CHRISTOPHER SULTANA
Continental Cars Limited have launched the new Volkswagen Polo, which now has a completely fresh design and equipped with the latest technology, at a very competitive price.
Volkswagen has created a vehicle that takes the unparalleled success of the Golf concept and effectively transfers it to an independent segment – the Polo.
Comfort, quality and safety have all taken a considerable leap forward. Among other things, the Polo was specifically designed to attain the recently established, stricter and more comprehensive, five-star EuroNCAP rating.
The Polo features enhanced standard specifications over the previous model. These include power steering, air-conditioning Climatic, remote central locking, front electric windows, electric heated mirrors, driver and passenger front and front side airbags, radio CD MP3 with four front speakers, ABS, 15” alloy wheels, three-spoke leather steering wheel, leather gear lever and handbrake lever, on-board computer, flat tyre indicator, front centre armrest and front fog lights.
Despite significant improvements in all aspects of the car, the Polo’s body weight has been reduced by 7.5 per cent.
The introduction of new TDI and TSI engines, and the seven-speed dual clutch transmission (DSG), has resulted in considerable improvement in fuel economy and reduced emissions over a wide range of engine power outputs. An excellent example is the new 1.2 TSI. This turbo-charged four-cylinder direct injection gasoline engine produces 105bhp, yet it consumes just 5.5 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres (129 g/km CO2); this is 20 per cent less than on the equivalent model of the previous generation.
In total, seven different engines will be offered on the new Polo in its first year – four gasoline and three diesel – spanning a power range from 70bhp to 105bhp. Five of these engines are entirely new or are being used for the first time in the Polo.
The new engines include all three TDIs (turbo-diesel direct-injection); thanks to common rail technology implemented for the first time in the Polo, these engines are both efficient and refined.