Driving Spirit » Volkswagen

Polo GTI Frolicking In The Snow

Chris — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:59:17 +0000

The latest Volkswagen Polo GTI has turned out to be a surprise hit, as its got the character and sparkle that the previous model sorely lacked.

As if to make the point that the new Polo can be fun, Volkswagen have released a video of the junior GTI sliding around a snowy landscape. It seems a bit odd seeing all that snow when temperatures outside are nearly hitting 30c, but it looks like good fun all the same.

Polo GTI Frolicking In The Snow is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Volkswagen Polo R On The Way

Chris — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:52:18 +0000

If the rumours are correct it would appear that a Volkswagen Polo R is going to be the next fast VeeDub, hot on the heels of the new Polo GTI (pictured).

Following Volkswagen’s announcement that they were setting up a dedicated ‘R’ division it was almost a foregone conclusion that the little Polo would get some special treatment, following in the footsteps of the Golf R and Scirocco R.

Although no details have been officially released it’s likely that the Polo R will use a tuned version of the new 1.6-litre TSI engine, replacing the 1.4-litre TSI in the GTI, and could offer as much as 210bhp. Unfortunately the Polo’s smaller PQ25 chassis doesn’t leave room for the all-wheel drive transmission that is used on the Golf R, so the Polo R will be driven through the front wheels only.

While the Polo GTI will be arriving this summer, don’t expect to see the Polo R until 2012 at the earliest.

Source: Autocar

Volkswagen Polo R On The Way is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Volkswagen Golf GTI ‘adidas’ Edition

Chris — Tue, 11 May 2010 06:20:22 +0000

Volkswagen are set to release a limited edition of the Golf GTI. The new Golf GTI ‘adidas’ is the result of a partnership with the German sports clothing manufacturer, and sees a standard GTI decked out with a few stylistic changes.

The most obvious change is a set of new 18-inch 5×2 spoke alloys. Look closer and you’ll find LED lights at the rear, sporty bucket seats on the inside and a few adidas logos scattered around.

Mechanically the GTI adidas is the same as the standard GTI, meaning 207bhp from the turbocharged 2.0-litre engine. 0-62mph still takes 6.9 seconds and top speed is 155 mph.

I’m still trying to work out the link between Volkswagen and adidas, other than them both being German companies, but it doesn’t really matter as far as the UK market is concerned – we won’t be getting any of the 4,410 examples that will be built.

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Volkswagen Golf GTI ‘adidas’ Edition is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Volkswagen R Serious About Performance

Chris — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 06:37:02 +0000

Although it’s been remoured for a while now, Volkswagen have finally confirmed that they are setting up a specialised division to focus on sporty and exclusive models. The new company, Volkswagen R GmbH, will be responsible for the development, implementation and sales of high performance or more luxurious versions of the Volkswagen range. For hot hatch fans things are off to a good start already with the excellent Golf R, which sits alongside the Scirocco R as an example of the new range-topping performance models.

Volkswagen have clearly been inspired by the success of its fellow countrymen. Mercedes have AMG to tune up their range while BMW have their ‘M’ Division, both of which produce some very desirable performance models that help to give a halo effect to the more mundane offerings in the showrooms. Volkswagen will be hoping that their new ‘R’ models will be able to sprinkle a bit of magic across the rest of the company’s models.

The new company has its headquarters in Warmenau near Wolfsburg, Germany, and already employs over 350 staff. Looks like Volkswagen are serious about this, so expect quite a few R models in the coming months. How about a new Polo R, that should keep us hot hatch fans happy!

Volkswagen R Serious About Performance is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Volkswagen Golf R Gets Five Door Option

Chris — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 06:07:57 +0000

If you’re in the market for a five door hatchback that offers a combination of thrills and practicality then chances are you’ve already considered the Volkswagen Golf GTI. But why settle for 210bhp when you can have the full-fat 265bhp of the Golf R in a family-friendly five-door hatchback?

That means you get a car capable of accelerating to 62 mph from rest in only 5.5 seconds and hitting an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph while carrying the kids in the back with a bootful of shopping. Now if only I could convince the wife that £30+ grand was a reasonable price to pay for such a practical car.

Check out the pictures of the five door below.

