Family feel to sporty hatches

With a close eye on the family fun market, Volkswagen has produces a sibling for the sporty Golf. DAVID LINKLATER checks it out.

Volkswagen is forming a family of GTi models in New Zealand with an image-boosting 92kW version of its facelifted Polo. Local VW importer European Motor Distributors has launched the hot hatch as a sister car to the larger Golf GTi. A turbocharged 1.8-litre Beetle will complete the trio later in the year.

Unlike most hot hatches, the GTi will only be sold in New Zealand as a family-friendly five-door. "We believe this gives us a considerable marketing advantage," says Dean Sheed, general manager of sales and marketing. "If you look at our obvious hot hatch rivals " [read Fiat Punto HGT and Peugeot 206 GTi], they are only available in three-door form."

The $34,990 GTi and entry-level $25,990 1.4-litre Polos form a revised range that looks similar to the previous line-up, but is 70 per cent new.

The Polo has been a key model for EMD since it was launched in 1995, and is now charged with boosting the marque's presence in a burgeoning small-car market.

This time last year, the small-car class had notched up 323 sales. For the year to date it sits at 591, an 82 per cent increase. Narrow the focus to European baby-car brands, which depend on private sales more than the Japanese makes, and the figures rise from 61 in 1999 to 155 for 2000 - a 154 per cent increase.

Styling changes for the Polo include a reshaped bonnet and new grille with a prominent corporate badge, while the back end sports a new tailgate and Golf-like lamps. The bumpers and side sills have been redesigned.

Under-the-skin improvements include reinforcements to the roof member and C-pillar, along with a 20mm-wider front track and new strut mountings for the front suspension. The body is now galvanised, bringing with it a 12-year corrosion warranty.

The interior is all-new for the Polo, but is derived from the European-market Lupo city car. The instrument panel features prominent retro-style surrounds for the speedometer and rev counter.

The 55kW 1.4-litre engine is all-new, and features a rocker-finger valve train which reduces friction and is claimed to improve fuel economy. The GTi's 1.6-litre unit propels it to 100 km/h in 8.7 seconds, and on to a top speed of 205 km/h.

The GTi is distinguished from its sibling by lowered suspension, a honeycomb grille, Xenon headlamps, 15-inch BBS alloy wheels, and front and rear spoilers. Inside it features sports seats, leather trim for the steering wheel and gearlever, and chrome surrounds for the main instruments.

Air conditioning and dual airbags are standard on both Polos; side airbags are optional for the GTi. Anti-lock brakes are optional on the entry car but standard on the hot hatch, which can also be specified with Electronic Stability Programme.

EMD says that it would like the Polo to become a benchmark for the class. "This may not be the cheapest, fastest or sportiest model in the segment," says Sheed, "but we believe it's the best all-round package. When people think of small cars we want them to think of the Polo. We want it to be the standard by which other cars in the class will be judged."

EMD is also uprating the Passat 2.8 V6 line-up with a new 4Motion four-wheel-drive model. The $65,990 sedan and $68,990 Variant estate have the same specification as the front-drive V6 models, save for a CD player and a divider net for the Variant, but put their power to the ground through a mechanical Torsen centre differential.

The 2.8 accounts for 50 per cent of Passat sales, and EMD expects the 4Motion model to steal sales from both lower and upper price ranges - everything from hot Subarus to top-line Volvos.

The 4Motion brand will be further established with a 2.8-litre V6 Golf due in New Zealand later this year. Powered by a development of the previous-generation Golf VR6's powerplant (no relation to the Passat engine), the 150kW superhatch will employ a high-tech electronic Haldex clutch to distribute drive to all four wheels.

Expect a price of about $65,000 for the fast five-door.