Small hatchbacks have always appealed to customers who value practicality and economy while driving their cars. However, there also exists a premium compact sedan segment that values sporty style along with economy. This segment is dominated by cars like the Volkswagen Polo which has proved to be a perfect choice for customers who want to buy a compact car with a premium tag.
About 14 million units of Volkswagen Polo have been sold and now the Volkswagen Polo R, a new generation of the compact car is being tested. The car will be the latest one in the Polo R-line cars and it is promises a major performance improvement over its previous version.
If reports are believed to be true, Volkswagen will be fitting the new Polo with Golf R’s 2.0 TSI engine delivers 300 hp. currently, the car’s prototype model is being tested and Volkswagen has confirmed that there will be plenty of room to accommodate the TSI engine. However, even though the upcoming car will be based on Golf R’s MQB platform, it will not be having an AWD system as Volkswagen does not want it to cannibalize the sales volume of the Golf R. Additionally, the car maker does not want to make the car more expensive by giving it the AWD system. It is speculated that the Polo R will be equipped with a FWD system similar to the one in GTI.
This is not the first time that Volkswagen Polo cars have borrowed engines from other Volkswagen cars. Previously, Polo WRC’s special edition car was equipped with Gold GTI’s 2.0-liter turbo engine and about 2,500 special edition cars were launched in the market.
If ever the new Volkswagen Polo R goes into production after successful testing, it will need to carve a niche for itself in the competitive Dubai market. The Dubai market is dominated by either flashy cars with powerful engines or compact cars that cost below AED 45,000. The Polo R will need to be positioned to attract customers who want sporty cars at an economical price.
