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PROLOGUE

Coming up is a story of an icon, an icon who stayed true to its DNA. On its crisp shoulders not only laid the weight of itself but the fate of a manufacturer, a car solely response for the future of a brand. The hype of which gave multiple companies in opposition many sleepless nights. A VW which soldiered on for more than one generation in the very same generation. A VW which was launched as a normal premium hatchback but was discontinued as a legendary hatch. A hatch which gave time a tough time. Presenting to you, a story of one Polo and many generations.

INTRODUCTION

Firstly, pardon me for this terribly protracted thread. This thread is purely made out of my Love for a timeless machine which left a strong impression on all of us. A car which we all admire and since we don't know if it'll ever make a comeback, we can atleast sit back and have a look at the glorious twelve years it has had. Moreover, a proper proper tribute was pending anyway, so here it goes. This thread is going to be very lengthy and descriptive with lots of photos so please take your own delightful time to read it.

The Polo, its name was derived from 'Polar winds' which followed VW's tradition of naming their cars after winds. The first gen Polo was a rebadged Audi 500 but Polo's India story started with the MK5, the tale of this car stretches all the way back to 2007 when Europe's giant entered India with their iconic Passat priced at 27.45 lakhs (Ex-showroom Delhi).
Shortly after the launch of the New Passat, VW laid out their plan for the Indian market which included vast number of models, right from a new hatch to the ultra luxurious Phaeton. It was absolutely clear that Volkswagen aimed total market dominance with their world class German engineered products. Besides the new hatch, the Polo codenamed PQ25XEM, VW also confirmed a saloon version of it, yes, the Vento. These two mass market products were seriously going to launch VW in the mass segment and change the image of the brand of being only an expensive CBU and CKD operator.
Which engines and gearbox would VW use and how would it position the two cars was yet to be seen. Volkswagen was to produce the two cars in their upcoming factory in Chakan near Pune. The Polo was to go on the Assembly line first and only then the saloon version could follow. The all new Polo was expected in 2009 with an expected price tag of 5-7 lakhs and later the Vento among many other models. VW was truly serious about India as they always insisted.
While the fifth gen Polo was in the making for India, VW continued offering their premium end products like the Jetta in 2008 followed by the Iconic Beetle and the High End Suv Touareg in 2009. Volkswagen followed the top-down strategy which meant they were providing it all from their premium high end offerings for the high end customers to a premium hatchback for masses of India. With the help of this strategy and their world class premium offerings VW had already become one of the most aspirational brands in the country and the fan following was touching an all time high.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

While a few fortunate people flocked to VW's less than 40 dealerships back in 2009 and endowed themselves with the absolutely finest automobiles they could get from Volkswagen. The company was busy making, testing and altering the Polo according to the Indian needs.

A Convoy of 6 Volkswagen cars with foreign number plates spotted in 2009 just outside Pune with 2 Jettas, 3 Polos and one Seat Ibiza. What a convoy!


A silver Polo being tested, again with foreign number plates.

Building a premium hatch from a Premium brand which was well adapted to Indian conditions, was agressively priced, was efficient and well, considerably light on pocket to maintain without compromising on the world class quality associated with VW and ofcourse the core German engineering wasn't an easy task. Making the PQ25XEM wasn't as simple as it seemed. Volkswagen faced alot of challenges, the biggest one was the supplier base in India which needed to meet VW's superior quality standards and still be price competitive. However, there was no room for mistakes, VW had no option but to get the Polo absolutely right because Polo was the car that was going to set Volkswagen in motion it was going to shape the new face of 'people's car'.

A picture of the global spec Polo and the Fabia spotted outside a hotel. That Yellow shade on the Fabia is just something!

A SPECIAL MILESTONE

The 11,111,111 th Polo.

On 4th February 2010, the 11,111,111 th Polo was Rolled off the assembly line in VW's Pune plant by the German President Horst Kohler during his visit to India and Jochem Heizmann, Member of the Board of Management of VolkswagenAG. Globally Polo's production started first in 1975. Besides the chakan plant, Polo was being produced at Pamplona in Spain and Port Elizabeth in South Africa. Volkswagen's move behind choosing India to reach and celebrate this milestone showed their commitment towards the country while on the other hand preparations for the media drive were thriving. The launch month was almost here.

THE FINAL PREPARATIONS

The pre- series production of the all new Polo started on 27th April 2009 in their all new state-of-art Chakan factory which was built in a record time of just 17 months. This factory was the single largest investment by the automaker which was about 3800 Cr. It also represented the largest investment by any German automaker in India that time. The annual production capacity of the plant was 1,10,000 cars, it was one of VW's 61 plants globally back then. The Chakan plant was fully integrated with all the manufacturing facilities with its own Press shop, Body shop, Paint shop and Final assembly. This production was a pre-run to the official production of the Polo. The official production started on 12th December, 2009.

Jochem Heizmann, Member of the Board of Management of VolkswagenAG with a freshly rolled out Polo.

The plant was going to produce a total of 3 cars The Polo, Skoda Fabia and the upcoming VW Vento, later on even the Skoda Rapid was to follow the assembly line.
12 December- Start of production, Now the Polo was the second car to be produced in VW's Chakan factory after the Fabia.


Interiors of a freshly rolled out Polo.


A half built Polo on the production line. Notice the black cloth tied to prevent scratches on the body.

Volkswagen had also thrown an interesting full fledged 13 pages advertisement in 'The Times Of India' on the brand which taught the people how to spell Volkswagen with a line saying 'Its not a car its 'Das Auto'', it included the cars present in their range and ofcourse information on their heart - the Chakan plant. That Newspaper was less of 'The Times Of India' and more of 'The Volkswagen Of India'.
Few pages from the advertisement.

THE GRAND UNVEIL

It was finally time for VW to reveal their mass market offering in India. A car that was going to change things for VW.
Volkswagen unveiled two versions of the Polo, First was the standard Indian version and the Second was the Race Polo.

Jochem Heizmann, Neeraj Garg and other members of board with the car.


Flash Red Polo Highline showed at the 2010 Auto Expo.


Polo Trendline in the Reflex Silver shade.

The Indian version was introduced in three variants Trendline, Comfortline and Highline. On the exterior, aesthetics wise the car was typically Volkswagen, clean, simple and bold lines. The car not only looked like a VW but also felt like one, the hefty doors, the proper 'thud' the doors closed with, consistent panel gaps. These factors made it evident that Volkswagen hadn't compromised on the quality and their German DNA.
The moment you stepped inside the Polo everything felt like it was built to last, the black and beige interiors further added to the appeal. Galvanised body with 6 years anti-perforation and anti-corrosion warranty came as standard, body coloured bumpers and mirrors, 15" Alloys on the highline trim, Tilt and Telescopic steering, green tinted heat absorbing glass, dual airbags, Air conditioning. There were signs of cost cutting like the clear lense headlamps, sober looking Alloys which were inferior to the global spec but that didn't take away the fact that the Polo really did feel impressive.

Solid Dual tone interiors.

The dash had a simple layout with two large AC vents on the top followed by the music system and AC controls, The only thing that felt off were the plastics that were a bit too hard but the interiors were solid nonetheless. Fit and finish was leagues ahead of it's rivals. Practicality wise the car was good if not great, space in the front was decent but the serious problem laid in the second row where the space was extremely poor, seating taller people at the back meant they'd end up rubbing their knees to the chest.
Everything was simple and had a reason behind it. Sure, the Polo wasn't futuristic, both in terms of features and design, it wasn't flashy, right in your face type, like most of its rivals but it had its own charm, it was surely stylish and handsome. The baby VW was understated like other VW's and was extremely sophisticated.



