Volkswagen Polo 2007 News

A vote by 75 motoring journalists from 22 countries has awarded the compact prestige car the World Car of the Year award for 2015.It finished on top of a 24-car field and eventually beat the two other finalists, the Ford Mustang and Volkswagen Passat.The other big prizes for 2015, Green Car of the Year and Performance Car of the Year, went to the plug-in hybrid BMW i8 and the Mercedes-AMG GT coupe.The winners were announced at the New York Motor Show today at an event hosted by Bridgestone Corporation and Autoneum at the culmination of a six-month voting process.The C-Class delivers levels of refinement, luxury, safety, ride and handling that challenge best-in-class.The awards are in their 11th year and previous winners include the Audi A6, BMW 3 Series, Lexus LS460 and Volkswagen Golf, Polo and Up.To be eligible for the overall World Car award, candidate cars must have become available for sale on at least two continents between January 1, 2014 and May 31, 2015.The WCOTY wins by Mercedes-Benz follow its victories in the Green Car contest in 2007 with the E320 Bluetec and 2012 with the S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY and its Luxury Car success with the S Class in 2014.“We are extremely delighted of winning the honour of World Car of the Year,” says the chairman of Daimler, Dr Dieter Zetsche.The WCOTY victory follows a similar success for the C-Class in the CarsGuide Car of the Year award.The WCOTY judging panel says: “Taking its design and technological cues from the S-Class, the C-Class employs an all-new aluminium/steel hybrid platform and updated rear-drive powertrains that delivers levels of refinement, luxury, safety, ride and handling that challenge best-in-class.” WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2015Overall winner: Mercedes-Benz C-ClassGreen Car: BMW i8Performance Car: Mercedes-AMG GTLuxury Car: Mercedes-Benz S CoupeDesign: Citroen CactusPREVIOUS WORLD COTY WINNERS:2014: Audi A32013: Volkswagen Golf2012: Volkswagen Up2011: Nissan Leaf2010: Volkswagen Polo2009: Volkswagen Golf2008: Mazda22007: Lexus LS4602006: BMW 3 Series2005: Audi A6

THE Audi A3 small car -- which owes much of its DNA to the Volkswagen Golf -- has won the 2014 World Car of the Year, as voted by 69 jurors from 22 countries. The luxury hatch toppled the widely-tipped favourite, the Mazda3 from Japan, in the awards announced at the New York motor show today.The Audi A3 was among five German cars that took out a cleansweep of the 2014 World Car of the Year categories, and it was Audi’s second win in 10 years, having won the inaugural award. Indeed, German cars have won seven of the past 10 World Car of the Year awards, Japanese brands have won the remaining three.Accepting the award on behalf of the company, Audi's North America president Scott Keogh said: “The Audi A3 has only been on sale three weeks and already it’s off to a flying start.”Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi, said: “This major award win is an achievement that the whole company can celebrate.”The Audi A3 was among 24 finalists that included the BMW i3 electric car, which won the Green Car of the Year and the Car Design of the Year. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was the Luxury Car of the Year while the Porsche 911 GT3 was awarded top performance car honours.But the Mazda3 had emerged as an early favourite for the outright World Car of the Year award following rave reviews globally since it went on sale late last year. The previous generation Mazda3 has been Australia’s top selling car for two of the past three years, and was the vehicle that ended the Holden Commodore’s record 15-years as the market leader, in 2011.The Mazda3 is returned to the top of the sales charts so far this year -- after being overtaken by the Toyota Corolla in 2013 -- and is likely to take out top-seller status this year buoyed by the new model which went on sale in January.World car of the year winners2014 – Audi A32013 -- Volkswagen Golf Mk72012 -- Volkswagen Up2011 -- Nissan Leaf2010 -- Volkswagen Polo2009 -- Volkswagen Golf Mk62008 -- Mazda22007 -- Lexus LS4602006 -- BMW 3 Series2005 -- Audi A62014 World Car of The Year category winnersGreen car of the Year -- BMW i3 electric carCar Design of the Year -- BMW i3 electric carPerformance Car of the Year -- Porsche 911 GT3Luxury Car of the Year – Mercedes-Benz S-ClassThis reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling 