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Volkswagen Golf R Gets Five Door Option is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Volkswagen Polo GTI Arrives At Geneva

Chris — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:47:10 +0000

Volkswagen have chosen this year’s Geneva Motor Show to unveil their latest hot hatch, the new Polo GTI. Typically Volkswagen, it’s a subtle alteration to the standard model that increases power, but will it be better to drive than the insipid model it replaces?

The new Polo GTI follows the same formula as before by copying some of the visual features of it’s bigger brother, the Golf GTI, and applying them in smaller form onto the all-new Polo.

POLO GTI SPECIFICATION
Engine	1.4 TSI
Power	178 bhp
Torque	184 lb/ft
0-62mph	6.9 secs
Max Speed	142 mph
Kerb Weight	1,184 kg
Fuel Economy	47 mpg
CO2 Emissions	139 g/km

Power is increased from the old model’s 148bhp thanks to a new 1.4-litre TSI engine that pumps out 178bhp. The new motor is one of Volkswagen’s clever supercharged and turbocharged units, where the supercharger works up to 3,000rpm and then the turbo steps in for a boost further up the rev range.

Combined with the higher power output there is also 184 lbs ft of torque available from just 2,000 rpm which, when combined with an 1,184 kg kerbweight, allows the Polo GTI to accelerate from rest to 62 mph in 6.9 seconds before reaching a top speed of 142 mph. Pretty good performance figures, but the new Polo GTI is also capable of delivering 47 mpg on the combined cycle while emitting just 139 g/km of CO₂.

Volkswagen’s latest seven-speed DSG gearbox is available as an option on the Polo GTI. It’s also fitted with the XDS differential, the same electronic traction control system that’s been used on several new Seats recently. The XDS system works alongside the electronic limited slip differential (EDL) and standard ESP system to improve traction and handling.

Handling is further improved with a new set of springs and dampers that have the added benefit of dropping the ride height by 15 mm. It’s not exactly slammed, but at least it sits lower than standard models.

The Polo picks up the GTI elements in its new front bumper, with a honeycombe grille with horizontal red strips and that essential GTI badge. Larger airdams make it easier to spot the GTI, and the new headlight units finish off the front nicely, with a new option being the inclusion of LED running lights.

There are some subtle sill extensions on the sides, while around the back you’ll find a new rear bumper and diffuser and a nice pair of chrome-tipped exhausts. As on the Golf the model name is replaced by a ‘GTI’ badge.

Completing the mini-Golf GTI look are a set of identical 17-inch alloy wheels, behind which are bright red brake callipers.

Changes on the inside are much the same as before, with a flat-bottomed GTI steering wheel complete with small gearshift paddles and contrasting red stitching. The new front sports seats are finished in GTI-spec tartan trim. A subtle gloss black trim covers the centre console while the headlining is now finished in black, and on the floor there is a set of aluminium pedals.

Expect to see the new Polo GTI in showrooms this summer, at which point pricing and full specifications will be released.

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Volkswagen Polo GTI Arrives At Geneva is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Volkswagen Golf GTI In Action

Chris — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 06:31:20 +0000

The Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk6 has been available to buy for a couple of months now, but just because it’s not new doesn’t mean you can’t watch one of the best hot hatches in action.

Enjoy the clip below that follows a GTI as it drifts around a damp industrial area – looks like great fun to me!

Volkswagen Golf GTI In Action is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

LED Rear Lights For Golf R, GTI And GTD

Chris — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:09:14 +0000

LED lighting is the ‘in thing’ for car designers at the moment. They’re almost compulsory now on high-end luxury cars but are also starting to work their way down the food-chain to the cheaper end of the market. Now Volkswagen, in what they claim is a ‘first’ in the compact segment, have developed new LED rear lights for the sportiest models of the Golf VI range.

The new LED tail lights will be offered as standard on the 270HP Golf R and as an option for €350 (roughly £310) on the 210HP Golf GTI and the 170HP diesel Golf GTD. It’s a distinctive design and will help these sporty models stand out in a queue of traffic. Each smoked light unit consists of two curved right angles, with each angle being made up of a strip of eleven LEDs.

The big advantage of LED lights is that they last considerably longer than normal bulbs and light up much faster. The reaction to brake activation is claimed to be 0.2 second faster than that of conventional lights and this translates to a reduction of 5.6 metres braking distance when travelling at 62mph.