A low slung hatch in the era of tallboys.


A fully kitted out silver VW Polo. It did grab a fair amount of eyeballs.


Sporty 10" Alloys.

There were total of three engine options showcased, The first was a 1.2 MPI producing 75 bhp at 5400 Rpm churning out 11.22 kgm of peak torque at 3750 Rpm, Second was a brand new 1.2 TDI Common Rail Diesel which was going to make its debut in the Indian Polo, producing identical power as the 1.2 MPI at 75 bhp and churning 18.36 Kgm of torque at 2000 Rpm But this engine was going to be available only from may 2010 onwards. Third was the 1.6 MPI which was expected later in October 2010.

Race Polo with the combination of grey and orange strips.

The second version was the Race Polo, it was going to be seen on the tracks. It featured a 1.6 Common Rail Diesel engine with an output of 130 BHP at 4400rpm while producing 25.51kgm of max torque at 1500-2500 RPM. It came with 6-speed manual gearbox, aerodynamic body kit with front and rear spoiler, 17" alloy wheels, adjustable Sachs race suspension, built-in head protection in the race seat, a 6 point seatbelt prepared for HANS System, and additional display and data logger system with on board camera. Safety features of the Volkswagen Race Polo included FIA approved roll cage, fire extinguisher system, ventilated 312 mm disk front and 232 mm disc brake rear, electrical cut-off system and a race brake system with four-piston fixed caliper.

stripped down interiors with only the necessities.

Volkswagen even showcased the mighty Phaeton but Polo was an absolute eyeball magnet at the 2010 Expo, there were no two ways about it.

Dancers welcoming the New Polo. In a traditional VW way.

THE MEDIA DRIVE

The Media Drives, they were held in late Feb 2010. Ofcourse VW being VW, the media drive of the Polo was one of the biggest in the industry.

Polo in its Birthplace, the Chakan Plant.

The car was packaged well but few features from the European spec were still missing. While the Trendline only offered basic features like Air conditioning, 14" steel wheels with cover, body coloured bumpers, tilt and telescopic steering, the Comfortline was better equipped. It was the Highline which offered 15" alloys, Rear defogger & wiper, MP3 player and 4 speakers, Remote opening and closing windows, Front and Rear fog lamps etc. The best part for all the Indian would be the horn, it was similar sounding to the Octy and Jetta, it screamed German. Interestingly, it was specially modified for India due to the obsession of Indians with horns.

Hard plastic interiors yet rock solid, no rattles or squeaks whatsoever.


An easy to read simple instrument cluster. The chrome rings surrounding the dials were absolute class.


Typical European style headlamp switch. Pulling it switched on the front and rear fogs.

On the inside, the combination of black and beige and chrome looked elegant. The steering was just the perfect size, A small rectangular cutting on the lower spoke was a nice touch. The indicator stalks were on the left and wiper controls on the right, another typical European trait in the Polo. The AC was a chiller, it cooled down the cabin in no time, thanks to the large AC vents. The front row unlike the rear was very practical with a glovebox which was the largest in the segment, two big bottle holders and small storage places around the gear and handbrake. The front seats were comfortable and supportive but on a firmer side. The boot was the second biggest in the class at around 280 litres, after the Figo at 284 litres. You could easily increase the space by folding down the seats which were standard across the range.

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The Uncomfortable second row was a major let down in the Polo.

The second row was a disaster, there was just no space there. Taller passengers had no choice other than burying their knees in the back of the front seats. Moreover the High transmission tunnel made the 5th passenger uncomfortable. Thank god atleast the headroom was generous with adjustable headrests. Even if the only problem was the space back there, one didn't feel claustrophobic Because of the larger windows and the smart quarter glass.
While everything else was up to mark, the most important things in the cars just weren't. The Engines, both 1.2 MPI and 1.2 TDI were very disappointing, they were clearly contradictory to the brilliant chassis and handling dynamics of the polo.

Striking looking 3rd quarter.


The 1.2 MPI in the bay, clearly showed what a downsized engine VW was offering.

Starting off with the 1.2 MPI, it was same as the Fabia's 1.2 MPI but produced more power and torque. The good part about this engine was it was refined but only if you didn't rev it too hard. It also had a relatively strong bottom-end unlike the Fabia's. The gearbox was the best in segment with its light and crisp shifts. The engine wasn't lazy, it delivered power on demand but the power was limited. This engine was nowhere near the 1.2 4-cylinder K series. Futher VW had tuned this engine for Fuel economy hence the main focus wasn't power but with 17.7 Kmpl ARAI claimed mileage the Polo wasn't far from its japnese rivals in terms of the FE.

Nicely packaged engine, with the 'TDI' lettering.

Jumping into the 1.2 TDI Polo, unlike the 1.2 MPI this engine was brand new and came from the family of 2.0 TDI common Rail engines, again with a cylinder cut off. Even this engine couldn't be really called fast, it churned out 180 NM at 2000 RPM which was significantly more than the 1.2 MPI but unlike the MPI it was a noisy affair, even more so when it was under weight. It was a good cruiser at best. The serious problem with this engine was below 2000 Rpm when the turbo would take a heck lot of time to spool up, it would go completely off boost and gave a severe turbo-lag but the moment you crossed the 2000 Rpm mark the turbo woke up and pulled strongly, that is when the polo moved forward convincing.

Low slung uncluttered rear with the stubby tailamps.

0-100 was not something to boast about at 17.6 seconds. Overall both the engines weren't impressive at all and were only great relaxed commuters at best.
The best part about the car was its ride and handling capabilities, the high speed stability of the car was rock solid, it inspired tremendous confidence. Polo behaved like a big car on the Highways. The ride quality was also plush like the bigger Jetta, all thanks to the relatively stiff suspension. Even the brakes were good, the bite was enough to bring the Polo quickly to a standstill in case of an emergency. The Highline was more than adequately equipped. The quality was typically European. the car was well adapted to India. All in all, the car was well rounded package, it lived up to the expectations.
The only problem were the engines. Both 1.2 litres were totally mismatched. Polo absolutely deserved a powerful mill. Hence, now all eyes shifted with hope at the 1.6 MPI codenamed EA113 which was due to arrive late 2010.

A sea of Polo's from the drive waiting at the pit stop.

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GERMAN ENGINEERING, MADE IN INDIA

Mumbai launch of the New Polo.

Finally on 23rd February 2010, The highly anticipated Volkswagen was launched at a shocking price of just 4.34 lakhs for the Trendline 1.2 MPI (Petrol) and with an on point tagline of 'German Engineering, Made in India' that was exactly what the Polo was here to offer.

Members of the board with the New Polo in its signature Flash Red.

Other prices were as follows :-
4.83 lakhs for comfortline 1.2 MPI (Petrol)
5.72 lakhs for top of line Highline 1.2 MPI (Petrol)
5.32 lakhs for Trendline 1.2 TDI CR (Diesel)
5.81 lakhs for Comfortline 1.2 TDI CR (Diesel)
6.70 lakhs for top of the line Highline (Diesel)
(All prices Ex-showroom)
The Trendline and Comfortline were competitively priced but the Highline was priced more than what was expected. The prices for the top-end trims were significantly higher than the segment leader Swift priced at 5.16 lakhs and 5.26 lakhs for Petrol and Diesel respectively. But then Swift was nowhere near the tank like built, German engineering, Quality and Dynamics of the polo and these factors made the polo worth every penny and not to forget the class and value of the Volkswagen brand that was associated with the Polo. Surprisingly the Polo even undercut its cousin rival the Skoda Fabia at this price which wasn't a usual case, as VW was positioned a notch higher than Skoda.

