Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 Rally Car Showcased

The R5 is based on the sixth-generation of the hatchback, which is expected to arrive in India sometime in 2018

Volkswagen has showcased the rally-spec Polo GTI R5 in Mallorca, Spain. The car shares its underpinnings with the next-gen 2018 Volkswagen Polo GTI. The car first participated in the World Rally Championship in 2013 and has won four titles since then.

The GTI R5 gets a 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged engine developing 272PS of power and 400Nm of torque. A close-ratio 5-speed sequential gearbox sends power to all four wheels for improved grip on asphalt, gravel and snow. The package weighs just 1320kg, and it takes just 4.1 seconds to accelerate from zero to 100kmph.

The road-going sixth-generation Polo GTI gets a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine with 200PS of power and 290Nm of torque. That’s a respectable improvement of 8PS in the power department and 40Nm in the torque coming from an extra 200cc worth of displacement. The 2018 model ditches the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox and goes for the 6-speed unit to make use of the extra torque as the 7-speed unit can’t handle more than 250Nm. Its 0-100kmph acceleration figure stands at 6.7 seconds compared to the 7.2 seconds of the Volkswagen GTI we get in India.

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Sven Smeets, director of Volkswagen Motorsport, said, "Presenting the new Polo GTI R5 to the public was a magnificent moment. The close relationship to the road-going Polo GTI is unmistakable. In the rally Polo, the GTI family has another spectacular ambassador. Our team and the colleagues at Volkswagen Design in Wolfsburg deserve great credit for this. Over the coming months, the Polo GTI R5 must prove itself in a series of tough scenarios, in order to ensure that it can build on the success of its predecessor in the customers' hands."

The Mk VI Polo uses the new MQB platform, which addresses the rear seat legroom issue and provides a spacious cabin. The new car's design looks upmarket and almost like a compact luxury car with straight lines that age gracefully with time. We are expecting the India-spec 2018 Volkswagen Polo to get a 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which might replace the underpowered 1.2-litre petrol engine. This engine will allow it to take on the Maruti Suzuki Baleno RS with a lower price point. That's because the small engine won't be limited to just the top-spec variant like the Volkswagen Polo GT TSI and the Baleno RS. The 1.5-litre diesel engine will most likely continue with minimal to no changes.

We were hoping to see the new Polo at the 2018 Auto Expo, but Volkswagen has decided to stay out of the fair as it doesn't offer a reasonable return on investment.

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