PoloDriver

Despite the new Polo GTI only just ramping up to production levels, German tuner ABT Sportsline has announced power upgrades for the 178bhp 1.4-litre engine, along with similar packages available for the Polo’s 1.2-litre TSI and 1.6 TDI units. Outputs jump quite considerably, with the 1.4 TSI boosted to a Series 6 Golf GTI-rivalling 208bhp; its smaller 1.2 sibling sees a similar increase from 104 to 124bhp. The 1.6 TDI boost is available on both the 89 and 104bhp engines (the latter not sold in the UK), taking them to 115 and 129bhp respectively. Faster pull away, more torque, more engine power and improved acceleration are also key benefits of ABT’s engine upgrades.

The Bavarian company claims that fuel consumption is unchanged on all the small engine power boosts, too, and that the chip upgrades are long-lasting, reliable and fully compatible with everyday use. Of course, the upgrades aren’t just limited to the Polo; any Volkswagen group car which has one fitted can benefit. ABT Sportline also offers cosmetic, exhaust and suspension upgrades for the 6R Polo. A carbon look rear spoiler and double-pipe exhaust add bold styling flourishes, while the titanium-coloured ‘Type Z’ 18-inch ABT alloy rims offer further visual enhancement. Visit the ABT Sportline website for more information and prices on the company’s engine upgrades and tuning parts for the new Polo.

Volkswagen Group South Africa performs ahead of the passenger market year-to-date, with the entry-level Polo Vivo once again the top-selling brand in October 2010. Selling 2576 units, the car remains South Africa’s favourite passenger car brand. Meanwhile, the New Polo maintained a good sales figure of 723 units, despite low October opening stock. Overall, 30,752 new passenger cars were sold in South Africa during October 2010, a total up 2.6% on September, and a rise of 25.1% when compared to the same period in 2009. The year-to-date October market in 2010 is 30.1% above the same period last year.

‘The Polo Vivo was again South Africa’s favourite brand, while the New Polo, the only South African manufactured SA 2010 Car of the Year finalist, had a good result, considering low October opening stock as a result of the industry-wide strikes in previous months,’ commented Mike Glendinning, Director of Sales and Marketing, Volkswagen Group South Africa. ‘Volkswagen Group South Africa has increased passenger sales in the domestic market by 32% year-to-date versus 2009 – 1.9% ahead of the 30.1% total passenger market year-to-date growth, which is testament to our brand strength in a very competitive market,’ Glendinning continued.

The Polo Vivo was launched in March 2010 as an entry-level model for the South African market, replacing the Series 1 Golf-based CitiGolf. Available as both a three or five-door hatchback and four-door saloon with 74bhp/84bhp 1.4-litre and 104bhp 1.6-litre petrol engines, two trim levels are available: base and Trendline. Costing from R104,065 for the most basic 1.4 hatchback to R156,220 for the 1.6 Trendline Sedan, the Polo Vivo is based on the facelifted version of the Series 4 Polo, built from 2005 to 2009. Changes include front and rear bumpers, as well as a revised front grille and other minor bodywork alterations.

Twice on the podium, with each driver having achieved one victory and one third place – the tally of Mathew Hodges and Kyle Barnes remained equal at rounds 15 and 16 of the 2010 Volkswagen Polo Cup South Africa on 30 October. Hodges secured victory on the 3.921-kilometre track in the south-east of South Africa in the first race while Kyle Barnes finished third. In the second race Hodges and Barnes swapped positions. Second place in the first race went to Miguel Pasqualli and to Graham Donker in the second.

The season victory went to Hodges in the PG Glass Polo, marking a second consecutive national championship title in the single-make Polo series for Hodges. The 2010 Volkswagen Polo Cup South Africa will contest its season finale Kyalami on 27 November. The series is similar to the other racing Polo championships run in Europe and India. Just as in those series, the one-make format highlights new young driving talent. As many as 30 drivers regularly take to the track in technically identical cars, full grids ensure close-fought races.

With the advent of the new 1.4 TFSI Polo GTI, UK VW magazine Volkswagen Driver is looking for owners of 9N3 Polo GTI (2006-2010) owners  to give short opinions on ownership for a forthcoming model profile. In production for four years, the 9N3 GTI had a 1.8-litre, turbocharged engine, good for 148bhp, 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds, and a top speed of 134mph. Only eclipsed by the continental market-only 9N3-based Polo GTI Cup Edition with 178bhp, the outgoing GTI was the most powerful series production Polo at the time. Interested 9N3 Polo GTI owners should email Volkswagen Driver editor Neil Birkitt as soon as possible.

The new Polo has been chosen alongside the Volkswagen Amarok Double Cab pick-up as a finalist for the 2011 Wesbank/SAGMJ Car of the Year competition in South Africa. The new Polo 1.6 TDI Comfortline 77kW will compete with the Amarok 2.0 BiTDI 4×2 Double Cab and eight other finalists for the country’s premier motoring award. Volkswagen is hoping that the new Polo or Amarok will make it two in a row for the brand, following Golf 1.4 TSI’s success in the 2010 competition. The winner of the 2011 WesBank/SAGMJ Car the Year will be revealed in March next year.

‘Volkswagen Group South Africa is honoured to have two of its cars as the finalists in this prestigious competition, especially the Amarok which has just been launched in South Africa and is the first Double Cab finalist in the CoTY competition. In the past three years, Volkswagen brands have made the final list of the competition. The nomination of our cars as finalists, is a strong endorsement of our brand strength,’ said Mike Glendinning, Director Sales and Marketing, Volkswagen Group South Africa.

The next step of the competition is a two-day test session in February 2011 at the Gerotek test facility near Pretoria, where the cars will be assessed independently by the CoTY jury members. In keeping with the broadened competition, the testing at Gerotek will allow the cars to be evaluated in conditions each vehicle would be expected to perform under. Jury members will pay close attention to the cars’ aesthetics, build quality and ergonomics, while considerations based on perceptions of value for money, cost of spares, safety features and environmental friendliness will be taken into account before scoring the top ten.