete, but we do know that it will borrow the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine from the outgoing GTI mk6. VW will then punch up its horsepower to the 225-pony range and ship it to the front wheels – no AWD option. According to reports, the Polo R will bolt to 60 mph in just over 6 seconds and give it a 150 mph top speed, making it extremely quick for its class. Sure, the Focus ST will smoke it, but it’s a step under the Focus’ class. Much like the Polo R-Line, the Polo R will feature some extra ground effect and larger rims to give it a sportier look, but the complete details on the exterior are not yet known. We also expect the suspension to be lowered and the brake system to be upgraded, giving it better handling and braking to better work with the 45 extra ponies. According to reports, the Polo R is all set to debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2013. Rumors are also afloat that the Polo R will hit European showrooms in mid 2013, but there is no confirmation yet. Of course, the Polo will not be offered in the U.S. We expect to see the Polo R to go head-to-head against the Renault Clio RS and the Peugeot GTi, which each feature a 197-horsepower, 1.6-liter engine. Depending on the weight difference, this could give the Polo R a significant advantage. We’ll add more information to this review as VW releases more details. Image Note: All images are of the Polo R-Line
Watch the new Volkswagen Polo WRC racer testing in Finnish forestWith the development of the Volkswagen Polo R WRC car well under the way, an awesome video was released showcasing the car’s ability in a secluded Finnish forest, with racer Sebastien Ogier behind the wheel of this intense little rally car. The Volkswagen Polo R WRC will enter the world-renowned rally series for the 2013 season, and the following video shows that VW has created what appears to be a true competitor for the World Rally championship. The launch of the car late last year has helped mark what could be a new generation of WRC racing. Just a few years ago, major manufacturers, such as Subaru, were continually pulling out of the championship, but with VW prepping their new entry for the series, Skoda set to graduate into the WRC with its Super 2000 Fabia, and Hyundai suspected to reenter the series soon, the World Rally Championship’s future has never been so exciting. As you may recall, the Polo R WRC features a 1.6-liter TSI engine delivering an impressive 300HP and an advanced four-wheel drive system. Tipping the scales at just 2,645 pounds, the Polo R is a true performance car and we wish Volkswagen all the best for its future WRC endeavors.
2011 Volkswagen Polo R-Line
Of the many vehicles Volkswagen has released in Frankfurt, the new R-Line package for the Volkswagen Polo may be just another vehicle to some people, but rest assured, it’s anything but. Save for a performance program, it’s got everything you need, including exterior and interior upgrades, new color options, and a new set of alloy wheels. Among the new accessories that can be fitted into the Polo include new front and rear bumpers, a roof spoiler, new side skirts, LED license plate illumination, daytime running lights, chrome exhaust tailpipes, and a new set of 16" alloy wheels. A new sports chassis is also available, one that can lower the car’s ride height by 15 mm. Various color options are available for the Polo R-Line, including Deep Black Pearl Effect, Reflex Silver Metallic, Pepper Grey Metallic, Shadow Blue Metallic, Hot Orange Metallic, Candy White, and Flash Red. The car’s interior was also given some fresh enhancements. There’s new leather and Alcantara upholstery, GTI sports seats, a black roofliner, a leather steering wheel, aluminum pedals, door sills, and a number of R-Line logos. Volkswagen has yet to announce a price for the R-Line package. The launch date is expected to begin at the end of the year with versions available for just about every model of the Polo. 2011 Volkswagen Polo R WRCVolkswagen will finally be entering the World Rally Championship and have prepared a new Polo R WRC Concept to help prepare the onslaught of fans ready to see the company in action. This new model will preview the production model that will be used in competition from 2013 and on. "Almost exactly two years ago, in May 2009, the most recent model of the Polo was presented here in Sardinia. Today we are proud to show you the hottest Polo of all time – the Polo R WRC," said Luca de Meo, Head of Marketing of Volkswagen AG. Volkswagen will take the experience of their three consecutive victories at the Dakar Rally and use it to formulate a vehicle especially for the WRC rally. The car set to compete in the WRC will be a near-300-hp rally vehicle with a 1.6-liter TSI engine and four-wheel drive based on the Polo. "The new Technical Regulations of the World Rally Championship are an ideal fit for Volkswagen’s philosophy with respect to the development of production vehicles," says Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Management Board of the Volkswagen Brand, Development Division. "Downsizing, high efficiency and reliability are top priorities for our customers. The timing of the WRC debut is optimal for Volkswagen. The big task of engineering a vehicle that is competitive and capable of winning at a large number of challenges holds great appeal for us." UPDATE 09/13/11: The Volkswagen Polo R WRC was finally unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show, giving the world a glance at the new prototype that will be used by Volkwagen to launch the testing program this year in preparation for the FIA World Rally Championship. Volkswagen is gearing up for its entry in the world’s pre-eminent rally racing category in 2013 and the development of the Polo R WRC prototype is the first step in fielding a full-fledged contender. 2011 Volkswagen Polo GTI by H&R
German auto tuner, H&R, has been working on a 2011 Volkswagen Polo GTI with the intention of turning it into a meat-packing piece of machinery. A few days ago, the aftermarket company unveiled the result of their hard labor by introducing a better-than-ever Volkswagen Polo with an upgraded suspension that H&R says will drastically improve both the car’s handling and stability. The Polo GTI is already powered by a 1.4-liter TSI gasoline engine with turbo and superchargers that produces an output of 180 horsepower with 184 lb-ft of torque that’s available from 2,000 to 4,500 rpm engine and is mated to a seven-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission. The Polo GT is capable of a north-to-60 time of 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 142 mph. While H&R largely left the engine alone, what they did was develop and improve the car’s suspension components to further increase its dynamics. This was done by improving the vehicle’s spring sets without compromising its overall drivability. On top of that, the front end of the Polo was lowered by 20mm with the rear seeing a 30mm decrease in ride height with a height adjustable H&R Monotube coilover suspension to boot. H&R also took the task of including a set of TRAK+ wheel spacers that are made of high tensile aluminum alloy with an eventual option of offering a set of stabilizers in the near future. The offerings may be a little limited compared to what we’re accustomed to with aftermarket tuning firms, but despite the lack of quantity, H&R Springs knows that quality is a much more important barometer in a successful tuned-up program. And as one of the foremost authorities in a vehicle’s suspension system, we have no doubt that this Polo GTI is going to have a lot more bite than its standard counterpart. Press Release after the jump. Full story Volkswagen Polo R and Audi S1 will be AWD models
During the recent Paris Auto Show, Volkswagen Group not only confirmed that the company was preparing a new all-wheel drive PQ25 platform that will be used for the future Audi S1, but they also stated that the use of this new platform could extend to two future models: a possible Polo R and a CrossPolo. The Audi S1 needed this all-wheel drive platform to become a proper model, but engineering costs needed to produce it cause Volkswagen to get a little jumpy at the thought. The final push for the decision came when they realized they could develop the Polo R with the same platform. The Polo R gets a chance and Volkswagen’s money is well spent. Sounds like a good compromise to us. It was already rumored that the next Audi S1 would be offered with a 270 HP engine and Quattro system. The S1 will also get a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and will come with a lowered suspension and a set of special edition 17-inch wheels. The 0 to 60 MPH sprint will be made in 6 seconds, while top speed will be limited to the German gentleman’s agreement of 155 MPH. | Volkswagen Polo latest reviews:Volkswagen Polo tuning:
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