24,000 pre-orders for VW’s most efficient, the Polo

[xcel]

What CleanMPG’er would not want one of these fuel misers for highway in their garage

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - June 26, 2009

2009 VW Polo - $17,125 USD to start and 63.6 mpgUS combined on the NEDC.

Wolfsburg, Germany – The new Volkswagen Polo is now available at dealers and launches with a high number of pre orders. Over 24,000 customers have already chosen the fifth generation of this multi-million bestseller from Volkswagen.

"The new Polo is the right car at the right time, and it offers attractive solutions for customers in a difficult time for the automotive industry. In the Polo, the art of German engineering melds with state-of-the-art technology. It is not only the most economical and environmentally friendly Polo of all times, but the safest as well with features such as standard ESP. At a base price of $17,125, the Polo has not become more expensive, just better! This was also what we heard from our dealers at the successful Polo Congress that just concluded in Wolfsburg," says Christian Klingler, Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Passenger Car brand, responsible for Sales and Marketing.

The distinctive new Volkswagen Design-DNA, paired with the cleanest and most fuel efficient engines, sets new standards in the fifth generation Polo. "Clearly, the Polo will redefine the benchmarks in its class, especially when it comes to preserving natural resources," underscores Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management, Volkswagen brand, and Head of Technical Development.

Top-notch performance on the new Polo is attained by the use of new TDI and TSI engines and the 7-speed dual clutch transmission (DSG, resulting in drastically reduced fuel consumption and emissions values across many engine power levels. At market launch, a total of six engines will be offered on the new Polo – three petrol and three diesel – ranging from 59 to 103.5 HP. Just how much potential lies in the newly developed TDI engines is illustrated by the Polo 1.6 TDI with 89 HP. When ordered with a "BlueMotion Package" (at an option price starting at $560 USD), it delivers highly attractive average fuel consumption of 63.6 mpgUS combined and 96 g/km CO2 on the NEDC.

Market launch across the rest of Europe begins in July 2009.

[PaleMelanesian]

BlueMotion for $560? How much did GM charge for BAS on the Malibu?

How many of these 24,000 orders are in the USA? Zero, right? sigh...

[bomber991]

Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian

BlueMotion for $560? How much did GM charge for BAS on the Malibu?

How many of these 24,000 orders are in the USA? Zero, right? sigh...

That's cause fat people like me, you know, the ones that are 6ft and weigh 150lb. We're so fat, we can't fit in these tiny little european cars. Oh yeah wait, is a 32in waist fat? There's usually one 28, 30, 32 pair and then about 10 pairs of 34 and up.

I don't know why, but VW's strategy kind of sucks in the US. I hear their cars in Europe are common like corollas here.

[RichXKU]

Being that VW is 2nd to last in dependability, it must save fuel by simply not running most of the time

[ILAveo]

Originally Posted by RichXKU

Being that VW is 2nd to last in dependability, it must save fuel by simply not running most of the time
....

I've heard that some hypermilers like to push their cars--it might be a good feature?

[xcel]

Hi RichXKU:

___Ouch

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[Taliesin]

Originally Posted by RichXKU

Being that VW is 2nd to last in dependability, it must save fuel by simply not running most of the time

Many thanks for this. More information for choosing vehicles is always good, and this is one of those pieces of information that most people don't think about.

I'm starting to rethink suggesting the GF get a Jetta. I was already leaning toward the Prius or Insight, but now I lean a little more.

[Blackbelt]

If VW does bring this over(and i really hope they do), then i would be interested to see what price point it comes in at. If they vring it in at $17K plus, higher than the golf/rabit, then they are not going to have much more than modest success. If they start it at something like $14,999, then they will sell a ton of them. The basic American mentality of "bigger is worth more", especially in that segment, is hard to overcome. Not impossible, but difficult.

[seftonm]

VW makes some stinkers like the Touareg which have poor reliability and those vehicles really drag them down. The Jetta and Rabbit are among their better cars and have been rated average to above average for predited reliability by Consumer Reports recently. Not Prius or Insight levels, but much better than the rating that the brand gets as a whole. Any time with a TDI though, I recommend that owners find a dealer or independent mechanic who knows to work on them. There are a lot of unique aspects to knowing newer diesels that many dealers sadly don't understand.

I can't see VW bringing the Polo in higher than the Rabbit. That would be a completely boneheaded move. On second thought, that's how they sometimes think I believe there is a plan to bring the Polo over, but not until a few years from now, like 2011. If they bring it with the 1.6 TDI then I'd really be interested in one at some point.

[xcel]

Hi Mike:

___While I am finally getting around to the TDI Review, please have those CR's numbers handy as we are going to need them. I almost cried when I saw Rich's JD Power, manufacturer VDS ratings and now glad to see the new Jetta and Rabbit are far more reliable.

___Good Luck

___Wayne