The World Rally Championship is one of the most epic spectacles in motorsports, but sometimes the pace is just too fast. Rally fans are known for camping out in frozen Finnish forests just for a split-second glimpse of their favourite drivers hurtling past in a mud-splattered blur. This video, featuring driver Sébastien Ogier and co-driver Julien Ingrassia in their Volkswagen Polo R WRC, slows things down considerably -- and will have you thinking WRC cars can fly. No, the Polo R WRC can't actually fly, but it is a pretty capable machine to get airborne. It's powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with turbocharging and direct-injection, developing 232 kilowatts of power at 6250rpm and 425 Newton-metres of torque at 5000rpm, delivering it to all four wheels with permanent four-wheel drive via a transversely-mounted six-speed sequential transmission. There's even a road-going version, albeit with a much less savage 160kW of power and 350Nm of torque from a 2.0-litre engine mated to a manual gearbox driving the front wheels to a top speed of 243km/h. It also gets to the 100km/h mark in 6.4 seconds -- shaving the Volkswagen Golf GTI by 0.8sec. Watch the slo-mo hot WRC rally action video here. www.motorauthority.com  

Jost Capito joined Volkswagen in May of 2012 as the head of Volkswagen’s motorsports division. Prior to this, Capito worked at Ford, where he was head of its Global Performance Vehicles group, and ultimately the man responsible for products like the Ford Focus RS.In other words, he knows a thing or two about making cars go fast, as well as building cars that are slightly over-the-top. Now that he’s settled in at Volkswagen, Whatcar is reporting that Capito wants to expand VW’s performance car offerings, and we say that’s a very good thing.In addition to getting the Polo WRC car ready for the 2013 Monte Carlo Rally, Capito is expected to take on more responsibility for the development of future production cars. While the Polo R (set to debut at next year’s Geneva Motor Show) is a given, we see potential in VW models ranging from the GTI through the Passat and even the Touareg.Rumors of a higher-performance, lightweight GTI are already circulating, though the car is likely to be limited in production. Could the processes developed for this car (like the blending of carbon fiber, aluminum and steel in assembly) be applied to future VW models?Our guess would be yes. The key to future performance Volkswagens will be saving weight as much as boosting power, and the lessons learned from VW’s WRC efforts could pay dividends here.In Capito’s words, “I have always had the view that the production cars have to support and reflect what is happening on the circuits and rally stages. I implemented that at Ford, and that view hasn’t changed now that I’m at VW.By definition it would mean more than the Polo R.” Capito went on to clarify that his immediate focus is on getting ready for the 2013 WRC season. Beyond that, however, the future for Volkswagen enthusiasts is starting to look bright.www.motorauthority.com  

A hotted up ‘R’ version of the Volkswagen Polo, essentially a smaller version of the recently launched Golf R, has been rumoured to be in development for close to two years. Volkswagen has previously denied such a model, maintaining it would prove too costly for buyers in the sub-compact segment. However, at the annual GTI Meeting at Wörthersee earlier this year, Volkswagen rolled out the Polo R WRC Street Concept, essentially a road-going version of its Polo WRC car that will be competing in the World Rally Championship from 2013 onwards. Now, there are reports claiming the production Polo R will make its official world debut at March’s 2013 Geneva Motor Show, before going on sale shortly afterwards. Speaking with Autocar, Volkswagen R&D chief Ulrich Hackenberg confirmed the Polo R would debut at the Geneva show, with its launch coinciding with the automaker’s WRC entry. He went on to reveal that the car’s introduction is due to the desire of VW’s motorsport division, which is hoping to draw attention to its WRC efforts, and that originally VW had no plans to launch such a model. Like the Polo R WRC Street Concept, the production Polo R will get a tuned version of the turbocharged 155kW/280Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine from the outgoing MkVI Golf GTI. Peak output will be tuned up to around 168kW of power, which should give it a nice edge over the 132kW Polo GTI but keep it under the Golf R’s 188kW/330Nm. To ensure it doesn’t encroach on the performance of its Golf R big brother, the Polo R will remain a front-wheel drive model, though it will still benefit from a mechanical limited-slip differential. Expect a 0-100km/h time of around 6.0 seconds (the Golf GTI does 6.9, while the Golf R dispatches it in 5.9) and a top speed of 242km/h.www.motorauthority.com   

