Compact Sports Diesel- Polo now with 130hp TDI

15 December 2003
COMPACT SPORTS DIESEL – THE POLO NOW WITH THE POWERFUL 96 KW / 130 PS TDI ENGINE

-High-performance diesel engine makes the Polo both sporty and economical

In the form of the 96 kW / 130 PS TDI a new sporting highlight has been added at the top of the Polo engine range. The powerful diesel is one of a choice of nine engines available for this successful compact car. Five petrol- and four diesel-engines not only cover a power range from 40 kW / 55 PS to 96 kW / 130 PS, they also offer a remarkable variety of engine technology: starting from the inexpensive 1.2-litre three-cylinder, through the 1.4-litre FSI with its innovative petrol direct injection, up to the new muscular TDI.

Alongside its high power output, the modern turbodiesel's most impressive asset is its powerful torque of 310 Nm at just 1900 rpm. The Polo owes these enormous performance figures to the latest engine technology. Heart of this engine is the so-called pump-injector, which ensures excellent fuel atomisation and effective combustion by injecting diesel into the combustion chambers at pressures of up to 2000 bar.

The powerful diesel engine already provides ample performance in the larger Volkswagen models Bora, Passat and Sharan. In the comparatively light Polo, the result is a small sports car: with the six-speed manual-gearbox (standard fitting) the compact Volkswagen accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 9.3 seconds and peaks at a maximum speed of 206 km/h (128 mph). As you would expect from a TDI, the dynamic Polo's fuel consumption is impressively low (combined fuel consumption 5.0 l/100 km) despite it's outstanding performance.

The 96 kW / 130 PS TDI is available in the Polo, Polo Comfortline and Polo Highline, with two or four doors. Alongside the generous standard specification (including ABS, driver and front passenger airbags, driver and front passenger side airbags, electric/hydraulic power steering) the powerful Polo is also equipped with ESP, sports suspension and 195/55 R 15 tyres to match its high performance. The new Polo model is priced from 15,680 euros.


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This would be so SWEET! /images/graemlins/laugh.gif With that little car and that much torque, whooooaaaa Nelly!!!

VW are you listening.... I WANT ONE ..... PLEASE.

Great economy and a HP/LBS ratio that is rather sporty in my opinion would be a great Hybrid fighter.

"Bring them over the pond and the buyers will come".... or was that "Build it and they will come" ?

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Gimmie gimmie gimmie gimmie gimmie.....

It's hard to describe how bad I want one of these. I think we need to gather a bunch of people up and make some big poster-sized signs of Polo's and protest outside of VOA's HQ. Anyone with me? /images/graemlins/wink.gif

Brendan

P.S. Anyone else think that Polo would perform better than the Mini-cooper S? It would be great competition.... But what am I thinking, VW will just keep building bigger and bigger (and more expensive) cars for us big dumb Americans. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif
...

Cha-ching! How much does the engine alone cost?

Agree with the posters, would love to see this car come to NA. Not holding my breath thou.

0-62 in 9.3 seconds sounds slow for this combo - it must need a chip and LSD!

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0-62 in 9.3 seconds sounds slow for this combo - it must need a chip and LSD!

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VW corporate acceleration numbers are quoted "half laden".

So, If the Polo has a 5 passenger capacity, that means adding about 500 pounds to the mix, and then running the test.

Once moving, you could drive this thing like an automatic - 4th or 5th would probably be usable from 15-60mph /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Just got back from a week+ in Sint Maarten/Saint Martin and saw a bunch of Polos...very nice, tho no idea if any were of the correct engine type. Also, saw a little Citroen that looked like a 4 door New Beetle, definately a diesel. Lots of little smart cars, again no idea if any were the diesel. Most the beaches were topless, so really didn't concentrate on cars /images/graemlins/wink.gif.
These little twisty roads seem to convince people that small is beautiful, tho there was one moron trying to herd around one of those gussied up Tahoes that have the wretched Hummer styling and visibility.
Is the back seat of a Polo a bit bigger than a Golf?
My one quick glance seemed to indicate this.
By the way, the island is highly reccomended, great food, beer and scenery with prices in the not too bad catagory.
Rodg

I'm jealous.

A few words on the Polo, I test drove a 100hp PD sport some time back and decided to buy a Seat Ibiza 130PD instead, a much better turn-in, roadholding and a better drive alltogether allbeit not so soft a ride, abd a cheaper finish inside. As well as a large saving (several thousand $'s) the Seat in 130 was available. The acceleration is conservative @9.2 as is the horsepower rating as I believe the average stock on the rolling roads are making approx 142 which rather takes the shine of the claims of some chip companies (£500 for only another REAL gain of 15-20 horses) however some outfits are are getting 180-190 hp out of this engine for the road. For the price with more torque than a Boxter if not the HP and 50+ mpg I'm not complaining, which makes me ask can you chaps not import these from Mexico ? cheers Nic

Nope, we cant import nothin. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif Trust me, if I had a choice between a $20k Golf 100hp TDI or importing a 130 Polo (or a Seat, even) for $20k, I'd take the Polo right now. To me, it seems like more of a "real" Volkswagen than the bulky, mushy, A4 chassis cars.

Brendan

not wishing to offend anyone but yes they are a bit lardy and soft sprung hopefully this will be sorted on the next one. Merry Christmas to all and a happy new year. Nic

Yes, from what I have read about the A5 Golf, it seems that handling will be improved over the A4. The VWAG engineers and marketing seem to have taken notice of the European Ford Focus. Just about every reviewer praises its handling prowess.
No cure, or even therapy for the lardiness, I'm afraid. Each succeeding generation has ALWAYS gained weight. Not just with VWs, either. This seems to hold true for just about any make.

Perhaps the only car in the world that I'd throw away my Golf for. Dangit. The reason we get no Polo's here, of course, is that not enough people want 'em. Americans are doofuses.