Just recently Volkswagen discontinued the Polo 1.6 in the Indian market. The higher capacity petrol Polo was a splendid alternative for enthusiasts producing 105 BHP of power and 153 Nm of torque. But the reason why Volkswagen discontinued it could be the low margins on the vehicle. The Polo 1.6 did not receive excise benefits and the recent hike in excise duties made the vehicle quite expensive. The price difference between the Polo 1.2 (petrol) Highline and Polo 1.6 Highline wasn’t much, even though the latter did not receive small car benefits.
A few months back, Volkswagen launched the Jetta with the 1.4 TSI engine, even though the 1.8 TSI engine is on use in many other Volkswagen Group cars. The company is thus focusing on downsized motors, which are more efficient. Just recently an on-test Polo with red plates (number points to Volkswagen ownership) and TSI badging was spotted on the Mumbai-Pune expressway. The vehicle features a GT badge on the left side with a rear roof spoiler. The alloy wheels are the same ones which recently made its way into the updated Polo.
We can safely say its the 1.2-litre TSI engine which is being tested for launch in the Indian market. The Polo 1.2 TSI could be launched within the next few months, receiving small car excise benefits, leading to an aggressive pricing. The 1.2 TSI Polo uses direct injection and a turbocharger to produce 104 BHP of power at 5000 RPM and 175 Nm of torque at just 1500 RPM. Volkswagen claims a 0 – 100 km/hr sprint in just 9.7 seconds, while the top speed is 190 km/hr. This engine is very frugal too, returning 18.9 km/l according to the company.
The Volkswagen Polo recently received a minor price correction along with addition of new features, which is expected to boost sales this festive season. The Polo 1.2 TSI is expected to be priced atleast Rs. 1 lakh over the regular 1.2 variant, which is worth it, if you are looking for a good combination of performance and mileage.
Spy Picture Source – Overdrive