Volkswagen revealed a racing version of their Polo, called the Race Polo, at the 2010 New Delhi Auto Expo. They also revealed the Volkswagen Polo for the Indian market. I am, admittedly, more interested in the Race Polo, but I will briefly go into detail about the road car a bit later, and more details can be found in the press release after the jump.
The Race Polo will, sadly, be only for India. It will be part of its own racing series, the Polo Cup, which will have its inaugural race in June 2010. The car will use a 1.6L diesel engine, putting out 160 hp and 250 Nm of torque. This power will be sent to the wheels through a six speed manual gearbox. Other equipment on the car includes 17-inch alloy wheels with slick tires, adjustable racing suspension, a racing brake system, an aerodynamic body kit with a front and rear spoiler, side skirts and a rear wing. To give it a racing touch on the inside, you get additional displays on the inside and a data logger system with an interior camera.
To ensure the driver’s safety, there will be equipment such as integrated head protection in the racing seat, a 6-point racing harness, a driver’s side safety net, FIA approved roll cage, fire extinguisher system and an electrical cut off system.
Now then, the road car. There aren’t any apparent changes compared to other markets on the outside, but the spec sheet does suggest that they’ve made it cheaper for the Indian market. It will be available in three trims: Trendline, Comfortline and Highline. The trims will have a choice of two engines, either a gasoline- or diesel-powered engine. The gasoline engine is a 1.2L engine putting out 75 hp and 115 Nm of torque. The diesel is also a 1.2, and it puts out the same amount of horsepower, but has 70 more torques. The only available gearbox will be a 5-speed manual.
More details on both cars can be found in Volkswagen’s press release:
Volkswagen unveils the new Polo at the tenth Auto Expo in New Delhi
New Delhi, January 5, 2010: Volkswagen, Europe’s largest car maker unveiled its much awaited premium hatchback the new Polo at the New Delhi Auto Expo today. The company also showcased the Race Polo for the Volkswagen Polo Cup which will commence in India with the inaugural race event on June, 2010.
Speaking about the showcasing of the new Polo, Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann, Member of the Board of Management, Volkswagen A.G, with responsibility for Group Production said, “The Volkswagen brand plays an important role in our success story. The new Polo is a key player in our ongoing strategy. It is an outstanding model in the exceptional range of the Volkswagen Group.”
He further added “The Polo stands for German engineering and top technology. It is a lively young and cosmopolitan car. This particular model has been designed with the expectations and wants of our customers in mind, making the Polo a new benchmark in the compact segment and even creating its own class -the Polo class” he concluded.
Commenting on the new Polo, Mr. Neeraj Garg, Member of Board and Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Volkswagen Group Sales India Pvt. Ltd said “The new generation Polo offers our brand’s core values of innovation, value and responsibility. It is designed to offer the very best in comfort and drivability. It features all new interiors and its pure and powerful design makes the new Polo a bold styling statement.
The good news is that this hatchback from Volkswagen will be ready for sale at all our dealerships from March this year.”
The new Polo:
The new Volkswagen Polo will be available with a petrol and diesel variant. The petrol variant is equipped with a 1.2 litre engine with an output of 75HP @ 5400 rpm and a Torque of 110NM @ 3750 rpm.
The diesel variant is also equipped with the 1.2 litre engine with an output of 75HP @ 4200 rpm and torque of 180 NM @ 2000 rpm.
It will be available in three trim levels including Trendline, Comfortline and Highline and is paired with a 5-speed manual gear box.
The interior is equipped with storage compartment in front doors for 1 litre Bottles, sunglass storage inside glove box, single folding rear seat backrest and the dashboard are proof of the sure instinct of high design quality which interprets the classic elements of the Polo in a contemporary way.
In exteriors too, the new Polo offers body coloured bumpers with green tinted heat absorbing glass, halogen headlights and galvanized Body with 6 years Anti Corrosion Warranty.
The Polo highline has large 15″ alloy wheels, ensconced in their flared arches; give it a higher and more commanding stance.
In safety it is equipped with Advanced occupant safety with Dual airbags, driver and passenger side, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and electronic Anti theft immobilizer.
On comfort the car has a number of unique, thoughtful touches. It is equipped with CD MP3 Player changer with 4 speakers, power steering for better drivability, central locking with unique boot opener in company logo, height adjustable driving seats with a steering wheel tilt which improves the drivability of the passenger.
The new Polo will establish a leadership position in its class with category defining attributes of space, style, comfort, safety and fuel efficiency. It will be manufactured at Volkswagen’s Chakan plant with an annual capacity of 110,000 cars and will be available through Volkswagen’s 40 dealerships across the country.
Race Polo:
The Volkswagen Race Polo which will be seen racing for the first time on the Indian tracks at the Polo Cup comes with a 1.6L R4 common rail diesel engine with an output of 130 HP@4400 rpm and torque of 250 Nm@ 1500-2500 rpm.
It is equipped with a 6 speed manual gearbox, 17 inch alloy wheels with 200/605 R17 slick tyres. Adjustable Sachs race suspension, aerodynamic body kit with front and rear spoiler, side skirts and rear wing form the standard features of this car.
The interior is equipped with integrated head protection in the race seat, a 6 point seatbelt prepared for HANS System, safety net on driver side, additional display and data logger system with on board camera.
Safety and security in the Race Polo is enhanced with the provision of FIA approved roll cage, fire extinguisher system with internal and external release, electrical cut off system and a race brake system with four piston fixed caliper and ventilated 312 mm disk front and 232 mm disc brake rear. In other words perfectly loaded and ready for the Race.
Source: WorldCarFans