PoloDriver

The latest engine efficiency technology from Volkswagen is a ground-breaking cylinder shut-off system, which will debut in a new 1.4-litre TSI powerplant in early 2012. With the primary goal of reducing fuel consumption, the engine temporarily shuts off two of the four cylinders under low to medium loads. Cylinder shut-off reduces fuel consumption of the 1.4-litre TSI by 0.4 litres per 100 km in the NEDC driving cycle, and when the company’s Start/Stop functionality is integrated – deactivating the engine in neutral gear – the savings adds up to 0.6 litres per 100 km.

The greatest benefits of the cutting-edge technology are realised while driving at constant moderate speeds. At 50km/h (31mph), in third or fourth gear, the savings amount to nearly one litre per 100 km. This new fuel efficient TSI will therefore also fulfil the forthcoming EU6 emissions standard. High efficiency does not exclude driving comfort: even when running on just two cylinders, the 1.4-litre TSI – with its excellent engine balance – is still very quiet and low in vibration.

Cylinder shut-off is active whenever the engine speed of the 1.4-litre TSI is between 1,400 and 4,000rpm and its torque is between 25 and 75Nm (18-55lb ft). This applies to nearly 70% of the driving distance in the EU fuel economy driving cycle. As soon as the driver presses the accelerator pedal sufficiently hard, cylinders 2 and 3 are reactivated imperceptibly. The system takes its information from the accelerator pedal sensor to detect the mode of driving. If the driving exhibits a non-uniform pattern – for example, while driving in roundabout traffic or in a sporty style on a country road – the shut-off functionality is automatically suppressed.

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We like technology at PoloDriver.com, especially any technology aimed for use on Apple’s mobile iOS devices. Last week car-buying website Auto Trader launched its first dedicated iPad app, introducing a new way for potential car buyers to find the wheels that will transport them to the next stage of their motoring history. It looks good, is fiendishly simple to use, and utilises all the great functionality of the Apple tablet. Based on an image-led interface, the cost-free Auto Trader app makes browsing for cars visually appealing, and meticulous search options let users narrow down their finds to the exact specification they require. A particularly useful element is the ‘garage’ function, which stores saved cars and results, letting buyers compare up to four cars side-by-side.

A ‘browse bar’ also allows users to navigate and jump to a point in their search results based on essential car-buying criteria, such as mileage, location or price. There’s also the ability to share found cars with friends and family by email, seamlessly integrating with the iPad’s ‘Mail’ application. Web links to dealers, contact details, extensive swiping galleries and even active maps are all useful tools which add to the Auto Trader app experience. ‘Our iPad app is a new way to search Auto Trader for your perfect car,’ said Nick Gee, Director of Mobile at Auto Trader. ‘Our main objective was to retain the essential search element of Auto Trader and yet enhance and redefine the user experience for iPad users. We will continue to improve the experience based on the feedback we receive.’

Autotrader.co.uk is the UK’s no 1 motoring website, with over 10.3 million monthly unique users, who carry out over 106 million searches on new and used vehicles (source: Auto Trader audit, January 2009), and the new app complements the website perfectly. In the days since this author worked at an Auto Trader local office, much has changed, and the dated-looking, flat ads I used to design have now given way to swiping, interactive media, and the Auto Trader app is genuinely impressive. Trouble is, it’s so easy to use and understand, that it could lead to all sorts of trouble and no end of potential dream purchases. Let me see, 2007-2010 Polo GTI in black, red, silver or white…

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We’ve been doing subtle improvements to the site over the last few days, one of which means that PoloDriver.com is now mobile device enabled. If you have an Apple or other mobile device, the reconfigured site should now display ‘natively’ as an app-type website, making content much easier to navigate. The front page displays a list of the most recent posts, while each individual post can be read by clicking on it. At the bottom of each entry are buttons for sending with a friend, posting to Twitter, or sharing on Facebook. At the top of the display is an arrow, which drops down to show RSS feed links as well as category and tag navigation. We think it’s a worthwhile improvement – let us know what you think.

