Maxabout.comEditor Review
Sneak Preview of Next Sedan From VW India
Sunday, February 15, 2009Volkswagen's Polo has a sedan variant called the Volkswagen Polo Classic, and it has been in existence ever since the first generation Polo which had its sedan counterpart called the Volkswagen Derby.
Production bases of the current Polo Classic are located in Brazil, South Africa and China. Australia receives the Polo Classic from the base in China, and the model is the first right hand drive Chinese-manufactured car to be exported to a “developed country”.
It is expected that Volkswagen may launch the Polo sedan by year end to compete with the likes of recently launched Fiat Linea, New Honda City, Hyundai Verna and Ford Fiesta.
In the South African market, it is available with three petrol engines (1.4 with 83hp, 1.6 with 100hp and 2.0 with 114hp) and one turbodiesel, the 1.9 TDI (100hp, 240Nm).
Volkswagen plans to introduce it in the Indian market, probably with a 1.4 TDI engine like the Fabia that is offered here.
Compared to the Polo hatchback, the sedan model is completely re-styled from the B-pillar rearwards to create a homogenous and powerful look.
The window line - with its slight upward incline - gives a sense of dynamism, the roof features Volkswagen’s trademark curves and the concise styling of the C-pillar provides aspects that are actually reminiscent of a coupe.
At the rear, the large horizontally divided rear lights and elegantly sculptured panels complete a design that is classically Volkswagen – stylish but free of fuss and ostentation. Overall, the Polo Classic is 28 centimetres longer than the hatchback version.
Safety features are abundant and combine to make Polo Classic one of the world’s safest small cars. Included are the high quality, torsionally rigid bodyshell, advanced chassis design and standard features such as five three-point seat belts, front and side airbags, and ABS anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-pressure distribution (EBD).
Best of all, the Polo Classic is a Volkswagen, so it has the interior style, quality materials and ergonomics that are the envy of the automotive industry throughout the world.
Cars such as the Polo Classic sedan are important for car manufacturers as with rising global fuel prices, more and more customers are downsizing their vehicle choices in terms of size, and for sedan-centric markets this means sedan vehicles have to be developed for vehicle segments that have been traditionally filled with hatchbacks.
Video of New Volkswagen Polo Classic (German Model):