Volkswagen->ke94 went to Wörthersee earlier this year with a concept car designed and built for the street. This new Polo->ke322 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.

2013 Volkswagen Polo R WRC Street

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2013 Volkswagen Polo R WRC Street
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 220
  • Torque: 258
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

While the Volkswagen Polo R WRC Rally Car was the undisputed highlight during its world premiere at Monaco over the weekend, Volkswagen also introduced a new special edition model during the event, a street version of the Polo R WRC that has been aptly called the Polo R WRC Street, a production model of the same car that was previewed earlier this year at Wörthersee.

Designed similarly to the concept version of the Polo R WRC Street, the production 2013 Polo R WRC Street features a white exterior paint finish matched with two-tone blue and grey stripes. If you compare these stripes to the one from Wörthersee, the production model is a little more subdued with the design, opting only for horizontal stripes running the length of the sides. Additionally, the stripes on the roof were removed, giving the car a cleaner look than the Wörthersee version.

In addition to the colors and stripes, the production Polo R WRC Street also makes use of a lower front spoiler with enlarged intakes that were inspired by the WRC, a roof-mounted spoiler at the rear, a diffuser in the rear bumper and a set of 18-inch “Cagliari” alloy wheels. “R” badges are also prevalent on the body, announcing that the “R” has arrived on the Polo. Good times all around!

Interior

Inside, the sporty and WRC feel continues with the inclusion of sporty bucket seats lined with Alcantara and with a contrast blue stitching. The sports steering wheel also makes use of Alcantara, offering up enough doses of luxury to make for an interior that blends the WRC’s sporty aggression with high-quality materials. Of course, any car that has "WRC" in its name should carry racing-style pedals, and WRC badging too. You’ll find the latter embossed on the seat covers, providing one more reminder to people the inspiration behind this sports hatch.

Performance

The little secret with the Polo R WRC Street is that it doesn’t make use of the Polo’s typical 1.4-liter 4-banger. Instead, Volkswagen put in the larger 2.0-liter TSI engine from the Polo’s big brother, the Golf GTI, to produce an impressive 220 horsepower and 350 Nm (258 pound-feet) of torque, good enough to allow the sports hatch to hit 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.4 seconds with a top speed of 151 mph. That’s good enough to match wits with the bigger Golf R.

The braking system makes use of 16-inch discs to help drag the petite Polo to a halt. These discs go along with bright-blue-painted calipers for a little extra flair.

Driveline Specifications:

Engine

2.0-liter TSI 4-sylinder

Engine Output

220 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque

Acceleration (0-100 km/h)

6.4 seconds

Top Speed

151 mph


Pricing

As a special-edition model, the Polo R WRC Street will only be limited to 2,500 units with the first deliveries expected to drop in September 2013. It’s exclusive only to Europe, which means that US customers won’t get their hands on one anytime soon. Tough luck for those living in America, but if you’re in Europe and you happen to have a fat Christmas bonus to fall back on, you can scoop up one of the 2,500 models for €33,900, which is around $44,000 based on current exchange rates.

Competition

It’s important to note that carrying a bigger engine is a huge plus for the Polo R WRC Street, particularly if you line it up with the likes of the Renault Clio RS and the Peugeot GTi and their 197 horsepower, 1.6-liter engine capabilities.

Could the Polo R WRC Street have gotten more power to allow it to ply its wares against, say, the Ford Focus ST and its nearly 250 horsepower output? Perhaps, but let’s be real, the Polo R is a little out of the ST’s league. That’s where big brother Golf GTI comes in.