On display for the first time in Australia, the pint-sized, but power-packed, Polo GTI is sure to live up to its legendary name thanks to crisp handling, uncompromising engine responsiveness, impressive safety features and excellent fuel economy. Never before has such a powerful Polo come even close to the fuel efficiency of this GTI. Thanks to clever downsizing of the twincharged 1.4-litre TSI engine (turbo plus supercharging) and the extremely efficient seven-speed dual clutch DSG gearbox, the development team was able to deliver official fuel consumption of just 6.1 litres per 100km together with a low CO² output of just 142g/km. By comparison, its direct predecessor – equipped with a 1.8-litre turbo engine − consumed 8-litres per 100km and 190g/km CO²). This new car is an incredible 24 percent more fuel efficient. This economy is matched by highly dynamic driving performance. The light 1189kg Polo GTI accelerates to 100km/h in just 6.9 seconds. Power is transferred to the front wheels via the standard DSG transmission. An electronic transverse differential lock reduces understeer and improves handling during demanding cornering. Like all Polos, the GTI also comes equipped with ESP standard – including Hill Start Assist. The car’s extensive safety-features list consists of a highly effective airbag network, including front, front-side and curtain airbags, belt pre-tensioners with load limiters plus belt warning, head restraints designed to avoid whiplash trauma (in front) and three rear head restraints. The Polo GTI’s convenience features include electro-hydraulic power steering, electric windows, remote central locking, boot-space lighting and tie-down eyes, driver seat height adjustment, make-up mirror in the sun visors and green-tinted insulating glass. The GTI will be the first Polo to be available with bi-xenon headlights with cornering lights, LED daytime running lights and corner marker lights. Naturally, GTI-specific features are always standard too, such as sports seats and 17-inch alloy wheels.

 Apart from European hot-hatches such as the Renault Cleo Sport and Peugeot 206 GTi seldom have we seen any manufactures brave enough to bring 3 door hatch variants into our market.  Sure you can get an entry level 3 door Yaris but what about a nice 3 door Corolla Sportivo, um… sorry they don’t come in 3 door in Australia.This pattern seems to have started in the late 80s with the introduction in droves of mass produced front wheel drive hatch backs.  Remember the Pulsar SSS?  Yep that came in 3 door hatch in Japan.  How about the Corolla GTi, or Mazda 323?  Yep 3 door again overseas.At one stage in the early 90s even the iconic Golf GTi was only available in 5 door in this country.  For years Australia has been denied many of the accessories and engine options that are prevalent in Europe, the US, and even the rest of Asia, but they are happy to throw in an extra 2 doors for nothing.  There are some companies that have bucked the trend like Honda, but even they gave in to with the “5 door hatch only” Civic model a few years back.  And now it looks like the Europeans have caught on to this trend.  We are missing out on the 2 door BMW 1 series hatch it seems…Though through the gloom comes the news that Australia will shortly see the new 2 door VW Polo.  A brief hint of fun in a sea of practicality it seams.I really can’t see any reason why the Australian market seems to be so against the 3 door hatch… especially when it comes to the performance market. 

Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show this week, the newest member of the VW family is safer, lighter and has a range of new, more economical petrol and diesel engines. In Europe five new engines are available, two using VW’s TSI petrol technology, joined by three of the latest common rail TDI engines. All will be available with manual and dual clutch gearboxes. With fuel economy of 3.8 litres/100km and 96g/km C02 for the 66kW 1.6-litre TDI BlueMotion model, the Polo now sets a benchmark for five-seaters. Polo was specifically designed to attain the recently established, stricter and more comprehensive, 5-star EuroNCAP rating. The car has a stiffer bodyshell and in the footwell area alone, intrusion – related to the car body’s deformation strength in a frontal crash – was lowered by 50 per cent. In the case of a side impact, the intrusion value was reduced by 20 percent. Euro Polos will come with standard ESP with Hill Hold Control, as well as front airbags and combined side head-thorax airbags integrated in the front seatbacks, seatbelt tensioners and belt force limiters, active front headrests. VW has also managed to reduce the Polo’s weight by 7.5 per cent and fuel consumption has improved across the board thanks to TDI and TSI technology. The new 1.2 TSI turbo-charged four-cylinder direct injection petrol engine produces 77 kW, yet it consumes just 5.5 litres/100 kilometres, 19 per cent less than on the equivalent model of the previous generation. In total, seven different engines will be available in Europe, four petrol and three diesel. The new Polo is expected to go on sale here early next year. Volkswagen Australia spokesman, Karl Gehling, said more information and prices will be available closer to launch. VW Australia is also looking at adding the BlueMotion cars to the lineup.

