Volkswagen discontinues Polo GT TDI and TSI variants

The production of Polo's top-of-the-line GT range has officially been stopped. Being the only performance hatchback in the sub-10 lakh segment, the GT range became extremely popular in a short time span. Especially with the enthusiasts, as it offered that extra punch out of the standard Polo. The launch of 2014 facelifted Polo is just a month or two away, so calling off the production of top-end GT was an expected move. Local dealers in Mumbai stated they do not have any stock left of the GT twins as Volkswagen has recently seized production.

The highly acclaimed 1.2-litre four cylinder, turbocharged petrol unit, churning out 104PS of maximum power and 170Nm of peak torque, powered the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI. The turbocharged motor came with only the 7-speed dual clutch DSG gearbox, making it a true enthusiast's treat. While, the GT Tdi was powered by a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder, turbocharged oil-burner, pumping out maximum power of 103 PS and peak torque of hefty 250Nm. The engine came geared with a 5-speed manual gearbox. However, this tempting performance was heavy on pockets too. With ex-showroom price tag of about INR 8+ lakh for the TSI and INR 8.5+ lakh for the TDI, Volkswagen wasn't able to garner much of the sales from our market.

Volkswagen unveiled the updated 2014 Polo at the Geneva Motor Show early this year, and is expected to hit Indian roads soon. Unlike most of the regular facelifts available in the country, the new hatch will offer much more than just a sticker-job, and the biggest change comes in the form of a new 1.5-litre diesel engine. With some minor changes inside-out, the over-all design of the car is almost the same. The exterior changes includes new front bumper with larger black air dam, redesigned head-fog lamps and the front grille getting a single bar of chrome, as compared to the existing model's three. The side profile of the car is almost identical, while the rear of the car carries some minor tweaks such as refreshed tail-lamps and redesigned bumper. The cabin gives a more premium feel now, as the dash comes with some chrome accents and better detailings. New steering wheel and matte silver detailing on the centre console are the other changes on the inside. With no official words on pricing as-well-as on the launch, we expect the new Polo to arrive in a month or two at a dealership near you.

Source: ZigWheels