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72-595: The Volkswagen Polo is a supermini car ( B-segment ) produced by the German car manufacturer Volkswagen since 1975. It is sold in Europe and other markets worldwide in hatchback , saloon , and estate variants throughout its production run. As of 2018, six separate generations of the Polo have been produced, usually identified by a "Series" or "Mark" number. Some generations were facelifted midway through production, with

144-573: A coupé , the Volkswagen Polo Coupé. Unusually, the third (and new) body that was actually marketed as the Volkswagen Polo Hatchback was closer in concept to a small estate, albeit with exactly the same wheelbase and floor pan as the coupé instead of the (longer) saloon. This latter version, also known as the squareback (in the original German brochures, "steilheck", literally "steep tail"), amongst other nicknames,

216-515: A 1.1-litre engine and from 1983 with a 1.3-litre engine, overdrive top-gear ratio and an early stop-start ignition system (called "SSA"), which would cut the engine when idle for more than two seconds to save fuel whilst temporarily stopped in traffic, and restart the engine on moving the gear lever to the left in neutral. Similar systems were later used on the Volkswagen Golf Mk3 and various systems from other car manufacturers. It

288-508: A 3-door model. The boot space has increased by around 25% from 280 to 351 litres. As an option, this generation introduces the fully digital instrument cluster called "Active Info Digital Display Cockpit", the first car in the small car segment to do so. In addition, the Polo VI introduces a series of driver assistance systems such as traffic sign recognition, blind spot assistant and automatic emergency braking. On 21 April 2021, it will undergo

360-496: A dimensions on par or slightly larger than traditional B-segment cars, and often are built on the same platform as B-segment hatchbacks or saloons. B-segment SUVs are usually excluded by analysts from traditional B-segment car sales. 22 percent of SUV global sales were contributed by B-segment SUVs in 2019. One of the first mass-market electric B-segment cars in Europe was the Renault Zoe , released in 2012. Global sales of

432-777: A five-star Euro NCAP crash impact rating. In 2010, a saloon based on the Polo Mk5 platform was developed for launch in India and Russia. This saloon is known as the Vento or Polo Sedan, depending on the country. It has a length of 4,384 mm, increased wheelbase (2,552 mm) and ground clearance (168–170 mm), and had one petrol engine (1.6-litre, four-cylinder, 105 PS; coupled with either five-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox) and one diesel engine (1.6-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder common-rail, 105 PS; only five-speed manual gearbox) options available. In several markets, it

504-638: A formal car classification term, eventually being adopted in European Commission classification as the B-segment. The 1990 Renault Clio and 1983 Fiat Uno were significant models in the supermini or the B-segment, being the recipients of the European Car of the Year award. The Clio replaced the long-running Renault 5, although the latter remained in production until 1996. In 1993,

576-602: A global sales of 910,839 units that year, in which 54 percent was contributed by its European sales. It took the world number one spot from the Toyota Corolla at 906,953 sales. Safety features have improved for the cars in the segment. In 1995, both petrol and diesel B-segment vehicles had only around 40 percent of the listed safety options installed (side impact bars, driver/passenger airbag, side airbag, ABS , electronic braking system, stability control), whereas by 2010 they were averaging over 90 percent. This represents

648-415: A length of approximately 3.7–4.2 m (146–165 in), and may vary depending on the body styles, markets, and era. In some cases, the same car may be differently positioned depending on the market. The Euro NCAP vehicle class called "Supermini" also includes smaller A-segment cars alongside B-segment cars. In Britain, the term "supermini" is more widely used for B-segment hatchbacks. The term

720-606: A mid-career facelift. The Volkswagen Polo GTI is a hot hatch version of the Polo. The Volkswagen Polo GTI can trace its roots back to the original hot Polo, the supercharged 1.3-litre 85 kW (115 PS) G40. It was sold in the United Kingdom between 1990 and 1994 in the form of the Mk2F Polo but was available during the late 1980s in limited numbers in Europe in the form of the Mk2 Polo GT G40. The car