Polo and the Fabia standing in the Chakan plant.

However, Volkswagen achieved an initial localisation level of 50% alot higher than Fabia's 20%. The major parts and components of the car were imported like the engines, alloys among others but the minor parts were locally sourced. Volkswagen planned to increase it to 80 percent by 2012. The deliveries of the 1.2 MPI Polos were scheduled from 8th March onwards while the Turbo Direct Injection and larger MPI was only going to come later.

Presenting a photo from the 2010 brochure.

Around this time Volkswagen went berserk with marketing, they advertised Polo like anything. For starters, they printed a see through Polo cutout times of India, multiple banners all over India, they even arranged a 'Polo Stunt Show' where Ronny Wechselberger, one of World's top stunt performers was himself behind the wheel to put the Polo through several heart thumping stunts. and the craziest one, they hung a banner advertising the New Polo to a Chopper and flew that Chopper over the city. Off topic but when they launched the New Vento, they hung a Vento on a building! There was absolutely nobody who could even come close to VW in the marketing game. They did just everything possible to show how much money they could burn.

Notice the Banner with the Polo.


Multiple hoardings in multiple cities.


The Vento hung on the right hand, CRAZY to say the least!




Ronny Wechselberger pushing the Polo to the limits.
Source: Motor beam

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THE HOT POLO 1.6

The 1.6 MPI Finally found its way into the market in September 2010. This EA113 was Volkswagen's attempt to try their hands out in the high performance petrol hatch segment which was a niche back in 2010.

Two models posing with the new Polo 1.6.

Coming to the most important point, this 1.6 was Fast! VW claimed that this 4-cylinder unit was a good three seconds faster than the regular 3-cylinder Polo in 0-100 and touched the top speed of 183.8 kmph quicker comparatively. The 1598 CC unit produced 105 PS at 5250 RPM and 153 NM of torque at 3750 RPM. The 1.6 unit was first offered in the Vento and was a larger brother of the 1.2 MPI. This 1.6 was a car for the people who loved flooring the gas pedal and Volkswagen very well knew it, this was just the perfect car to do it, slam the accelerator in any gear and you'd be strongly pulled by this fantastic motor. The sound insulation level of the car was also surprisingly good but only on low speeds, the moment the arrow started rushing towards the redline the engine would be very much audible.

A wolf in sheep's clothing got real with the 1.6.

The Polo 1.6 was even quicker than its biggest competitor the already quick swift and that meant something.
One of the downsides for some people was that the Polo 1.6 didn't have the show to match the go, it looked exactly the same as the 1.2, there was no way you could distinguish the Polo 1.6 from 1.2. The only way to find whether it was a 1.6 was on the bootlide where the badging said 'Polo 1.6'. But that meant VW truly believed in subtlety.

The ABS was well calibrated, it returned an okay mileage of 11 kmpl. Volkswagen also did a Phenomenal job of pricing the 1.6 at just 6.16 lakhs it was just 20,000 more than the 1.2 and VW was able to price this even after paying the heavy excise duty which was enforced on the larger 1600 cc engine. The only reason to switch over to the 1.2 was the fuel efficiency other than that there was no relevant reason to ignore this warm hatch which was also probably the fastest hatch in the country. Nearly everything was perfect not to forget the Hydraulic steering unit which made parking the polo anyone's cup of tea. Now was it successful or not? well, that's anyone's guess.

THE ACTION MODELS

After a successful first year of the Vento, VW launched a special edition Vento IPL on 9th March 2011 to further increase the IPL craze. It was a success and drawing inspiration from that success Volkswagen launched the Polo and Vento Breeze editions on 9th September 2011, immediately after 6 months of launching the IPL Vento.
These editions were the 'Action Models' according to VW which would help them improve sales.

Here's an advert of the Vento and Polo breeze.

Volkswagen also arranged a 'Breeze Festival Weekend' on 10th September to mark the celebration of the first ever limited Special Edition Polo. Being a special edition, the Polo came with host of added features like Satellite Navigation System, Leather seats, Pillows and Floor Mats with 'Breeze' branding and Rear Park Distance Control. This special edition was offered on all Petrol variants of the Polo. The fact that this edition was priced at par with the normal variants of the Polo made this car extremely value for money, you could get added features at the same price of a normal Polo without paying extra. The Vento Breeze on the other hand got only a touchscreen multimedia Player with USB and Bluetooth connectivity and the Breeze branded pillows. The Vento Breeze though was available in both petrol and diesel trendline.

Notice the decals on the C pillar.


After a very successful full first year of production, successful because Volkswagen sold around 38,634 polos. No doubt the polo had a great debut. 2011 was the first and the best year for the baby VW as it never reached that high annual sales mark ever again.

IPL EDITION

In March 2012, to further increase the 'Action models' lineup Volkswagen launched the Polo IPL and the Vento IPL for the second time. It was for the first time polo was being associated with the Indian Premier League. The IPL Polo and Vento got an interactive car-pad with a touch-screen multimedia player that included a built-in navigation system and social-networking options for the rear passengers, i-Pod control, built-in micro SD and mini USB interface, supporting MP3/ WMA, interface for parking assist and Bluetooth. It also got plush leatherette seats, specially crafted door sill garnish with IPL logo embossed on it and floor mats adorned with the IPL logo.

The Polo was 2 years old which meant it was now facing stiffer competition from its rivals especially in the feature department. Could an update help the Polo to take things back in its stride again?

THE FIRST UPDATE

Polo got its first update on 5th September 2012. It was clear that the Polo was lacking behind in equipment. The special editions were limited and were destined to few hence the update. This was just an update and not a facelift. Updating the hatch was a smart move because the car now offered more value, the Trendline now got some more features other than the basic ones, the comfortline now offered more features, features like one touch up down windows, illuminated window up-down switches, Rear wiper-washer and defogger came as standard. Now one could truly call it a mid variant.
The blackened out headlamps, new 'Estrada' alloys, steering mounted controls, new music system, RCD 310 audio system, USB and AUX port, audio controls on the steering wheel, leather wrapped steering wheel with chrome insert and reverse parking sensors as standard were only offered on the Highline.

http://youtu.be/ANvg3TcRFEc?si=zMnFC0MAUzDxg_eb

Here's a TV commercial of the updated VW Polo.

Again surprisingly, updated diesel highline was cheaper than the previous one. The prices of other variants were up just a little. But the two downsides of the car still continued, the engines, both 1.2 TDI and MPI. Now that it were 2 years since the launch, problems with the Polo, the high maintenance costs and some failure issues were coming to light.

Here are a few photos of the brochure









The Torque and Power graph of the engine.


The Accessory Brochure of the Polo

The 1.6 MPI though was phased out in just 2 years because of low demand. The engine which made the Polo 'Hot Hatch' was no longer alive. Polo was back on the two lackluster engines because the 1.6 was one of the best parts about the Polo. What next? A badge synonymous with Volkswagen.

