Volkswagen to launch 3-door Polo GTI in September 2016

The 5-door Volkswagen Polo GTI has been spotted testing on a few occasions since it was first seen on our roads last year. Now, a report suggests that the car will be introduced as a 3-door in India, with the launch taking place in September, 2016.

According to a report by Autocar India, Volkswagen will debut the Polo GTI as a 3-door and could introduce the 5-door at a later stage. The Polo GTI is a halo product for Volkswagen in India and a 3-door ups the niche factor for the hot hatch further.

The car is expected to break the bank by a price north of Rs. 20 lakh and is directly targeting enthusiasts. Michael Mayer, Director, VW Passenger Cars India, stated that roughly 15-20% of Polo buyers opted for the GT TSI or GT TDI, showing the potential for performance cars in an otherwise economy-focused market. Volkswagen is also expecting buyers to purchase the 3-door Polo GTI as an addition to existing 4/5-door cars in their garage. The introduction of the GTI could also add to the appeal of lower rung Polos.

The Polo GTI gets a 1.8L, TSI petrol engine that makes 189 BHP and gets a 6-speed manual or 7-speed DSG gearbox. The company is expected to present the Polo GTI at the 2016 Auto Expo, where it will begin accepting bookings for deliveries in September.