792-669: A more expensive offering. Examples include the Ford Fiesta ST , Hyundai i20 N , Peugeot 208 GTi , Suzuki Swift Sport , Toyota GR Yaris , Volkswagen Polo GTI , among others. B-segment MPV (also called mini MPV or B-MPV) are taller and/or longer derivatives of B-segment hatchbacks with an emphasis in interior space and practicality. Examples are the Citroën C3 Picasso , Fiat 500L , and Ford B-Max . B-segment crossovers or SUVs (also called subcompact crossover SUV, small SUV, or B-SUV ) are crossovers/SUVs that has

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864-456: A multipoint fuel-injected version of the 1272-cc engine, and a top speed more than 100 mph. This produced 75 PS (55 kW) and had a quoted top speed of 172 km/h (107 mph). Times for 0–60 stood at 11.1 seconds. The defining features of the GT include red piping in the bumpers, black overhead cloth, a tachometer, and a red "GT" badge in the grille. This was succeeded by the launch of

936-848: A relatively slow 0–100 km/h (62 mph) time over 9 seconds, it did have impressive midrange clout with torque figures of 310 Nm (228 lb-ft). Supermini car The B-segment is the second smallest of the European segments for passenger cars between the A-segment and C-segment , and commonly described as "small cars". The B-segment is the largest segment in Europe by volume, accounting for 20 percent of total car sales in 2020 according to JATO Dynamics . B-segment cars include hatchback, saloon , estate , coupe / convertible , MPV , and crossover / SUV body styles. The European segments are not based on size or weight criteria. In practice, B-segment cars have been described as having

1008-504: A significant improvement in vehicle safety over the period, despite petrol and diesel B-segment vehicles averaging an inflation-adjusted price increase of 6 percent and 15 percent respectively. Studies from the European Union and JATO has found that the average maximum power output of B-segment vehicles has increased by 40 percent between 1995 and 2010, while the average overall vehicle weight only increased by around 20 percent in

1080-608: A transverse mounted two stroke engine, and this design was kept until the end of production, in 1991. However, it was with Alec Issigonis 's Mini , introduced by the British Motor Corporation in 1959, that the design gained acclaim. Issigonis incorporated the car's transmission into the engine's sump , producing a drivetrain unit narrow enough to install transversely in a car only 4 feet (1.2 m) wide. While previous DKW and Saab cars used small, unrefined air-cooled two-stroke engines with poor performance,

1152-603: A version resembling the original Mk1 shape with a diagonal rear window. The original body style was simply called the Volkswagen Polo without a suffix in most markets ( steilheck , "steep tail" in Germany) while the more traditional design was typically marketed as the Polo Coupé - although in fact, both were three-door hatchbacks. In some markets, the steilheck design was designated a Wagon. The saloon version received

1224-773: Is developed on the latest platform, known as the PQ25, the same platform used in the SEAT Ibiza Mk4 that was launched in 2008 and the Audi A1 . The first Polos were hatchbacks, with the saloon being marketed as the Volkswagen Derby. With the release of the Polo Mk2, the saloon was renamed the Volkswagen Polo Classic' and the "conventional"-styled hatchback (with a sloping tailgate) was renamed as

1296-545: Is more heavily derived from the hatchback body of the Polo, retaining its shorter wheelbase and the rear doors, unlike the larger Vento/Polo Saloon. It was discontinued in 2020 due to low demand. The sixth generation Polo was unveiled on 16 June 2017, with production starting at the Pamplona plant on 17 July 2017. Built on the Volkswagen Group's MQB A0 platform, it is the first generation Polo not to be available as

1368-758: Is succeeded by the Virtus, while some markets such as Mexico offered the Virtus alongside the Vento for the purpose of keeping a budget-friendly option. In Russia, the Polo Mk5-based Polo Saloon is succeeded by the Škoda Rapid -based Polo liftback. The Ameo is another saloon based on the Polo Mk5 which was released in June 2016. It was specifically developed for the Indian market which offers lower excise tax for vehicles shorter than 4 meter in length. The Ameo

