Volkswagen to launch Polo GTI in March 2016

Those waiting for the Volkswagen Polo GTI in India will have to hold on for a little longer. Our sources confirm that the 177bhp hot hatch will be launched in India only in the 11th or 12th week of the 2016 calendar year.

The Polo GTI will be powered by the 1.8-litre turbocharged TSI petrol engine producing 177bhp and 250Nm of torque. This is the same engine that is currently used in the Skoda Octavia and the Audi A3. While globally the car is available with the option of both the manual and automatic transmissions, we in India will only get the seven-speed DSGP automatic powering the front wheels.

There are a lot of changes to the Polo GTI compared to the standard hatchback. The chassis of the GTI will be imported, along with the suspension from the global car. The body, compared to the one made in India, is a lot stronger and offers better rigidity to handle all the extra power. The company is already importing the same drivetrain for Audi and Skoda, and that will later be plonked under the hood. Only the interior and the cosmetic components of the car will be made in India.

Volkswagen Polo GTI will be classified as a CKD and the prices are expected to be around Rs 14 lakh. Volkswagen has big plans for the next few months, the Beetle will be launched in the next few weeks while the new compact sedan will debut at the 2016 Auto Expo.