PoloDriver

Finally it’s official! Although consistently denied, there is a Polo which will be hotter than the current 178bhp GTI, and here’s the proof: the Polo WRC Street concept, unveiled today at the 31st GTI Festival in Wörthersee, Austria. Powered by a 2.0-litre engine developing 217bhp (220PS/162kW), the limited-edition Polo ‘WRC Street’ will go on sale in late 2013, after the rally-prepped Polo R WRC hits the asphalt, gravel and snow tracks, to capitalise on the motorsport model’s halo effect. Additional features of the Polo WRC Street includes a black rear spoiler and diffuser, sports suspension, multi-spoke alloy wheels, black wheel arch trims and ‘R-WRC’ graphics and badging. It certainly looks the part, and initial web reports suggest that an even hotter Polo R road-going model is also in the pipeline.

Another star of the Volkswagen stand in Reifnitz, is the Polo R WRC itself. Contesting the FIA World Rally Championship in 2013, the 1.6-litre turbocharged motorsport model is currently in development, being tested by Volkswagen’s lead driver, Sébastien Ogier. Seen in Austria as a running car, the four-wheel drive Polo R WRC develops 296bhp (300PS/220kW), and gets to 62mph from rest in 4.1 seconds. Other cars on the Volkswagen stand at the Wörthersee 2012 event which runs from 16-19 May is the production version of the Golf GTI Cabriolet, a black and red-themed Golf GTI ‘Black Dynamic’ which was built by nine Volkswagen apprentices, and the Golf GTI ‘White Concept’ with Oryx White matt paintwork.

We’ve managed to get our hand on an early Polo BlueGT brochure, and it reveals a few more details about the technology-laden small hatchback, which is released for sale in Germany in July. Just to recap, the Polo BlueGT mixes near-GTI performance with near-BlueMotion levels of economy, thanks to its clever 1.4-litre 138bhp TSI engine, which features cylinder deactivation technology. Running in two-cylinder mode between torque outputs of 18-74lb ft and between 1250 and 4000rpm, Volkswagen states that the changeover is imperceptible. The Polo BlueGT gets to 62mph from rest in 7.9 seconds, while emitting just 108g/km of CO2, and with forecasts of over 60mpg on the combined cycle, it seems performance and economy can be bedfellows after all.

So, what else does the brochure tell us? Only four paint colours are available – Candy White, Silk Blue Metallic, Reflex Silver Metallic and Intense Black Pearl Effect – with only the former being standard at no extra cost. The seats are trimmed in ‘Blue Speed’ mesh-type cloth with while blue alcantara panels, and the multifunction steering wheel, gear lever gaiter and handbrake are wrapped in leather with ‘Grey Crystal’ stitching. Wheels are 17-inch ‘Montani’ silver alloys, although can be specified with an Anthracite finish at extra cost. We also hadn’t noticed how the rear spoiler is supported by two black aerodynamic fairings either side of the rear window – a neat, but subtle touch. The one thing this early preview brochure doesn’t include however is prices.

A 1976 Berg Cup-style Series 1 Polo racer will run at the ADAC 24-hour Classic race tomorrow at the Nürburgring. The wide-arch Polo will contest the 1300cc class at the Nordschleife event, and will be decked out in the latest Polo R WRC livery colours. Driven by the father and son pairing of Herbert and Michael Schmitz, the original Polo will be joined by the ex-Group 4, Oettinger 16V-engined 220bhp Mk 1 Golf GTI which starred at the Wörthersee GTI Festival last year, and a 1981 Group 2 Scirocco. More than 180 vintage and classic cars will fight for race positions and championship points at this year’s ADAC 24-hour Classic, which starts on Friday 18 May at 12.55pm.

Bought eight months ago, how is Rich Gooding’s 10 year-old Polo GTI adjusting to daily life once again? It’s not all been plain sailing…

The largest development in the ownership of Y464 GHJ came back in January. As reported last time, I took a job at a local design agency which put the car back in daily use, a somewhat alien concept to it. It was used sporadically after I bought it back in September, but had sat for at least four months before coming home with me. Sadly, that spell has now ended and I’m back to freelance work, which sees the car getting less use. Sad news for me, but happy news for the car, as the mileage is currently being kept down. And it also means that I enjoy it more when I do drive it, a positive upside.

On the whole, there’s been no major negatives to report over the three-month period that the car was in regular use. Every day it provided reliable transport, with a added sporty spring in its step, and, as reported last time, it can do the sporty thing and the calming thing in equal measure. I’ve been reading some old road tests of the car, and found out that only 4 per cent of Polo sales in 2001 were of the GTI, and in total, from the summer of 2000 when it was introduced to the start of 2002, only 3393 examples found their way onto UK roads. Well-equipped now, let alone back then, it should have sold more, but was up against fierce competition in the form of the Peugeot 106 and 206 GTIs, and the Citroën Saxo VTS.

The early-2000s Polo GTI deserved to be bought in bigger numbers on looks alone. I’ve said it before, but it is a good-looking car. But, that doesn’t mean it can’t be improved. A little. I’ve added red edging trim to the grille surround (sometimes referred to as ‘lipstick’), to bring the car in line with Volkswagen GTIs from 2004-2009, and think it looks a lot more ‘GTI’ than without, the red trim picking up the red ‘I’ on the front grille ‘GTI’ badge. I’ve yet to replace the rear ‘GTI’ badge with the new one I have sitting in storage, but with the weather the way it has been over the past month or so, there’s been neither rarely a dry day, or a warm one for me to even contemplate easing the old badge off. And, with Volkswagen events being cancelled left, right, and centre due to sodden venues, the car’s not had much chance to be shown off anyway. Let’s hope that soon changes.

With the UK press launch of its funky new Citigo city car happening today and tomorrow, we just had to cover this, the Škoda Citigo Rallye Concept. Designed to pull in the crowds and heighten awareness of the Czech company’s new mini car at the 2012 Wörthersee Treffen in Austria from 16-19 May where all things Volkswagen Group GTI are celebrated, the standard Citigo has been popping the pumping-up steroid pills, resulting in a look that’s not too far removed from the Fabia S2000 rally car.

Huge wheel arches have been added to the standard three-door Citigo’s bodywork, to cover the 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels. An aggressive roof spoiler and front bumper also add menacing touches, turning the cutesy Citigo into something a Stormtrooper might drive, with this rendering’s black and white colour scheme. Škoda will also show the Citigo DJ at Wörthersee – a rolling disco with 100,000 watts of sound. That shouldn’t be hard to miss then. With the Citgo Rallye concept and the VW Polo R WRC both being shown at the legendary Austrian event, it should be a good one…