1440-761: The A0-class in China, and the supermini category for B-segment hatchbacks in Great Britain. Category:Subcompact cars   ( 306 ) Transverse engine The Critchley light car , made by the Daimler Motor Company in 1899, had a transverse engine with belt drive to the rear axle. The first successful transverse-engine cars were the two-cylinder DKW F1 series of cars, which first appeared in 1931. During WWII, transverse engines were developed for armored vehicles, with

1512-655: The G40 in May 1991, displacing the GT as the most powerful Polo at the time, with a top speed around 120 mph – rivalling the likes of the Ford Fiesta XR2i, Peugeot 205 GTI, and Renault Clio 16v . Soon after the launch of the Mark IIF, another sporting model was added to the range — a new version of the supercharged G40, now as a full production model in all markets rather than the limited batch of Mark II G40s. As with

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1584-679: The Geneva Motor Show in March 2009. For the first time in Polo's history, the car was declared European Car of the Year , for 2010. The Polo was also declared 2010 World Car of the Year at the New York International Auto Show in April 2010. It also won What Car? Supermini of the Year 2010, as well as being awarded Japan Import Car of the Year for 2010–2011. It shares its platform with the SEAT Ibiza Mk4 and

1656-666: The Nissan Micra (K11) , became the first Japanese car company to be receive the European Car of the Year award. In 1999, the Toyota Yaris received the European Car of the Year award, and was noted for its high roof which allowed for improved interior space. Another notable model is the Opel Corsa , which was the best-selling car in the world in the year 1998 thanks to its extensive international presence. It recorded

1728-462: The Turkish round. The Super 1600 developed 165 kW (221 hp)/215 to its front wheels. This version of the Polo was a mixed success in the United Kingdom. It sold reasonably well (though not as well as some earlier Polos), but several customer-satisfaction surveys by high-profile motoring magazines such as Top Gear gave the Polo a very low rating. Top Gear' s 2005 survey rated the Polo as

1800-635: The Yellow Coach 719, using Dwight Austin's V-drive; they continued in common use until the 1990s, though shorter V-configuration engines in a longitudinal "T-drive" configuration became common in the 1960s. Transverse engines were also used in the British Leyland Atlantean , in many transit buses, and in nearly all modern double decker buses . They have also been widely used by Scania , MAN , Volvo and Renault 's bus divisions. Engines may be placed in two main positions within

1872-521: The "Mark 4" by enthusiasts as it is the Polo's fourth guise) appeared in 1994, and was a completely new model (on a new chassis), available as three- and five-door hatchback versions, the latter making VW the last major European manufacturer to finally offer rear side doors in this class. It shared its platform with the SEAT Ibiza Mark 2 . This platform actually used the floorpan of the Volkswagen Golf Mk3 (a multitude of mechanical parts and all of

1944-651: The Audi A1. Production for the UK market started in August 2009, with first deliveries beginning in October 2009. The Polo Mark V is 44 mm longer, 32 mm wider, and sits 13 mm lower to the road than the previous generation Polo. Boot capacity is increased by 10 L to 280 L of storage space with 952 L with the seats folded down. The car is 7.5% lighter than its predecessor. The Polo has thoracic airbags and has been awarded

2016-573: The British market never received any diesel-engined versions of the Polo, though the diesel engine was already available on many similar cars by the end of the 1980s, namely the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Nova , and Peugeot 205. The Mark II Facelift (referred to as the Mark IIF, also erroneously known as the "Mark 3") was a far-reaching facelift of the MkII, including a reskin of the bodywork, launched in

2088-458: The GTI – available only in three- or five-door hatchback body styles in three colours being red, silver, and black, used a 1.6-litre 16-V 92 kW (125 PS) engine with variable valve timing. External changes included a deeper front splitter with honeycomb mesh grilles, lowered sports suspension (by 10 mm), a subtle rear spoiler, deeper side skirts, fog lights, and 15" BBS RXII split rims for

2160-570: The Italian design studio's contribution restricted to the circular extractor vent cover at the base of the C pillar, and the small "flick-up" at the rear end of the waistline. In 1977, the Derby saloon was released, which was simply a Polo, identical to the hatchback from the C-pillar forward, with a large boot attached. The Mark 1 Polo and Derby were facelifted in 1979 (unofficially referred to as

