Volkswagen has finally given the full details of their Polo GTI release in India, about a week ago, an automotive occasion that had many enthusiasts shouting in unison, “FINALLY!”
First up, lets look at the specs of the the beast we’re getting. The Polo GTI will have a 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine that packs 190 HP and 250Nm of torque between 1250-3250 RPM. This gives it a claimed 0-100kph time of 7.2 seconds and a top speed of 233kph. So, it will definitely pack quite a punch and while it would have been nice to get the magic number of 200 HP, this should still put a big smile on your face when you put the pedal to the metal.
To differentiate it from the other Polo models in India, we will be getting the three-door version of the GTI, and of course the GTI badge on the front grille. There will be more visual cues on the GTI including dual chrome exhaust pipes, and red stripes and accents around the car.
The not so great news starts with the price tag. While we weren’t expecting it to be cheap, but INR 25.99 lacs (ex-showroom Delhi) is still a bit hefty. Add to that the fact that they’re only bringing 99 of these bad boys for now, means the odds of coming across one in your daily routines is also not gonna be high. Our guess is VW is still testing the waters on the Indian market’s appetite for their hot hatch, and will increase production accordingly.
But this is a start, hopefully, of more such exciting cars to be making their entry in India, like the Ford Focus RS and or the Hyundai Veloster Rally Spec. Fingers crossed!
The Auto Loons 