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GRAND TOURISM

It was 3 years since the launch, the issues with the car had chimed up, the competition was on all time high, both the lackluster 1.2's and phasing out of the 1.6 added to make things worse for the Polo. All the competitors were best in their respective areas. The Swift had its own customers who preferred the low maintenance nature of it, who liked it for its cute look, The i20 was flooded with gimmicks and gizmos similarly the Punto, i10, Vista, Figo everybody had their plus points, the Polo on the other side was now feeling inferior in the segment because of the high maintenance nature of it coming to the light, oil pump, injector failure issues, the after sales of the company, less features and the most famous ABS sensor failures. Volkswagen was very well understanding it, also, their first attempt in cracking the hot hatch segment with 1.6 flopped, there was no other option but to pull the ace out and there arrived the GT TSI.



GT TSI at the launch event.


'GT TSI' written on the C pillar, tastefully done.


Same subtle interiors as the standard Polo.

The TSI tech from VW was a well accomplished and a much anticipated technology. Volkswagen always wished to bring the TSI technology in India but because it was an expensive affair there were no TSI's at launch. Introducing the TSI engine's with the new top GT line was just the right step. So, basically TSI was or is a technology which combines Direct Injection and turbocharging and as a result the engine produces much impressive power and torque outputs. In simple words even small capacity TSI engines can produce great numbers as compared to regular bigger capacity ones. The engine gave you both power as well as fuel efficiency.

The GT around the corners.


The advanced State-of-the-art TSI under the hood that loved to be revved.

The 1.2 TSI was the engine Polo needed from day 1, it was just perfect for the Polo. It was perfect for the great dynamics, handling and stability of the VW. After testing, which only started in the third quarter of 2012, It was on 29 th April 2013 the second hope of Volkswagen was launched. With the EA111, Polo was given the 'Hot Hatch' title finally again. Volkswagen was trying their luck second time with the TSI in this hot segment but this time around it seemed that they had got it all right. The New Polo GT TSI was launched at the Ex showroom price of 7.99 lakhs. A two-DIN RCD 320 with USB, Aux, SD Card, Bluetooth, 4 speakers and steering-mounted audio controls, Climate control equipped with a dust and pollen filter, new fabric upholstery that VW called Milan Titanschwarz and door sill 'GT TSI' nameplate.

The RCD-320 and Automatic climate control surrounded by piano black.


A close look at the fantastic Dual Clutch Transmission, the double stitched effect is a nice touch.


GT TSI on the driver door sill.


What a stance and what a car!

Visually on the exterior the Polo GT was same as the normal one but surprisingly there were no 'Volkswagen' or 'Polo' badges anywhere on the car instead there was just 'GT TSI' on the bootlide and 'GT' on the front grill, the only differentiating factor from the 1.2s. The engine produced 103bhp of power (which was equal to the 1.6 MPI) and 175 NM of torque. The TSI motor was mated to a Fantastic seven speed dual clutch DSG similar to the one on the Superb petrol, yes! So what was the Polo GT like to drive? The engine was a performer as expected, There were no Jerks or turbo lag. The peak torque kicked in just 1400 Rpm as a result of which the engine had a very punchy midrange. Put your foot down and you could immediately feel the response, at around 2500 RPM the engine let out a growling sound which was a treat to the ears. The first-in-class DSG was perfectly paired to the 1.2 TSI. The superior spread of torque ensured the low speed drivability of the Polo was good.
With this phenomenal motor and driving dynamics of the Polo just imagine how well it would perform on the uphill section of the mountains. No matter which corner the polo went through, it always held you in the right place it almost seemed that this VW belonged to the twisty sections of the hills.

The GT filled the gap in the segment which was empty from decades and one the enthusiasts craved for. At 7.99 lakhs the car was on a premium side but then it gave the hatchback segment things nobody could imagine and were alien to the segment (in a good way) and above all by achieving 17.9 kmpl (ARAI) claimed mileage the GT also satisfied the 'Kitna deti hai' crowd!

The Deep black GT.

THE BOLD POLO

European spec Cross Polo.

The SUV craze was increasing day by day and people were spending their money for the butch looks of the SUV's, what could make a hatchback look like an SUV? Bold styling, cladding all around, increase in ground clearance, nice name and roof rails? well, the Polo just got bolder. That's exactly what Volkswagen did, they launched the Cross Polo in August 2013 at 7.75 lakhs (ex- showroom).

The Cross Polo was a great blend of elegance and toughness.

Cross Polo looked like a tough hatch trying to be an SUV thanks to its matte body cladding, nice chunky 15" alloys and Functional roof Rails which could carry 75 kgs of load. It looked very robust yet handsome. Under the skin the Cross Polo was identical to the Polo hatch. Cross Polo was launched with 1.2 TDI again identical to the normal hatch. The Cross Polo was here to rival the Etios Liva cross and the Fabia Scout (which was a flop).
This version of the polo was greatly suitable for India because of the increased ground clearance which was always the problem with the regular Polo and the nice bold SUV-ish looks which it offered.

Overall this version of the Polo was quite unique in itself and hugely desirable but, remains a rare sight down the Indian streets.

THE DIESEL GT

The GT TSI in April, Cross Polo in August and now guess what was due to come in September!

THE GT TDI.

The GT TDI, You heard that right, a freaking GT TDI. VW also offered a GT TDI and not only TSI. The yet another exceptionally powerful polo mated to a 5 speed manual came on 13 th September, 2013. The 1.6 TDI CR engine which the Polo borrowed from vento and the Rapid saloons was the ultimate thing to boast about.
It produced identical power and torque to its siblings at 105 PS and whopping 250 NM at 1500-2500 RPM and not to forget that this motor helped Polo get the 'GT TDI' Badge on the bootlide. This 1.6 was way way better than the 1.2 TDI but the two were from the same Common Rail family though. This TDI unlike the 1.2 TDI did wonders in the Polo GT TDI. The GT TDI was like a dream to drive. Despite being a blast to drive this 1.6 motor returned a respectable efficiency, afterall the Polo was 90 kgs lighter than its siblings the Vento and Rapid.

A good to hold three spoke unit.


Automatic climate control from the Vento.

Equipment wise the GT TDI was fairly loaded, it included lane change indicator, climatronic automatic air conditioning, RCD 320 two din music system but there was nothing different to set it apart from the regular highline, both equipment wise and asthetics wise, you couldn't be able to distinguish the regular polo and the GT TDI, to do that you would have to go at the rear and read that GT TDI badging on the bootlide. Even the 'Estrada' alloys were common amongst others but VW did give the GT TDI small changes like 'milan' upholstery, GT scuff plates, aluminium pedal cluster.

GT Playing in the mud.


A Classy yet sporty hatch.

At 8.08 lakhs (ex showroom) the mighty Polo was asking premium but then it deserved that price tag because it was even more fun than the GT TSI. The GT TDI was really an ideal hot hatch for masses just that the excise duty which came with the bigger 1.6 didn't help in the pricing but then who was expecting volumes from hot hatches back then anyways.

A hatch to leave your worries behind.

To conclude, the GT TDI remains one of the best drivers oriented hatch an absolute sleeper car which didn't like to show off its power. It was a car one would go for eyes closed but unfortunately the sales never took off and as a result today its very difficult to find a nice well maintained GT TDI. Lastly, For those who think the GT TSI is the ideal, drive the GT TDI! Afterall a diesel is a diesel.

