Friday 10th February 2006

VW Polo GTI hits the streets

You can order the 150bhp hatch now

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VW Polo GTI

VW's Polo GTI is ready for launch.

Available from 12 May and in both three and five door guise, the Polo GTI will be equipped with VW's 1.8-litre 20 valve turbocharged engine. In the new GTI it will develop 150bhp and 162lb-ft of torque, making for the most powerful production Polo ever -- though probably also the heaviest. The GTI will accelerate from 0-62 mph in 8.2 seconds, and reach a top speed of 134 mph.

Style-wise, the Polo GTI takes cues from its ‘big brother’ Golf GTI and features a honeycomb front grille; twin chrome tail pipes; red brake callipers; 15 mm lower suspension; and 16 inch versions of the GTI alloy wheel.

Other kit includes:

• ABS with Hydraulic Brake Assist
• Electronic Stabilisation Programme.
• Driver's and front passenger’s airbags plus front side airbags.
• Climatic semi-automatic air conditioning
• Remote central locking with alarm
• Electric windows and mirrors
• Radio/CD player.

Prices for the Polo GTI start at £14,785 on the road for the three-door model.

• Earlier story: VW launches Polo GTI

[dave99]

8.2 sec 0-60 for a small 150bhp hot hatch...I would feel cheated, why do they make them so lardy these days?

[Dommo]

at that price they've priced it into cooper s (ok without options), civic type r and corrolla territory. All of which I think I'd rather have.

[RichardD]

Is the engine an iron block?

[hayesey]

[quote]making for the most powerful production Polo ever[/quote]

not the quickest though!

Performance isn't great when you compare it to the likes of the Civic Type R & Cooper S but if VW made this any faster it'd match the current Golf GTI which they certainly don't want.

The tuning potential should be great though since the 1.8 20vT is so popular. I'd expect to see some very interesting Polos in a few years time.

[lathamjohnp]

Dommo said:

at that price they've priced it into cooper s (ok without options), civic type r and corrolla territory. All of which I think I'd rather have.

Better build quality and cheaper than the Mini (with options), better ride quality than the Civic, and better badge cred than the Toyota???

I had a Cooper S for over 2 years and never fell in love with it. Badly built, badly packaged, fragile interior, and it just felt too "heavy". Although it was objectively faster than the MX5 it replaced in my garage, I never enjoyed thrashing it as much.

The Polo should feel more "chuckable" than the Golf, or it'll just be seen as cheaper, slower, smaller version.

[annodomini2]

Not bad for mk3 golf, with a better engine.

[Witchfinder]

The VAG 1.8 20 valve Turbo can be easily chipped up to about 225 BHP when supplied in 150 BHP guise. Might be a lot of fun!

[u81922]

"You can order one now." But why would you want to? For the same money you could buy a proper car!

[greatgranny]

You can get a Focus ST for £15k with 225bhp.

Oooh, let me see, decisions, decisions.

Yet another overpriced lardy VW.

[20vt_mk2dub]

greatgranny said:

You can get a Focus ST for £15k with 225bhp. Oooh, let me see, decisions, decisions. Yet another overpriced lardy VW.

Well will they learn!

They need to produce another mk1 golf gti to get back their kudos.

Even the mk5 gti isnt in the spirit of the original car.

C'mon vw just try a little!

[sideways500]

RichardD said:

Is the engine an iron block?

With its 1781cc displacement I thought it had largely the same iron block as in golf mkI/II GTI? Just with a fancy 5 valve head.

[Mr Whippy]

Might be a pocket rocket in a straight line when chipped, but the simple matter is a high ish revving 2.0 NA would have made it a truly fun car to hoon around in.

A bland thrumming engine note, with acceptable throttle response and torque does not a good car make!

I guess that just won't appeal to badge "gti" owners, who own a gti, but have no idea what a gti should be.

Lets hope it has a good chassis like the new gti, otherwise you may as well get a MKIV Anniversary and get alot more kit and quality for the money...

Dave

[therushden]

it wont worry any clio182's.
bet it looks stunning in white.

>> Edited by therushden on Friday 10th February 16:11

[mrdemon]

it should have 250 bhp

the new golf is to big now days

this car could have been great but insted its sh1t

[Petrol_noggin]

You can pick up a lupo GTi for 1/2 that price, 6 gears, 0-60 in 7.7 and 'only' 125bhp, but it weighs as much as a bag of crisps.

[mojocvh]

a chipped Polo tdi will chew it out.

[vlad]

Go for the Seat Ibiza Fr diesel cupra---160 bhp chip to 190 loads more torque, better built than the Ford or the Mini sorted suspension ---if you like it stiff believe me you can hardly push the front wing down.

[tuxman]

fiesta st is quicker than that and i bet its got a better chasis.

[annodomini2]

Petrol_noggin said:

You can pick up a lupo GTi for 1/2 that price, 6 gears, 0-60 in 7.7 and 'only' 125bhp, but it weighs as much as a bag of crisps.

Looks better too!

[FestivAli]

Already on sale down here and it's much cheaper: translate $26k Australian into English pounds and you'll see what I mean. Sat in one at the Melbourne motorshow the other day and it seemed nice enough - Variable cupholder size and adequate 'lean angle' (the angle at which the elbow is relative to the shoulder to ensure comfortable arm-on-windowledge cruising, a crucial new car measure by the by) and decent seats. Not that I've driven one, but it looks great in red and is my kind of car, a hottish, ungarish hatch.

Ali.