The Golf’s new LED tail lights can also be ordered with bi-xenon headlights. These include a dynamic cornering feature that changes the direction of the light with the steering angle. These are standard on the Golf R and optional on all other Golf models, with prices starting at a hefty €1,295 (£1150).

Volkswagen might claim to be the first to offer this, but perhaps they haven’t seen the optional LED tail lights on the Ford Focus RS.

LED Rear Lights For Golf R, GTI And GTD is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Golf R Prices And Specifications

Chris — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:47:07 +0000

The Volkswagen Golf R will soon be with us and Volkswagen are now taking orders for their latest super hatch.

Prices start at £28,930 for the Golf R, which gets you the 3-door model with a six-speed manual gearbox. For an additional £1,305 you can add a six-speed DSG sequential transmission, an option that has proved to be very popular on the GTI. There is also a 5-door option, so if you’ve got kids you can still justify buying one.

SPECIFICATIONS
Engine	4-cylinder 2.0-litre
Power	267bhp
Torque	258lb ft
Top Speed	155mph (limited)
0-60mph	5.5 seconds (DSG)

The Golf R is fitted with a 2.0-litre TSI four-cylinder engine that produces 270 PS and 258 lbs ft of torque. Power is delivered to all four wheels thanks to Volkswagen’s latest pre-charged hydraulic 4MOTION system, which is faster to react than previous systems and better at maximising traction by limiting torque to reduce wheelspin. This combination of power and 4-wheel drive results in the fastest 0-60mph time of any production Golf at just 5.7 seconds with the manual transmission, while the DSG transmission reduces this further to 5.5 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 155mph.

Amazingly the Golf R still returns an impressive 33.2mpg on the combined cycle (DSG 33.6 mpg) and avoids the most punishing band of road tax thanks to its CO2 emissions of 199 g/km (195g DSG). This is the reason that Volkswagen dropped the V6 as used in the previous Golf R32, and while the charismatic warble of the six-cylinder may have been lost it would appear that the Golf R hasn’t suffered in any other way.

There’ll be no mistaking the Golf R for a base model, thanks to its new front bumper that incorporates LED running lights and a trio of deep air intakes, with a gloss black grille complementing the gloss black wing mirrors.

There are also Xenon lights as standard, a pair of sill extensions and some very nice 18-inch five-spoke Talladega alloy wheels, behind which you’ll be able to see a set of gloss black ‘R’ callipers. If you think the 18-inch wheels are a bit small you can opt for 19-inch alloys in the same design, and these can be specified with a gloss black finish.

At the back of the Golf R you’ll find a roof mounted spoiler and twin exit exhausts, positioned in the centre of a gloss black diffuser. There are also smoked rear light units that use high-intensity LED bulbs, making the Golf R even easier to spot.

Of course, the interior has been given a restyle. New sports seats are adorned with ‘R’ logos, while piano black and silver highlights appear on the doors and dash. There’s a new three-spoke black leather sports steering wheel with contrasting stitching, and the dash features revised white backlit dials with subtle electric blue needles unique to the ‘R’ range.

There are two options for upgrading the seats in the Golf R. The first is the luxury option, with a set of Vienna leather sports seats, but my personal preference would be to fit the hip-hugging Recaro bucket seats that are available on both the three and five-door Golf R.

If you’re interested in a Golf R then now’s the time to go and place your order, ready for Golf R’s arrival in showrooms in February 2010.

Golf R	0-62 mph (seconds)	Fuel economy, combined (mpg)	Price, £ (RRP OTR)
3-door 6 spd manual	5.7	33.2	28,930
5-door 6 spd manual	5.7	33.2	29,515
3-door 6 spd DSG	5.5	33.6	30,235
5-door 6 spd DSG	5.5	33.6	30,820

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Golf R Prices And Specifications is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?

Golf R Spends Some Track Time With Scirocco R

Chris — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:48:47 +0000

Here’s a chance to see the new Volkswagen Golf R in action on track alongside it’s cousin, the Scorocco R.

I’m not entirely sure what VW are trying to tell us with all of the G-force nonsense. That the new ‘R’ range is so powerful that we need to be tested in a simulator before being allowed to drive one? I don’t think so.

The Golf R does look good though, doesn’t it?

Golf R Spends Some Track Time With Scirocco R is a post from Driving Spirit. Are you ready for the release of Gran Turismo 5 on November 2nd?