[Ayu8648]

While the Polo was on the ball, it's sibling the Skoda Fabia got discontinued, reason ofcourse being minimal sales and losses incurred. Launched in 2008, skoda was only able to sell 45,000 Fabia's in 5-6 years. Moreover reports suggested that skoda was loosing 1.5 lakhs on each car sold! Fabia never really saw success even though it was a fantastic premium hatch and Skoda itself was responsible for that to a certain extent. In some ways the Fabia was even better than the Polo, for instance, the the hefty built. Polo was praised alot for its built from the very beginning but the Fabia was even more solidly built and even offered features from segments above. It was better in many areas and was launched way before the Polo. A great car without a doubt.

Both the GT's in one frame.

Now hopping back onto the Polo, sales were increasing and the car was doing fairly well, but it was as clear as a crystal that it was lacking behind the competition in terms of the equipment as compared to its rivals, especially its Korean and Japanese counterparts. Despite of having advanced features it felt a bit under equiped because of the ever increasing feature lists of the competition. But nonetheless fans continued showering love on the Polo ignoring the feature list. But now, a serious update was urgently needed.

A BIG SURPRISE

2014 was a year of many surprises (both good and bad) for many manufacturers besides VW. Global Ncap independently started conducting crash tests for various cars sold in India and the level of astonishment after the tests were just too high. Cars who were topping the sales charts were failing terribly in the crash tests and vice versa. Everyone was extremely shocked by the safety standards of the cars in India. Further adding to the astonishment, when the Polo was tested in its base trim (Trendline), you won't believe it but it scored zero stars! yes a Volkswagen scoring zero stars.

Crash test of the Trendline-Polo.

Its unbelievable, isn't it? especially today when the 2.0 cars are the first scoring full 5 stars not only for adults but also for child occupants in India. But dislikers, just before you poke fun at the Polo, let me tell you'll not everything was wrong, even though the car scored zero stars, the body shell was rated stable and could take more load on higher speeds.
Now coming to the good part, the Polo along with the Trendline trim was also tested in its Highline trim which had two airbags, that ladies and gentlemen scored a shocking four stars!

Crash test of the Highline-Polo.

A premium hatch scoring four stars was a big deal back then but the major problem laid in the Trendline trim. While other manufacturers were busy doubting GNCAP's standard and blaming them to hide their car's poor safety, VW didn't do so. In fact they raised the bar by giving two airbags as standard across all variants which made Polo the safest hatch in the country. This brand was the first to standardize airbags in a car when there was no compulsion to do so. For other brands that was just an unnecessary increase in cost of the car but for Volkswagen that showed their inclination towards their customers safety.

THE FIRST FACE-LIFT

VW was in the talks again not only for the upcoming facelifts of Polo and Vento that were due to come later that year but also for a new subcompact sedan, yes it was the Ameo. The interesting part was that it was going to be based on the Polo (basically a Polo with a boot stubbed on its rear) but unlike the Vento it was going to be under 4 metres in length. It was for the first time VW designers had to Design a sedan that was below 4 metres in length, in order to meet India's special requirements.
This sedan was going to arrive with a brand new 1.5 TDI engine, which was rumoured to do the duty even in the facelifted Polo and Vento. Moreover, to keep costs in check, VW planned to locally assemble the engine, another huge step towards their commitment to India. This all new 1.5 TDI engine was developed specifically for the indian market, it was a downsized version of the 1.6 TDI CR and now the not-so-ideal 1.2 TDI was finally going to find its way out. VW invested about 240 crores for establishing the new engine assembly line in its plant in pune and made the 1.5 TDI the first engine to be assembled in the country.

Michael Mayer, Brand Director Volkswagen with the Polo at the launch.


Only 'Polo' and 'TDI' written on the bootlide.

The New Polo Facelift was launched in July of 2014 at an introductory price of 4.99 lakhs (ex-showroom)
Other prices were as follows-

* Volkswagen Polo 1.2 MPI – Rs. 4.99 – 6.07 lakhs
* Volkswagen Polo 1.5 TDI – Rs. 6.27 – 7.37 lakhs
* Volkswagen Cross Polo – Rs. 7.90 lakhs
* Volkswagen Polo GT TDI – Rs. 7.99 lakhs
* Volkswagen Polo GT TSI – Rs. 7. 99 lakhs

Polo in the beautiful copper Orange shade.

On the exterior, you could see the changes only if you keenly observed because the changes were so minimal that you could easily take your eyes off the Polo thinking its the normal pre-facelifted one. The facelifted Polo featured slightly tweaked bumpers both on the front and rear. A new chrome strip running in the front bumpers. The Estrada alloys were replaced with the all new 'Tosa' ones and on the back the the car got new graphics for the taillamps. Moreover it also gained two fantastic colours the Night Blue and the Copper Orange, the glacier blue was discontinued.

Identical dash to the pre facelift Polo just a new steering.

The Facelifted Polo was still behind the European spec Polo in terms of looks and features. On the Inside it just got a new flat bottom steering wheel, Satin finish surrounded the central console, the red themed MID was Changed to white rest of the interiors remained more or less the same. Equipment wise it gained a few features like the cilmatronic AC from the Vento, a two-din audio system which supported Bluetooth, Aux-in compatibility as well as a memory card slot but there was nothing worth noticing.

The new graphics for the tailamps.


The new efficient and powerful mill.

So coming to the most important part about the new Polo, the engine, the all new 1.5 TDI. This was the first engine to be spawned out of Chakan, the engines used before were mostly imported straight from Germany, Poland or South Africa. The all new 4-cylinder unit produced 90 PS and a healthy 230 NM of peak torque between 1500-2500 Rpm, this engine was a delight to drive and was leagues ahead of the three pot 1.2 TDI that it replaced in all possible ways, right from the almost negligible vibrations at idle to the way it built power. The 1.5 motor was even more silent than the 1.6 on which it was based, Unlike the 1.2 which suffered a huge turbo lag under 2000 RPM, this turbo woke right on time to get the polo move quickly. This engine gave you power right when you needed it. The superb suspension and highway manners of the Polo added up to the fun.
This TDI should've been offered in the Polo at the launch in 2010 itself but VW took it's own sweet time. Overall, The facelifted polo added value to the package and with that fantastic new TDI it polished the already near perfect product.

An advertisement from late 2014.


Main features of the Facelifted Polo.

Polo Facelift done, what next? Yes, the Polo GT TDI, Polo GT TSI and Volkswagen knows why but even the Cross Polo got updated. Both the GT siblings were doing fairly good but the Cross Polo clearly wasn't but VW decided to give it a shot anyway.
Out of the three, The GT TDI got the most prominent update. VW removed the 1.6 TDI altogether from the Polo and Vento and instead planned to give the highly tuned version of the 1.5 TDI (Which by the way wasn't a good idea).
All the three cars were launched in late 2014. Both the GT twins were priced at par at Rs 7.99 lakhs (ex showroom) and the Cross polo at Rs 7.90 lakhs.

GT TSI 2014

A cool tagline for the new GT's.

Starting off by the GT TSI, it remained the same, just a couple of design queues from the normal polo, a few tweaks here and there in the interior, couple of added features including ESP and Hill hold Assist over the GT TDI and there, the GT TSI was ready. Even mechanically nothing changed, super slick shifting 7 speed DSG, the fantastic 1.2 TSI stayed. A drive in it and you'd realise it was more or less the same. The grunt at any given RPM, the chameleon like stability, Redlining over 6000 RPM and ofcourse the mileage. the GT TSI was just updated for the sake of getting it in line with the new styling of the normal Polo.

