The German carmaker has announced that the production of the next generation Polo will commence next month, with a debut likely later this year. Ahead of that, an undisguised prototype of the all-new Polo was spotted in Africa a couple of months back. Now, our spy photographers have caught two test mules, with little camouflage, doing rounds around the Volkswagen’s headquarter in Wolfsburg.
The sixth generation Polo will employ the versatile MQB platform and move away from the previous PQ25 architecture. The new platform will helpthe car to become lighter, more spacious and probably cost lesser to build too. As can be seen in the new images, the Polo will grow in dimension.
The black mule seems to be a lower variant of the Polo, running a steel wheel with a hubcap, while the red mule is of a higher spec sinceits riding on alloys and has full-LED headlamps. The indicators can be seen doubling up as DRLs. The design of the new Polo seems evolutionary, with signature Polo elements like the grille, tail lamps and silhouette. The tail lights though, has a sticker of the current generation Polo, possibly with an LED signature underneath.
Major changes are expected to take place on the inside. Firstly, the cabin will be far more spacious compared to the outgoing car thanksto the new platform. The wheelbase will be stretched by 90mm thus bringing in much-neededcabin space, particularly for rear passengers. A new infotainment system and creature comforts filtered down from the bigger Golf will also be established inside. It is likely that the higher variants would come with the large 9.5-inch touchscreen system borrowed from theirsibling, while the base Polo will get smartphone connectivity as standard. Volkswagen might even bring in a digital instrument cluster similar to Audi’s Virtual Cockpit, or something similar to the new Arteon.
As far as powertrain is concerned, the new Polo will get an array of three- and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines across the range. The entry-level, 1.0-litre, naturally aspirated gasoline unit with 75bhp is likely to be available alongside two turbocharged versions of the same motor with around 100-115bhp. Apart from these, the VW family’s 1.4-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel will also be available in different states of tune. The transmission options would likely include a five-speed manual or a six-speed unit. The automatic variant will continue with the seven-speed dual-clutch DSG unit.
The new generation Polo is an important car for Volkswagen, especially in India. Apart from the Polo itself, it will also form the basis for the Ameo compact sedan as well as the C-segment Vento. In the future, it is expected to underpin an SUV that will be derived from the T-Cross crossover concept. With a slash in prices, the new Polo is expected to translate higher volumes for the German carmaker in India.
With its global debut imminent by the end of this year, probably at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the all-new Polo should hit Indian shores by 2018.