2232-454: The Mark 1F) with plastic bumpers, a different front grille, and a revised dashboard. The round headlights of the Derby were replaced with square ones, bringing it in line with the similar Golf-based Jetta saloon. The Polo Mk2 (or Typ 86C ) was introduced in October 1981, with the major change being the introduction of a third body style with a steep (almost vertical) rear window, in addition to

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2304-573: The Polo being cheaper and much more basic. The two cars were initially sold alongside each other, but the Audi 50 never sold as well, and was withdrawn in 1978. The Polo was manufactured at the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg . The manufacturer let it be known that Bertone had been involved in the styling of the Polo and its Audi sibling, although the car was essentially an in-house Audi design, with

2376-540: The Polo hatchback models, with some cosmetic alterations such as new rear and front bumpers and headlights. The Volkswagen Caddy 9K van also shares the same platform and front-end styling as the 6KV models. The later Volkswagen Lupo and SEAT Arosa city cars were based on a shortened version of the Typ 6N platform and shared many components. The Volkswagen Polo Playa was a model for the South African market, where

2448-534: The Polo hatchback. The SEAT Inca and Volkswagen Caddy vans were also based on this model. The Volkswagen Lupo and SEAT Arosa were also based on a shortened version of the Polo Mk3 platform. The Polo Mk4 continued this trend of platform sharing, with the SEAT Ibiza Mk3 and Škoda Fabia Mk1 and Mk2 both being developed on the same platform and featuring several of the same engines. The 2009 Polo Mk5

2520-488: The Polo was shared with other models. The Polo shared its platform with the SEAT Ibiza Mk2. The Ibiza was actually launched before the Polo Mk3 and shared essentially all its mechanicals, the dashboard, and other interior components, although no body panels were shared between the two cars. The saloon and estate versions of the Polo Mk3 were actually rebadged SEAT Córdoba models and had no body panels in common with

2592-569: The SEAT Ibiza Mk3, Škoda Fabia Mk1, and Škoda Fabia Mk2. The car is all new compared to the Mark III/F and bears structural resemblance to Golf MK4 (1J). The rear taillights resemble those of the B5.5 Passat . Outwardly, the most recognisable change is the use of quadruple round headlights similar to the Lupo's. Volkswagen Racing rallied a Polo S1600 in the 2003 Junior World Rally Championships , winning

2664-741: The SEAT brand was not available. It was sold instead of the European Polo Mark III from 1996 until 2002 and was effectively a rebadged SEAT Ibiza Mark II. In 2002, the Mark IV Polo was adopted in South Africa, and the separate Polo Playa model was dropped. Unveiled in September 2001, the all-new Mark IV (or Typ 9N , sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Mark 4") model was put on sale in early 2002. It shares its platform with

2736-611: The Soviet T-44 and T-54/T-55 tanks being equipped with transverse engines to save space within the hull. The T-54/55 eventually became the most produced tank in history. After the Second World War , Saab used the configuration in their first model, the Saab 92 , in 1947. The arrangement was also used for Borgward 's Goliath and Hansa brand cars. The East German -built Trabant , which appeared in 1957, also had

2808-634: The Zoe achieved the 50,000 unit milestone in June 2016, and 200,000 units by March 2020. Other manufacturers followed suit; Groupe PSA introduced the Peugeot e-208 and Opel Corsa-e in 2019, while Honda followed with the low-volume Honda e , and Mini with their Mini Electric . The B-segment is considered as the European equivalent to the subcompact category widely known in North America,

2880-403: The autumn of 1990. The new look had square headlights, enlarged and reshaped taillights, bigger bumpers, and a new interior ( dashboard and door trim). The three different body styles were maintained. Under the skin, the car received modifications to the chassis, suspension, and brakes, as well as the cosmetic differences. The new Polo retained the previous four-cylinder engines, but now as well as

2952-578: The carburetted 1.0-litre, a fuel-injected model was available with single-point injection, and all engines came with a catalytic converter as standard to combat tightening European emissions regulations. The saloon was only produced in Spain, and production ceased in 1992 due to disappointing sales. At the time of launch of the Mark IIF Polo, the highest-performance model was the Polo GT. This featured