GT TDI 2014



The Facelifted Diesel GT in the dealer stockyard with the protective sheets on.

Most eminent update was the GT TDI, As a beast of an engine, the 1.6 TDI was removed from the bay it was yet to see how the highly tuned 1.5 version did the job in the Diesel GT. Though this 1.5 had the identical output of 105PS and 250 NM the sudden torque boost of the 1.6 was gone. Unlike the lunatic boost of the 1.6 this 1.5 build power gradually, the driveability of the car was improved as said by the journos. The stability and the other mechanical aspects stayed the same as before.
Back in 2013, difference between the 1.2 TDI and the 1.6 TDI were different as day and night. This new 1.5 GT though was perfectly a Rocket just as before but this time, this fact was less highlighted because unlike earlier the difference between the performance of the normal Polo and the bigger GT wasn't much.

Estrada Alloys carried over from the pre facelift. No complaints as they suited the car well.

So Coming to the most important question was the GT TDI worth at a premium of 62 k than the highline TDI Polo which wasn't as cumbersome as the old 1.2? well it would always depend on your priorities, if you were someone who was practical and was okay with the normal 1.5 then the extra 62,000 were completely unnecessary, but if you were a person who took decisions with your heart, the GT TDI was the one.

http://youtu.be/xbNdU4bWj0E?si=OcjKKRRwOn7eqJR8

A cool Television commercial of the Facelifted GTs

Cross Polo 2014

One classy looking Cross Hatch.

There were barely any changes made to the Cross Polo. the car was similar as before on the exterior and even on the inside nothing changed apart from the new steering. This was a last shot from VW to revive the sales of the Cross hatch but as you can see there weren't any noticeable updates, it was but obvious that the Cross Polo still wasn't going to set the sales charts on fire.

Polo Exquisite Edition

VW had taken the success of The breeze and IPL editions very very seriously (It would've been a different story if VW took launching the new generation of the polo later this seriously) because coming up were a slew of special editions. One of it was the Polo Exquisite Edition, It was based on the Highline trim and featured add-ons like 'Polo' Scuff plates, detachable window blinds, black roof foil, ORVMs and centre console with carbon fibre finish, side body moulding and trunk garnish.

Polo Allstar Edition
Another special edition was the Polo All-star, this particular edition was very nicely done, it was based on the comfortline trim of the car. the Blue silk shade from the Ameo made it to the polo, Rear Ac vents, Aluminium pedals, An 'Allstar' badging made it to the B Pillar, New 'Linas' Alloys and well suiting black and grey interiors.

An edition which definitely gets all stars, also what a beautiful shade!


2015 saw Volkswagen fell on its face because of the diesel gate scandal. It enormously affected the brand globally as well as in India. All the means were directed towards fixing the blunder thus pausing the new developments. But there were some launches and reveals in the pipeline still. Now after this BIG hit VWs main focus shifted towards reshaping the brand's image but then again it needed investments. It was surely a huge task. Cars were affected and recalled in India as well but its not known how cars were really fixed. Nearly 3.2 lakh VAG cars were affected including 15 models manufactured between 2008 to 2015. All the 2.0 common Rail series diesels being victims of this disaster including the new 1.5 TDI.

[Ayu8648]

The Unicorn

Performance had always been in the DNA of Volkswagen and it showed in the cars they offered, Especially the GT twins made the inclination more obvious. Nonetheless a superhot hatch with loads and Literally loads of power was still pending and VWs legendary GTI badge also hadn't made it to India yet. So basically, GTI is to Volkswagen what RS is to Audi or Abarth is to Fiat, A hot, quick, aggressive and powerful version of their regular car.
VW imported a Red GTI (4 Door) for testing, it was rumoured to have the 1.8 TSI as its heart. It was still not known how VW was going to position the GTI as there were no real competitors of the car, perhaps the only one car comparable to the GTI was the Mini Cooper S priced at around 40 lakhs.
Test Mule looked pretty similar to the regular polo, but ofcourse looked even more sporty. Housing new LEDs (FINALLY!) , new front Bumpers , new graphics for the rear lamps and dual exhaust.

The first GTI 4-door spotted testing near Chakan MIDC.


A two-door GTI spotted testing for the first time.

GTI was unveiled in the 2016 Auto Expo and formally launched in September at an exorbitant tag of 25.99 lakhs. The car launched was unexpectedly the three door version unlike the four door test mule, which made an already desirable package even more desirable (I mean just look at the car!). To avoid confusion between the regular Polo GT TSI and the Polo GTI, the 'GTI' dropped the Polo badge altogether, leaving just GTI written on the boot. While it might looked similar to the Polo, the similarity was just limited to the looks because otherwise it was nothing like the Polo, If the GT TSI was good the GTI was the best-est.

GTI at the 2016 Expo.

On the inside the basic layout of the dashboard remained the same as that of the regular Polo but what made your 25 odd lakhs feel worth was the quality that could give some of the luxury marques a run for their money. The special details like the leather wrapped GTI inscribed steering (with Paddle shifters by the way), stainless steel pedals and the lovely GTI spec seats with red stitching were a welcome addition. Just everything about this car was sexy.

A timeless and classy looking dashboard that screamed quality.


Beautiful vintage-themed seats.


Beautiful old-school analogue cluster.


Big Screen than the standard car with crisp graphics.


Perfect Alloys for a car like GTI.

Feature list on the other hand was good but couldn't be exactly called overwhelming as it missed out on some basic ones like a rear view camera, keyless go, engine start stop, electrically foldable ORVMs and even Navigation despite of having a larger screen than the regular car. The GTI offered a healthy safety kit, Electronic differential lock, 6 Airbags, all disc brakes, hill start assist, Anti slip Regulation, EDTC came standard.

A stunning photo of Team Bhpian Anand Padhye's GTI.

Being a CBU it was launched in one variant sporting the 1.8 TSI with 189 hp and 250 NM (from the Octy). The car achieved the top whack of 233 kmph and did 0-100 in just 7.2 seconds. This car was an absolute absolute hoot to drive, put your foot down and there it took off like an aeroplane (not kidding). The GTI had mastered the Handling and dynamics department, It was a dream around corners, point where you want to go and it went without minding the speeds. It gave the amount of power that you'd rarely put down on Indian roads. GTI was a perfect blend of power and simplicity, it didn't show off the crazy power it had, anyone would think its a normal car until they sat in the driver seat and ripped off that machine. Now that type of subtlety was perfectly a part of an enthusiastic machine.

The heart of the matter-EA888, now the bay looks perfect.


Notice the Rising window line towards the end.


Here's a page from the GTI's brochure.

Volkswagen took its own time to bring the legendary GTI badge to India but they did, their attempt didn't make any difference though, as the GTI was a huge sales disaster as anybody can guess because India was simply not mature enough to accept the car. The only people who bought the car were either hardcore VW fans or enthusiasts. Its said that VW had to clear off the inventory by offering discounts up to 7.5 lakhs and trust me people who bought that car at that price would surely make up to the 'luckiest man on Earth' list. Today its extremely hard to spot a GTI as only 99 of them exist!
(Folks who own a GTI, please keep them in a great shape, let all the 99 be among the best examples)

Another Gorgeous GTI belonging to Team Bhpian Santoshbhat.


Who says only Red polo's are love at first sight?

Polo Anniversary Edition

In 2017 Volkswagen celebrated its 10th birthday in India by launching the Polo Anniversary Edition. It was based on the Comfortline trim, it offered 'Razor' alloys, side body graphics. This edition was only available on Candy white, Reflex silver, Flash Red and Blue Silk.