The PoloDriver.com widget is still available, too. If you’re a Polo driver and a Mac user, you can now get all the latest PoloDriver.com news direct to your desktop. Built to run on OS X 10.4 and above and to sit in Dashboard, the widget displays the latest headlines directly in its built-in viewer when it detects an internet connection. Using the widget is easy. Click on the headline or read the introductory paragraph and then follow the ‘Read More’ link to go to the website for the full story. The article length can be made shorter or longer by clicking on the ‘i’ at the bottom right of the viewer, and can be set to show the full text of each article if so desired. If you’re non-RSS and Twitter-enabled but still want to catch up with all the news on PoloDriver.com, download the desktop widget from here, open the zip file and install.

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PoloDriver.com computer desktop news widget

PoloDriver.com mobile device top menu screens

PoloDriver.com mobile device post screens

PoloDriver.com mobile device menu screens

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One of the trailblazers for car manufacturer digital apps, Volkswagen UK has launched an iPhone configurator, showcasing its full range of models. Using it is simplicity itself. Just choose a model, and add your choice of engine and transmission, upholstery, colour and wheels. Optional equipment is also available to specify, and the app will also check that your chosen options are available with the configured model and even show an accurate price based on the boxes ticked. Different models can also be compared in terms of specification and performance, while your ideal chosen Volkswagen can even be sent to your friends for a pally approval or a scathing thumbs down. Whatever next, an iPhone virtual showroom? If you’re in the market for a new car and want a pocket-sized VW to try before you buy, download the Volkswagen UK Car Configurator app here.

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In the second of our series of dealer view articles, Victoria Stubbs from Volkswagen retailer group Vindis explains the technology behind the company’s TDI engines, as used in the new Polo SE and SEL 1.6 TDIs

If you’re comparing engine options on Volkswagen models, you probably asked yourself at some point ‘What is a TDI engine?’ Well, TDI stands for Turbocharged Direct Injection. TDI engines are Volkswagen’s advanced diesel engines, and are more powerful (with faster acceleration and smooth performance), more economical, produce less CO2, and will require less maintenance and servicing. To find out why, read on.

You need oxygen to burn fuel in an engine, and as only 21% of our atmosphere is oxygen, huge amounts of air are needed for an effective engine. The TDI’s turbocharger squeezes air tightly into the engine’s cylinders (where the combustion takes place) and then cools it so it shrinks further. The injection system then adds fuel (also under high pressure) into the compressed air. This compressed mix burns better but uses less fuel.

The knock-on effect of this more efficient combustion technique is an engine that is powerful even at low revs, and burns less fuel whether at low or high speeds.

More about turbochargers
A turbocharger has two turbines; the first is powered by the exhaust gas and drives the second, which sucks in the air with the oxygen needed for combustion. The air is compressed and then cooled to compress it still further before it is mixed with the fuel and burnt.

A traditional problem with turbochargers is that if the engine is running at low revs then there will be less exhaust gas and therfore less power to drive the turbines. VW use a nifty feature called Variable Turbine Geometry to overcome this problem. Vanes are used to create a smaller area of airflow through the exhaust turbine, increasing the speed of flow and making the turbine work as if the engine were running at a higher speed.

More about fuel injection
The key factor here is the fuel pressure. The more pressure you can put the fuel under, the finer the spray will be that gets injected into the cylinder, and the quicker and more thoroughly it will mix with it the compressed air. This means you get more power – and less emissions – from the same amount of fuel.

Volkswagen use Piezo crystal injectors, which are lighter and twice as fast as the solenoid valves traditionally used. This speed increase means the injector valve can adjust the rate of fuel injection five times faster. This means smoother, quieter and more efficient combustion.

The latest weapon in the war to increase fuel pressure is the ‘Common Rail’ direct injection system. This separates the pressure generation and the fuel injection processes, meaning each can be more efficient. The common rail is the name given to the high-pressure fuel reservoir to which all the injectors are connected. Each injector receives an uninterrupted supply of fuel at the same high pressure from the common rail.

Finally, as well as burning less fuel, the TDI engines also produce less emissions, thanks to VW’s diesel particulate filters. These not only trap even the smallest particles of soot produced by burning fuel, but need no additives to run, meaning they need little or no maintenance. In fact VW recommend the first inspection at 150,000km.

Victoria Stubbs, Vindis
Vindis are retailers for all Volkswagen models including used Volkswagen Passat

Read the PoloDriver first drive of the 74bhp Polo SE 1.6 TDI and the rest of the fifth-generation Polo range here

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