Another entrant from the family of Volkswagens, the VW Polo which falls under the category of a super mini car, is marketed throughout in the saloon, hatchback, coupe and estate models. Launched in 1975, it has surprisingly managed to retain its popularity for all these years.
The initial Polo (Mark I) was launched as a 4-cylinder transversely mounted petrol engine which had a four wheel drive and 4-speed manual transmissions. But later models unveiled a diesel engine and also included five-speed manual or 4-speed automatic gear transmissions as well as an independent MacPherson strut front suspension and a Twist-beam rear suspensions. Latest versions also vary between 3 and 4-cylinder petrol as well as diesel engines.
The latest version of the Polo, the VW Polo BlueMotion range was unveiled in 2007 and has risen to see a considerable degree of success all over the continent. Armed with 59-kw/80-PS direct injection 3-cylinder turbo charged diesel engine, this new car gives an output of 195 Nm of torque at 1800 rpm. The 0-100 km mark is reached in 12.8 seconds and this car attains a maximum speed of 176 km/h. With a design that caters to the principle of aerodynamics, it is no surprise that the new BlueMotion range of cars from Volkswagen offer every bit of functionality and practicality combined with comfort during a drive.
Fuel economy is another point where the Polo BlueMotion scores well. It has successfully made use of longer ratio gears and light weight alloy wheels along with 165/70 R14 tires with lower rolling resistance, which jointly results in low fuel consumption, which is a real boon in these times of escalating fuel prices.
