Reference Auto

Volkswagen tested the country’s waters with the 1.2-litre Polo in March, and after its successful rollout, the auto major is scaling up presence in the segment by launching a higher variant (1.6 litres) of the Polo which comes for Rs 6.16 lakh (ex-showroom New Delhi).

The new 1.6 litre Polo has a 4-cylinder petrol engine with a 5-speed manual gear box, and according to the auto giant, it has a fuel efficiency of 15.96 km/litres. The new Polo has an output of 105PS @ 5250 rpm and a torque of 153NM @ 3750 rpm.

The new Polo is also high on safety. It’s built tough with a high-strength steel body and dual airbags along with an anti-lock braking system makes it one of the safest cars around, according to the company.

So far as the looks go, the car remains the same on the exterior. The interior of the car comprises door handles in chrome, chrome interior trims, storage compartments for 1 litre bottles, 60/40 split folding rear seats and a ‘livon’ upholstery that is of a superior variety.

The new Polo, which is to be manufactured at Volkswagen’s Chakan factory near Pune, will be available immediately, the company said.

The company launched the 1.2-L Polo in March 2010 and priced it much below the new variant at Rs 4.8 lakh. Besides the Polo, Volkswagen also assembles the Jetta and the Passat at its Aurangabad facility and imports the New Beetle, SUV Touareg, Phaeton, and Vento.

Volkswagen India director for passenger cars Neeraj Garg sounded gung-ho on the launch saying, “With the introduction of this variant, the Polo becomes even more exciting for our customers as it becomes more powerful and fun to drive while continuing to maintain all the features available in the 1.2-L Polo.”

Spurred by the overwhelming response of Polo, Volkswagen India recorded 1,489 sales in April 2010. There were many takers for the new Polo then. But with a steep price hike and with some minor modifications (the exterior looks the same), the new Polo may not find it a smooth ride in India.