There’s a new Volkswagen Polo GTI on the way - and here’s a first look at the eagerly-anticipated hot-hatch.
Petrolheads have been enjoying performance Polos for precisely 30 years - with the GTI’s predecessor, the supercharged Polo ‘G40’, having first gone on sale in the UK in 1991.
And so now is an opportune time to launch a ‘compact sports car’ that VW says is ‘sharper, full of power and dynamism’.
The outgoing Polo GTI features a 2.0 TSI petrol engine producing 207PS, married to a dual-clutch (DSG) automatic gearbox, and you can expect the new model to have a similar set up.
We won’t know for sure until the promised full reveal at the end of June.
But what we do know, judging by the first image, is that the facelifted Polo GTI features a new front grille and an eye-catching LED lightstrip running across the entire front nose.
A VW spokesperson says:
“Once a GTI, always a GTI – that’s how fans of the sporty Volkswagen models with the ‘magic three letters’ continually express their loyalty."
"GTI – pure fascination and excitement. The success story continues, with the new Polo GTI in the starting blocks. Traditionally, it is the sportiest model in the Polo series. With its high-torque front-wheel drive, dynamically tuned sports chassis and expressive design, it really stands out from the crowd."
"Moreover, it fulfills the promise of exceptional driving dynamics in combination with exceptional everyday usability.”
The Polo GTI will continue to lock horns with key rivals like the Ford Fiesta ST, the Mini Cooper S, and the Hyundai i20N.
Meanwhile the GTI’s launch comes as the regular Polo receives an extensive makeover, too.
LED headlights and LED tail light clusters now come as standard, while the updated exterior styling very much takes its cue from the VW Golf.
Range-topping R-Line Polos boast high-gloss black air intakes as well as a shiny black diffuser and chrome-look integrated exhaust panels.
Meanwhile every model gets an 8.0 inch VW ‘Digital Cockpit’ to replace traditional dials, as well as a proper infotainment system and a multifunction steering wheel.
The trim levels have also been tweaked compared with previous years.
It now starts with the base ‘Polo’ and moves on to ‘Life’, ‘Style’ and the aforementioned top-of-the-range ‘R-Line’.
The base Polo comes with Lane Assist, 14 inch wheels, a 6.5-inch media monitor and Bluetooth mobile phone interface, while ‘Life’ includes 15 inch alloys and better interior comfort.
A VW spokesperson says of the Standard Polo, which can be ordered now:
“The fact is: you’d struggle to find another car in this class that offers such an innovative spectrum of assist systems as the Polo.”
We’ll bring you full details of the facelifted Polo GTI next month.
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