A new Highline Plus variant was also introduced which added Art leather seats, a black-grey interiors colour scheme, 16 inch alloy wheels running on wider 195/55 section tyres, rain sensing wipers, front arm rests, Cruise control, rear AC vents, 6.5 inch touchscreen running Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Twin airbags and ABS+EBD are standard. The new Highline Plus was 24,000 costlier than the Highline.

A Candy white Highline Plus.


New set of 'Portago' Alloys.

Polo GT Sport


A new edition was launched called as the GT Sport, priced 20,000 more than the normal GT TSI AND GT TDI. the additional were purely cosmetic and this variant was only available in Red and white colours. It gained 16" alloys, a blacked out roof, GT Sport decals on the side and a black coloured rear spoiler. The cabin had been trimmed out in leatherette seat covers and got embossed 'GT Sport' badging.

[Ayu8648]

The All new 6th generation Polo was unveiled globally in early 2018. That car was based on the all new MQB platform and exceeded 4 metres in length which meant it wasn't coming to India anytime soon.

The Mk6 Polo, which never made it to India.

Now the Polo was seriously lagging behind, the sales had fallen steeply and were nowhere near to what they used to be in the beginning, Compitition had caught up and were offering major updates to stay relevant in the market, whereas VW was only banking on the minor special editions.
Meanwhile, the Cross Polo was discontinued. Reason being low market response. Even their last chance in 2015 failing to boost the sales of the Cross hatch meant there was no sense to continue the production and talking about the standard Polo, the brilliant Copper Orange shade was discontinued and an equally beautiful looking Toffee brown was introduced.

2018 also saw a major shuffling in the group in India. After the VW group failed to flourish in india under the leadership of VW. Skoda was given the baton to lead the Volkswagen Group in India. The name of the company was changed to 'Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited'. The major reason behind giving Skoda the leadership was because they had more competitive cost structures than VW and were aware of the know-how of the Indian market better than its parent. As a result the Chakan factory was also taken over by Skoda. Four new cars, two Midsize SUVs and Midsize Sedans from each brands based on the MQB AO IN were said to arrive in 2020-2022 but there was no word on the new gen Polo and the Fabia.
Meanwhile the decade old 1.2 MPI failing in the emission test lead to Vw downsizing it to 1.0 MPI, now producing 75 HP and 95 NM torque. Downsizing the MPI made the car lethargic.

Polo Connect Edition

The stylish new Lapiz Blue.

Sometime in October 2018, Volkswagen launched a special edition, yes yet another edition called the Connect Editon. This edition brought in a cool new Lapiz blue shade from the Rapid onyx, a Connect badge on the fender, side foil, carbon finished ORVMs and as the name suggests the car came with Volkswagen Connect app which provided a host of features such as trip tracking, fuel cost monitoring, driving behaviour, location sharing, SOS call and service appointment.

Black & White Edition




In 2019 came the Black and White Edition of the Polo, Black roof spoiler, Body graphics, Black roof, Black and White Seats and Black and white chrome fender badge was offered and also the Black colour made its way for the last time on the polo.

Polo World Cup Edition

Germany cheers for India.


Highlights of the Cup Edition.

As the 2019 world cup kicked off VW released CUP editions of the Polo, Ameo and Vento. CUP edition cars got new alloy wheels, decals and chrome badges. Inside, the cars get new leatherette seat covers.


A photo from Polo's 10th Birthday celebration.

THE LAST FACELIFT

September 2019 saw VW reintroduce the same MK5 Polo and Vento, which they insisted were 'New', as if by just changing the bumper design, people were gonna buy them thinking they are the new gen. The so called 'New Polo' facelift continued with the puny BS4 1.0 MPI, powerful 1.5 TDI and 1.2 TSI.

Steffen Knapp posing with 'New' Polo and Vento.


No changes in the interiors whatsoever.


Switches for the cruise control on the left lever.

Notable change on the out was the GTI bumper and Honey chrome grill. Other changes included faux diffuser treatment at the back and subtle side skirts, new smoked tailamps and graphics similar to the GTI. Giving the Polo the same GTI bumper further made it more difficult to differentiate the normal polo from the GTI. The new Sunset Red made it to the Polo and now the Lapiz blue was offered as standard on the car.

It was 10 years since the launch but the Polo really did look enticing nonetheless .

There were no major feature additions apart from Automatic IRVMs, cooled glovebox, Second row AC etc. Even the cosmetic changes weren't specially done, they were taken straight from the GTI. At this point VW was literally stretching the Rubber band untill broke and struck them back. The High Maintenance tag of the VW brand and the poor second row space was affecting the sales. Other cars which were launched around the similar time in 2010, had received a generational change plus a facelift That's how old the Polo had really become. Even after 10 years of launching the car, the localisation levels were too low, VW was still importing the steel and other major components of the car which was equating to high maintenance. Thus declining the sales. This car did come with VW's 4ever care which included 4 years standard warranty, 4 years roadside assistance and 3 free services but severe changes in their A.S.S were still needed.

Track, Camera, action.

The GT twins were also upgraded with all the latest features on the standard Polo, the TSI continued with the 1.2 TSI mated to the 7 speed DSG and the TDI continued with the 1.5 TDI plus manual.

Feature Highlights of the updated GT's.

http://youtu.be/xQdHzDRy86g?si=yX-DTDMAf2-9nwfP

Here's one of the last TV commercials of the Polo GT.

2020 saw BS6 emissions norms come into play. VW removed the fantastic 1.5 TDI. While other manufacturers used combination of Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and a Lean NOx Trap (LNT) to reduce NOx but this technique wasn't letting VW fetch margins. However, it was possible for the EA189 1.5 diesel engine to comfortably meet BS-VI norms by using Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) which sharply reduced NOx levels, but this complex process of injecting urea into the exhaust to convert harmful NOx into harmless nitrogen and oxygen was simply too expensive for a Polo or a Vento. Adding to the complication was fitting a Urea tank into the cars built on older PQ25 platform which was impossible. Moreover the dirty image stuck onto VW after diesel gate wasnt helping either and so they wanted the play it 'safe'. Hence VW's 1.5 TDI and other diesel engines in general were destined to leave.

With the update came a new Tagline - Power to play.


The familiarity to the GTI was just too strong. Bad luck GTI owners.


The TSI Power!

Even the 1.2 TSI wasn't spared, it gave way to the all new 1.0 TSI engine which was also supposed to do duty in the highly anticipated '2.0 cars'. This 1.0 was also quick it matched the power and torque figures of the 1.2 TSI. This new EA211 series of engines brought in many new configurations like it got a cast-aluminium block and cylinder head with an integrated exhaust manifold. The engines also had forged connecting rods and aluminium pistons and were more compact, lighter and generated less friction; thus making them more efficient than the current crop of naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines.

1.0 TSI in the bay, its the heart that matters afterall.

In simple words, the overall performance of the engine was simply superb, it was one of high tech piece in an otherwise old car. Yes, it did show the 3 cylinder characteristics of it in lower RPMs but once the needle got going the car was a joy to drive. It was one of the fastest hatches in the country which achieved 100 kmph in just 9.15 secs. This new engine complimented well with the chassis of the car, It was a pretty nice mill. The car was fun, the steering though, didn't offer much feedback but weighed up adequately on high speeds. The suspension set-up was stiff but it was all because of that the Polo stayed sure footed on high speeds.