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3024-592: The country in 2020. The term supermini, which precedes the B-segment term, emerged in the UK in the 1970s, as car manufacturers sought a new design to surpass the influential Mini , launched in 1959, and journalists attempted to categorise such a vehicle. The car which is widely regarded as the first modern supermini is the Autobianchi A112 , launched in 1969. It was later followed by the Fiat 127 , Renault 5 , VW Polo and Honda Civic , which are similar in concept and size. These supermini or B-segment cars were considered to feature better comfort and convenience, with

3096-427: The coupé variation having been retired), the others being four or five-door only and increasing in length from hatch to saloon to estate. The Polo is a compact car, with a traditional transversely mounted engine and front-wheel drive . Mk1 Polos only came with four-cylinder petrol engines, but for the Mk2, a diesel engine was offered for the first time, although only in certain markets, others having to wait until

3168-415: The engine to its gearbox by a shaft and set the differential off-center so that it could be connected to the gearbox more easily. The half shafts from the differential to the wheels therefore differed in length, which would have made the car's steering asymmetrical were it not for their torsional stiffness being made the same. Giacosa's layout was first used in the Autobianchi Primula in 1964 and later in

3240-442: The front and rear drum brakes , although some recent models have all-round disc brakes. The first-generation Polo, a rebadged version of the Audi 50, was introduced in 1975 and was produced until October 1981. It was also called the Volkswagen Derby . By 1979, 500,000 Polos were produced worldwide. It shared the internal designation Typ 86 with the Audi 50. The differences between the Audi and Volkswagen models were minor, with

3312-490: The gearbox-in-sump arrangement meant that an 848 cc four-cylinder water-cooled engine could be fitted to the Mini, providing strong performance for a car of its size. Coupled to the much greater amount of interior space afforded by the layout (the entire drivetrain only took up 20% of the car's length), this made the Mini a genuine alternative to the conventional small family car. This design reached its peak starting with Dante Giacosa 's elaboration of it for Fiat . He connected

3384-400: The larger and more technically challenging G60 engine used in the Golf and Corrado . A fuel-efficient two-cylinder diesel was prototyped in the mid-1980s with a G40 supercharger to overcome its small capacity, although this did not enter production. A high fuel-efficiency model that did make production was the petrol-engined Formel E (E for economy), introduced at the launch in 1981 with

3456-445: The launch of the Mk3. The current range includes a variety of three- and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. Early versions used a four-speed manual transmission , whilst the current car is available with either six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission . The suspension system on all models uses a fully independent MacPherson strut front suspension, and a twist-beam rear suspension . Most models use disc brakes at

3528-415: The life of the car, originally as a hatchback, which derived from the Audi 50 . A saloon version was marketed as the Volkswagen Derby . Volkswagen vehicles built on different platforms have carried the Polo nameplate . For example, the Volkswagen Polo Playa hatchback sold in Southern Africa in the late 1990s was a rebadged SEAT Ibiza , which has a different body shell from the Polo Mk3 sold in Europe at

3600-458: The motor car: Space allowed for engines within the front wheel wells is commonly limited to the following: The description of the orientation of V-twin and flat-twin motorcycle engines sometimes differs from the convention as stated above. Motorcycles with a V-twin engine mounted with its crankshaft parallel to the direction of travel, e.g. the AJS S3 V-twin , Indian 841 , Victoria Bergmeister , Honda CX series and several Moto Guzzis since

3672-445: The name Volkswagen Derby, although it later became the Polo Sedan. Production was expanded to Spain in the mid-1980s following Volkswagen's takeover of SEAT . By 1983, the one-millionth Polo was produced. The second million were produced by 1986. The Polo competed in the supermini sector with its new rivals such as the Austin Metro and Ford Fiesta , and it was one of the largest superminis in production at this time, meaning that it