The National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council (NMVTRC) yesterday revealed motor theft would become harder with the use of personal scanning, impact-resistant windows and automatic deadlocking doors.The council previewed a 3D virtual car featuring security innovations to be introduced in five to 10 years. Features of the future included an improved identification system, a satellite global-tracking system and a centrally monitored two-way communications system, including an interior camera and panic alert.Motor theft across Australia is down to a record low of 62,000 vehicles a year. NSW theft rates have dropped from 47,338 five years ago to 26,891 this year.NMVTRC executive director Ray Carroll yesterday called on motorists to be more aware of security features when buying a new car and urged car manufacturers to lift their game.The NMVTRC also unveiled the nine most secure cars in Australia.Among these were the Volkswagen Polo, Citroen C2, the Subaru Liberty 2.0R and the Mitsubishi 380.Do you think all new cars should have smart access system as a standard feature?

GM and Toyota have used the forum of the Frankfurt Motor Show to spruik their green credentials. Toyota executive Mike Hawes told reporters his company was investigating biofuels.Toyota has 10 years of experience with its Prius hybrid, which combines an electric and a petrol engine. But this endlessly vaunted car comprises only a tiny fraction of Toyota's sales.General Motors, meanwhile, has developed vehicles that use petrol mixed with ethanol, so-called E-85-capable cars and trucks.Both companies are working hard on technologies and presented their options at the Frankfurt fest.GM Europe president Carl-Peter Foster said makers would probably focus on a range of solutions, as no single technology covered all needs.GM highlighted several electric models at the fair, one of the sector's biggest showcases. Analysts forecast that most carmakers will have a hybrid option in their line-up within the next five years.Ethanol is used in what are also known as flexible-fuel vehicles. These use engines similar to petrol ones, but running on a blend of up to 85 per cent ethanol, hence the E85 tag.The big question, however, is cost. According to some estimates, 'clean' technology can add around $A4000 to the price tag of an SUV.Fuel cells are even more expensive, but are the most promising long-term solution. Toyota announced it would market a fuel-cell car, costing about $A60,000, by 2015.Another implication of the green evolution is having to learn a whole new range of auto jargon. The latest automotive JargonBluemotion Volkswagen's name for the fuel-saving versions of its Polo, Passat and Golf models. The savings are made thanks to narrower tyres and lighter bodywork. Bluetec This is the technology Mercedes-Benz uses to make diesel cars just as clean as petrol engines.The system reduces diesel particles by as much as 80 per cent, An oxidising catalytic converter and a particulate filter combine with other systems to reduce nitrogen oxide. Brake energy recuperationA BMW system in which the energy lost through heat while braking is used to recharge the battery. Fuel cellHydrogen fuel cell vehicles are seen as one way to dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions.Hydrogen that is used in the cells is extracted from petrol or natural gas, and a chemical reaction with oxygen produces energy.The only by-product is water. The main drawbacks are the energy needed to produce hydrogen and the infrastructure required to make it available. Diesel hybrid The most common hybrid engine is acombination of electric and petrol, but some producers favour an electric-diesel hybrid because diesel engines use less fuel. DiesottoA petrol engine offering the high torque and fuel economy of a diesel, paired with extremely clean emissions. Mercedes calls it "the future of the petrol engine." Ecoflex Opel's name for a range of low-consumption, low-polluting models with small electric and diesel engines that were launched at theFrankfurt show. Econetic Ford's name for a new range of cars with lowered suspension, aerodynamic profiles and narrow tyres that help reduce both emissions and fuel consumption. The first model is expected in 2008. Efficient dynamicsBMW's environmentally friendly cars using Stop-Start Technology. Electric enginesElectric cars produce no emissions, and significant progress has been made in prolonging battery life. Hybrids Cars such as Toyota's Prius and Honda's Civic that use a combination of petrol and electric engines. In town, hybrid cars mainly use the electric function. For longer- distance driving, the petrol function can be switched on. Stop-start technologyThe engine cuts out when the vehicle comes to a halt and automatically starts again when it needs to drive off.