2011 Volkswagen Polo GTI

UPDATE 14 May: A new pic from Wörthersee has been added below. It shows the new Polo GTI wearing 18″ Detroit alloy wheels.

Volkswagen have published a new press release ahead of the European sales launch of its new Polo GTI. There’s nothing really new in there from the info released prior to the Geneva Motor Show. There is some extra eye candy, though, in the form of new photos in Volkswagen’s familiar Tornado Red colour. These complement the Candy White images from the Geneva info quite nicely.

Basic specs of the Polo GTI are listed below, with more detail given after the jump in the official release.

New Polo GTI

• Engine: 1.4 litre TSI (twincharged)
• Power/torque: 132kW/250Nm*
• Transmission: 7-speed DSG
• Kerb weight: 1194kg*
• 0-100km/h: 6.9 seconds
• Top speed: 229km/h
• Fuel consumption: 5.9l/100km
• CO2 emissions: 139g/km
• Wheels: 7×17” Denver alloys, fitted with 215/40 tyres
• Optional equipment includes: bi-xenon headlights with cornering feature, LED daytime running lights, panoramic sunroof

*The torque figure is not listed in the information below, but is available in this Technical Data PDF (64kb). Kerb weight has also increased by 10kg over previously released information.

So, this new Polo GTI, then; it looks great, has pretty solid performance specs and with a sub 1200kg weight it should be lots of fun to throw through your favourite series of corners. AUSmotive can’t wait to have a drive.

No firm dates for availability have been given by Volkswagen Australia just yet. However, we do know the Polo GTI will be on sale down under before the year is out. Pencil in November, as an educated guess. Based on the local pricing of the recently launched Polo range AUSmotive expects the GTI version to be priced around the $30K mark, give or take a grand here and there. More news as it comes to hand.

The New Polo GTI – Extremely Strong and Exceptionally Fuel Efficient

• 180 PS Polo GTI with 5.9 litre consumption is 25 percent more fuel efficient

229 km/h fast Polo GTI debuts with standard 7-speed DSG
Wolfsburg / Nürburgring, 10 May 2010 – The Polo GTI is back. A powerful 132 kW / 180 PS comeback! And this GTI too lives up to its legendary name with superior handling properties combined with uncompromising engine responsiveness and a maximum of safety. The highlight: Never before has such a powerful Polo come even close to its fuel efficiency. Thanks to clever downsizing of the twincharged 1.4-litre TSI engine (turbo plus supercharging) and the extremely efficient 7-speed dual clutch gearbox (DSG) as standard equipment, the development team was able to reduce combined fuel consumption to 5.9 l/100 km. That is equivalent to CO2 emissions of just 139 g/km. By comparison: Its direct predecessor in terms of power – also equipped with a 180 PS 1.8-litre turbo engine – consumed 7.9 litres per 100 kilometres (equivalent to 188 g/km CO2). This means that the new car is 25 percent more fuel efficient.

This economy contrasts with highly dynamic driving performance: The light 1,194 kilogram Volkswagen sports car accelerates to 100 km/h in just 6.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 229 km/h. These figures, 6.9 seconds, 5.9 litres are sports car performance parameters of a sustainable kind.

Power is transferred to the front wheels via DSG as standard equipment. An electronic transverse differential lock (XDS) reduces the tendency to understeer and improves handling especially in quick driving through curves. Like all versions of the model series, the Polo GTI also comes equipped with the standard ESP electronic stabilisation programme including Hill Climb Assist. In addition, the car’s extensive safety features consists of a highly effective airbag network, including combined head-thorax side airbags, belt tensioners, belt tension limiters plus belt warning, head restraints designed to avoid whiplash trauma (each in front), three rear head restraints as well as Isofix points on the rear bench seat for suitably fitted child seats.

In addition, convenience features include electro-hydraulic power steering, electric windows in front, central locking, bootspace lighting and tie-down eyes, warning buzzer for light not turned off, driver seat height adjustment, make-up mirror in the sun visors and green tinted insulated glass. The GTI will be the first Polo to be available with bi-xenon headlights with cornering lights, LED daytime running lights and corner marker lights as well as a panoramic tilt/slide sunroof. Naturally, GTI-specific features are always standard too, such as the sport seat system and 17-inch alloy wheels in “Denver” design.

Notes:
TDI, TSI, DSG and Twincharger are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG or other companies of the Volkswagen Group in Germany and other countries.
Equipment information and technical data apply to models offered in Germany. They may differ in other countries.