Monday 14th August 2006

Polo GTI gets 300bhp tweak

B&B takes mid-sized hatch to the limit

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B&B's take on the VW Polo GTI

VW's Polo GTI might seem like an unlikely candidate for a mega-tune -- but German tuning house B&B has bitten the bullet and come up with a device delivering a maximum of 300bhp with 302lb-ft of torque.

In standard, form the Polo GTI brings 150bhp and 162lb-ft of torque to the party, its 1.8-litre four-pot hauling it to 62mph in a less than scintillating 8.2 seconds.

With heavily modified induction, exhaust and ancillaries to improve performance and cope with the additional power, B&B can up the power of your Polo GTI in stages, ranging from a mild reworking of the electronics to the addition of a turbocharger, new pistons, con rods and cylinder head.

The ultimate is the so-called Evo-R specification which rockets the hatch to 62mph in a more creditable 5.8 seconds. You'd also be after the suspension kit which adds height-adjustable coil-over shocks, performance brakes, plus the special B&B wheels in both 17- and 18-inch versions.

All you need then is four-wheel drive and new underpants...

Links

• B&B Automobiletechnik
• German Car Blog story

[agoogy]

300BHP...302lb/ft.... 5.8seconds 0-62??? thats dreadful surely?

You'd have to REALLY love Polos....

[waynepixel]

For the amount of money it is going to cost, you might as well buy a Subaru Impreza Or Evo and have done with it.

Edited by waynepixel on Monday 14th August 11:44

[D4V KC]

Barking Mad!

[r988]

agoogy said:

300BHP...302lb/ft.... 5.8seconds 0-62??? thats dreadful surely?

You'd have to REALLY love Polos....

I can imagine it now, first gear, excessive wheel spin, second gear, excessive wheelspin, third gear, excessive wheelspin...

[annodomini2]

waynepixel said:

For the amount of money it is going to cost, you might as well buy a Subaru Impreza Or Evo and have done with it.

Edited by waynepixel on Monday 14th August 11:44

Yup 15000 Euro's just for the engine mods!!

[chrisbr68]

Jesus christ! I bet that would be a laugh to drive! Once it is off the line, I would think that there would not be a lot that could challenge it.

[dinkel]

chrisbr68 said:

Jesus christ! I bet that would be a laugh to drive! Once it is off the line, I would think that there would not be a lot that could challenge it.

You bet, it's a MINI Cooper-ish SOB. A very good and brave thing to come up with this drivers car Polo.

[robinoz]

Buy an S3 and chip it. Job done!

[james21]

"addition of a turbocharger"??

I thought the 1.8 150bhp VAG engine already had a turbocharger or am I wrong??

[Fat Audi 80]

Surely you just take your polo to AMD. Have some TT bits and bobs added, remap it for 280 bhp and bobs your uncle? 15,000 euros! They are having a laugh.

I like it though an it looks dead hard.

My personal choice would be a stealthy sleeper, with a bog standard Polo gti runnning the TT spec engine with a remap. Yum yum!

[dinkel]

There's more to it than just make the mill faster:

"The Evo R engine gets new pistons, connecting rods and cylinder head and a larger turbocharger, as well as modifications to the intercooler and injection system. A new exhaust system with lower backpressure and a high-performance racing catalyst are also installed, as is a new oil cooler."

"A B&B suspension kit bundles height-adjustable coil-over shocks and performance brakes. Special B&B wheels in 17- and 18-inch sizes also are available."

"Awe-inspiring aerodynamic body styling kit made of exactly fitting robust PU-RIM. These beautifully designed aerodynamic styling components considerably jazz up your car exterior, setting it apart from the masses."

[gooby]

Anyone for a good helping of torque steer?

[flurbyjim]

To paraphrase Montgomery Burns,

"That's the fattest thing I've ever seen, and I've been on safari."

[vladd]

Looks like a Space Hopper on castors.

[Dunk76]

Given the way my Wife's MY01 Polo deals with the epic delivery of its 1.4 8v 70bhp, I'd imagine that this thing must be able to enter the elite ranks occupied by the Monty Turbo, S1 RST, R5 GT - more commonly known as the 'change lane using your right foot only club'

Edited by Dunk76 on Monday 14th August 16:23

[mafioso]

Why would you want a car that small with so much power?? If you're a car enthusiast, you would at least want rear wheel drive with that amount of power!? This will never sell surely!?

[fid]

james21 said:

"addition of a turbocharger"??

I thought the 1.8 150bhp VAG engine already had a turbocharger or am I wrong??

Yup...I'd be embarassed to put out a turbocharged 1.8 with 150bhp, but VAG don't seem fussed.

[Ahonen]

mafioso said:

Why would you want a car that small with so much power??

Why not? It's called "fun". It'd be a giggle. A student at TVR had a 250PS Mk1 Golf, which remains one of the most impressive things I've ever been in.

mafioso said:

If you're a car enthusiast, you would at least want rear wheel drive with that amount of power!?

Or you might prefer to see the looks on people's faces when you whoosh past them in a VW Polo.

mafioso said:

This will never sell surely!?

This is just a showcase for their range of bits. There are a lot of power-crazed Germans out there though and if I was rich and wanted an amusing runaround then I'd buy one. It's a bit more amusing and rather less bland than just buying an Imprezza, as someone imaginitively suggested earlier.

Edited by Ahonen on Monday 14th August 21:40

[lap_time]

All that power (and more importantly torque!!!) going through the front wheels??! . And to all those naysayers out there saying "15,000 euros, rip off, blah, blah, blah", it costs a hell of a lot of moolah to upgrade an engine to this extent. It's not just a flash tune and 'zorst deal, when you're DOUBLING the stock power, upgraded internals, ancillaries and so on, so forth cost a rather decent amount of the folding stuff. I'm just glad the car exists. It's like a Brabus tuned Merc, it exists because it CAN.

[jackass]

You can get the VAG 1.8T to about 350bhp for about £3000, so why shell out €15,000?

There is already a Mk4 Polo in this country running that sort of power