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3744-443: The new six-speed gearbox that was introduced in the smaller Volkswagen Lupo GTI , which shared the same engine. With the introduction of the 2002 Polo, the GTI model was discontinued and was given no direct replacement. A GT model, though, was produced, featuring the same 1.9-litre TDI, 96 kW (130 PS) engine found in the popular Škoda Fabia vRS and SEAT Ibiza FR TDI , as well as a six-speed gearbox. Although this model had

3816-441: The popular Fiat 128 . With the gearbox mounted separately to the engine, these cars were by necessity larger than the Mini, but this proved to be no disadvantage. This layout, still in use today, also provided superior refinement, easier repair and was better-suited to adopting five-speed transmissions than the original Issigonis in-sump design. The Lamborghini Miura used a transverse mid-mounted 4.0-litre V12 . This configuration

3888-399: The previous model, Volkswagen Motorsport modified G40 Cup cars were sold for racing in a one-make series, the Volkswagen Polo G40 Cup. Features that define the G40 from other Polo models at the time (on top of the GT) include a bee-sting aerial, BBS cross-spoke alloy wheels, Le Mans interior trim, and front and rear red "G40" badges. The Mark III Polo or Typ 6N , (sometimes referred to as

3960-420: The range were 1.4- (8-valve or 16-valve) and 1.6-litre petrol engines, as well as a 1.9-litre diesel (with or without a turbocharger). The saloon and estate versions of the Mark III, which debuted in 1995, were essentially rebadged version of the SEAT Córdoba , which were launched early in 1994. They were referred to internally by Volkswagen as the Typ 6KV , and shared body panels with the SEAT model rather than

4032-416: The safety and surefootedness of the Mini's front-wheel drive/transverse engine package. That meant the addition of a hatchback and folding rear seats. The oil crisis in the 1970s was also argued to increase supermini market share. In 1976, Ford launched the Ford Fiesta which became popular. The segment began to be more popular in the 1980s. By the mid-1980s, the term supermini had become established as

4104-470: The same period. Fuel consumption has decreased by around 20 percent, and power-to-weight ratio has increased by 15 percent. Hatchback is the most popular body style for the segment. While the majority is equipped with five doors, many European-oriented hatchbacks was offered with both three-door and five-door versions, with 31 percent of European customers opting for three-door B-segment hatchbacks by 2007. The share has decreased to 13 percent in 2016 due to

4176-406: The same time. Starting in 1982, Volkswagen sold the Polo in Japan initially through an agreement with Japanese dealership Yanase that specializes in European and North American vehicles. Of all Volkswagens imported into Japan, only the Polo (until 2017) and the Golf (until 1997), complied with Japanese government dimension regulations until the introduction of the VW Up! in 2012. The first Polo

4248-554: The shift of market preference which is moving towards prioritizing usability and practicality. As the result, by late 2010s, a number of manufacturers had stopped offering three-door versions of its B-segment hatchback models in Europe. Other body styles currently available in the segment in Europe are saloon (example: Dacia Logan ), estate (example: Dacia Logan MCV and Škoda Fabia Combi ), and coupe/convertible (example: Mini Cooper Cabrio/Convertible ). Performance-oriented versions of B-segment hatchbacks were developed and sold as

4320-405: The suspension components were interchangeable among the three models). Although the dashboard and a number of mechanical components, including engines, were shared with the Ibiza, outwardly the two cars were different, with no shared body panels. An all-new 1.0-litre petrol engine was added to the range from launch, while the 1.3-litre petrol engine from the MK2 was briefly carried over. Also new to

4392-453: The third-least satisfying supermini to own, with only the Fiat Punto and Rover 25 receiving worse ratings. It fell behind most of its crucial rivals, namely the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa , Citroën C3 , and Peugeot 206 . A saloon version of the Mk4 Polo was produced for markets outside Europe, including most Latin American countries, South Africa and China. Volkswagen launched the fifth generation Polo (internal designation Typ 6R ) at

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4464-583: The updated versions known unofficially by an addition of the letter F to the mark number, e.g., Mk2F. Some members of the automotive press and some enthusiasts consider the facelifts to be separate models, so have used the unofficial designations Polo Mk1 to Mk7 for previous generations. Each Polo model is also identified by a two- or three-character Volkswagen Group Typ number. Official VW Polo history describes Mark I to Mark IV using either Roman numerals or Arabic numerals , with facelifted variants known as "Phase II" models. The body style has been varied through