A largely untouched dash over 10 years, absolutely no nonsense


Rear AC Vents and Cup holder in an already congested space.


Gun metal finished Alloys.

VW offered the 1.0 MPI in trendline, Comfortline and Highline the new TSI was only limited to Highline Plus with a Manual, the GT was brought in at a later stage with the aisin torque converter Gearbox for the first and not a DSG, even this GT was brilliant, the shifts, the power delivery were upto VW standards. This car was launched in Lockdown and as a result when lockdown was lifted people literally rushed to VW showrooms to get the car, ignoring the fact that the car was a decade old. The waiting period almost stretched to 6 months! That was how good the new state of art TSI and the Polo still was.

Red and White Edition

The Red and white shade made quite a combination.

Talking about Volkswagen, how can we not mention special editions, A yet another Red and white editon with White roof, white ORVMs, White GT spoiler and side graphics and a fender bagde was released, it was based on the Highline AT trim.

Polo Turbo Edition

Exactly after a year in 2021. Vw introduced the 1.0 TSI mated to a 6 speed manual, later it even got the AT. in the mid Comfortline variant and called it the Turbo Edition, the car got Spoiler from the GT TSI, black caps for the ORVMs and Sporty seat covers. This Turbo Edition was great Value for money at 6.99 lakhs.

The AT gearbox that was offered later on the comfortline plus.


The Turbo siblings.

The Matt Edition Polo

A set of two seriously cool looking cars.

In the festive season, the Matte edition Polo was launched based on GT TSI, It came exclusively in a Matt carbon steel grey paint with black coloured door handles. The car looked absolutely smashing in this paint job and VW sold these in pretty good numbers but it didn't take away the fact that Polo was being dragged even after it was past its expiry.



Another tasteful edition after the All-star.

[Ayu8648]

THE START OF A NEW ERA

Ashish Gupta, Brand Director Volkswagen India with the New Taigun.

Volkswagen launched the much awaited Taigun on September 23, 2021, their first SUV under the 'Sarvottam 2.0' project, it was clear that the company had now shifted its attention from the older models to the newer MQB AO IN based models, It were these new cars which were going to drive volumes for the group and not the decade old PQ 25 based ones, The factory was now retooled to produce the new stars namely the Skoda Kushaq, Skoda Slavia, Volkswagen Taigun and the Volkswagen Virtus. Now that the company had its new volume maker, the polo with more than 2.5 Lakh units sold, could now be finally retired.
It was on February 22, Autocar India broke the news. Volkswagen's bestselling model, the Polo was soon going to be discontinued and there was no replacement planned. This news had many polo owners, fans and enthusiasts in tears, It was after 12 long years the polo was going to hit the brakes. Sure, polo wasn't going to last this century, it had to go someday but a timeless machine going out of production does stir some emotions in you, doesn't it?


A hatch that won millions of hearts.

A last Hurrah to its iconic little hatch, VW launched the Polo Legend Edition limited to just 700 units at 10.25 lakhs, the kit included the 'Legend' fender badge, 'Legend' badge on bootlide, side body decals, and a black roof. Honestly, they could've made this edition feel much more special, there was surely room for alot apart from the usual body decals and badges. But hey, something is better than nothing right?

Elegant looking 'legend' badge on the fender.

These last 700 units were sold literally within weeks. The fact that these units were off the shelves so quickly even when people knew the car was getting discontinued showed how Loved the VW Polo really was! VW released a letter where the hatch thanked her fans and bid adieu. A small online rendezvous between the polo and her fans was also arranged where the fans wrote love letters to the car and the car reached out to them.

An eye watering Good-bye letter from the Polo.

It were a good emotional last few days with the polo until it was gone, gone from the showrooms where it sat on a pedestal waiting for her new family to take her home, gone making way for the new VWs and gone forever from the Chakan Factory which until yesterday saw thousands of polos being made every single day under its roof. What remained were the beautiful memories of the car over those endless 12 years.
So that is how the Story of the Polo ended. A car that stood rooted for 12 long years, years full of ups and downs.

Talk about a design that aged gracefully? Here's the Polo.

polo had a huge responsibility of building the VW brand here which it successfully fulfilled and how! Sure, it didn't match other hatches in terms of sales but very few hatches represented the core values of their respective brands as strongly as the Polo. Also, What other hatches couldn't match is the level of emotional connect people have with the Polo, how often do you see people weep over a car or write love letters to a car like crazy or make their love for something so evident, Rarely right?

Polo was no less than a revolution in its segment. The car always stood for its legendary tank-like built quality, performance, safety and dynamics. It introduced the masses to the German engineering. Across those 12 years it was offered with more than 10 engine options, one of the highest number of engines a car ever got here and most importantly It made VW's 'GT TSI' a household name.

Evoindia having an absolute blast with the GTI.

The reason for low sales was because people never really valued the Polo, atleast when it was in production, they were so engrossed with the fancy tech other cars offered that they failed to understand what an engineering marvel the Polo was, it was years ahead in terms of the core engineering than all of its rivals. They failed to acknowledge stuff that VW gave, regardless of them having to bite the bullet. Perhaps, a mistake VW did was to load the car with advanced stuff that Indian customers didn't really value but then again that would've been against VW's sky high standards.


Polo and Mountains are indeed a match made in heaven.

It might have been average in the sales department but when it came to providing an unforgettable experience the polo shone. It was when the car got discontinued people actually realised what they missed, it was then that they understood the real value of the Polo which in turn skyrocketed the resale of the Polos. With mere 2.5 lakh units sold, its unlikely to find an unsatisfied owner because people who bought the Polo are totally infatuated with her. This VW has developed its own strong cult here, a cult which is totally obsessed with her and how can they not be, Its a 12 years long love story afterall. It is because of the Polo, VW has one of the highest loyalty rates in the business. If if it wasn't for the baby VW, the new VW's or the Taigun and the Virtus would never see the ray of light.


Red Polos do win your heart.
Polo is indeed a special car and will always be. Plenty of cars came and went but absolutely none, none sat the way Polo did. Lastly, as millions of people say 'Polo is not just a car, its an Emotion'. Over the 12 years, it gave millions of special memories and moments so vividly endearing that you can't help but simply smile at a Polo casually rolling down the Indian streets.
Keep her in your hearts folks,
Thank you.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[bijims]

I always wanted a Polo but by the time I was in the market for a new car, it had already gone!, the new VW 2.0 cars seem nowhere near the likes of the Old Polo and Vento and I sincerely hope the Polo makes a comeback!

[Shreyans_Jain]

It’s a shame VW never bothered to bring the new generation Polo to India. The Polo brand has massive recall and street cred in India, and the car would have been really successful in today’s environment where i20 N Lines are going for 14-15 lakhs.

[three10]

Fantastic thread! I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as I read through.

Adding a pic of my 1.2 GT TSI - been with me for more than 9 years now, and still runs like a champ. Honestly, when the time comes to upgrade (eventually), I have no idea what I’ll replace it with.

[1.2TSI7DSG]

There is nothing more emotional than a post of an ex car.

Key point on the TSI - It did an important change to the powerful Polo- Getting it in the Sub 4 Meter rule qualification.

And no doubt the 7DSG was a bliss!

[PreludeSH]

Thanks for the exhaustive post. A red Polo is still the best looking hatchback today. It will never go out of style. Many people who own this maintain it really well. Goes to show how much they also like their mint without a hole