4536-438: The vehicle. This has also allowed for improved safety in a frontal impact, due to more longitudinal engine compartment space being created. The result is a larger front crumple zone . Transverse engines have also been widely used in buses. In the United States, they were offered in the early 1930s by Twin Coach and used with limited success in Dwight Austin's Pickwick Nite-Coach. Transverse bus engines first appeared widely in

4608-495: The wheels, bearing 195/45/15 tyres. There were also standard extras such as Climatronic fully automatic air conditioning, xenon headlights with a headlight washer system, a six-disc CD autochanger with a GAMMA head unit, exclusive sports interior with leather steering wheel, handbrake and gearstick, chrome inserts, and driver aids such as ABS with EBD and an EDL (a system to aid traction). Leather and satellite navigation were also optional extras. The Polo GTI Mk3F, however, never got

4680-414: Was a rebadged version of the Audi 50 hatchback launched in August 1974. The Audi 50 was discontinued in 1978, as Audi concentrated on larger luxury models. The Mk1 and Mk2 versions of the Polo were then standalone models in the Volkswagen range. With the expansion of the Volkswagen Group : Audi (in the 1960s), SEAT (in the 1980s), and Škoda (in the 1990s) were acquired, and the platform used for

4752-406: Was a popular import in the UK, competing with the likes of the Peugeot 205, Fiat Uno, and Nissan Micra . While of an outdated design, its reliability and build quality were among the best to be found on a small car of this era. In the years since then, it went on to achieve a higher survival rate than many of its competitors. However, some engines were only available on certain markets. For example,

4824-443: Was close to larger cars, including the Ford Escort in terms of size, space, and price. Within two years of its launch, however, it was faced with competition from a wave of new rivals, particularly the Fiat Uno and Peugeot 205 . The Polo Mk2 was used extensively by Volkswagen to develop future innovations, for example supercharging with a 40-mm G-Lader supercharger in the GT G40 version. A 60-mm G-Lader would later be used on

4896-460: Was developed in the 1970s as an informal categorisation, and by 1977 was used regularly by the British newspaper The Times . By the mid-1980s, it had widespread use in Britain. In Germany, the term "small cars" ( German : Kleinwagen ) has been endorsed by the Federal Motor Transport Authority ( Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt  [ de ] , KBA) equivalent to the B-segment. The segment accounts for 15.1 percent of total car registrations in

4968-454: Was expensive compared to its rivals of the time, so did not sell in vast numbers. This makes it highly collectible today, and according to Top Gear , "a potential future classic." After production of the G40 ended in 1994, Volkswagen decided to release the first GTI-branded Polo in a limited batch of just 3000. It was released in 1995 and available only in left-hand drive. It featured a 1.6-litre, 16-valve 88 kW (120 PS) engine. The GTI

5040-424: Was not available in the UK at any stage during its limited production, so as of 1994, the UK only had the 75 kW (100 bhp) 1.4-litre, 16-valve as a model with any sporting intent. Between 1999 and 2002, Volkswagen offered two sporting models — the 16V and GTI. The 16V came with the 1.4-litre, 16-valve (V), 74 kW (100 PS) engine, and had options such as 15-in Spa alloys and air conditioning. However,

5112-458: Was the most popular in virtually every country where the Polo was sold. Despite the differences in silhouette and target market segment, all body types were two- or three-door only. From the Polo Mk3 onwards, the range was more straightforwardly conventional, including unambiguous "saloon", "hatchback", and "estate" models, with only the hatchback offering both five-door and slightly shorter three-door models (both still with quite vertical tailgates,

5184-471: Was unheard of in 1965, but became more common in the following decades, with cars such as the Lancia Montecarlo , Noble M12 , Toyota MR2 , Pontiac Fiero , and first-generation Honda NSX using such a powertrain design. The Land Rover LR2 Freelander , along with all Volvo models from 1998 on (including V8 models), employ a transversely-mounted engine in order to increase passenger space inside

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