Volkswagen only pulled the covers off the new generation of its supermini challenger last month, but, ready for the European launch this summer, there’s already a TV spot for it. And, surprise surprise, it’s aimed at cool and beautiful twenty- or early thirty-somethings who seem to have a very desirable lifestyle. Nice film, though. (Thanks to The German Car Blog.)

The Volkswagen Polo is now a global car, with versions on sale in Europe, Australia, China, South Africa, and South America. Manufactured in all these locations, too, Volkswagen is to introduce the car to the emerging Indian market in 2010, and opened its plant in Pune on 31 March.

With a maximum annual production capacity of 110,000 vehicles (almost all of which will be for the local market), the new factory complex will play a major role towards achieving the Volkswagen Group’s growth targets on the Indian subcontinent.

The 580 million euro Pune facility will be the Volkswagen Group’s 61st production site, and heralds the largest investment in India by a German company to date. The Škoda Fabia will be the first model to be produced in Pune, adding to the other Audi, Škoda, and Volkswagen models built in VW’s Aurangabad plant.

Production of a specially-developed version of the new Polo for the Indian market will start in 2010, and Volkswagen Group brand communications head, Kurt Rippholz, has reportedly said that two versions will be available – both a hatchback and a saloon. The Polo name has been confirmed for the market, too, further entrenching the model’s heritage.

Exciting times then, for the mainstay of Volkswagen’s small car line-up. With rumours persisting about a debut in the US, and a full roll-out of the new-generation model later in 2009, Volkswagen is clearly pushing to make the Polo even more of a global car.

The paint has barely been dry on the Geneva Motor Show cars, but Volkswagen has clearly had its eyes on the launch of the new Polo for quite some time. And, this multimedia game for the fashionable Apple iPhone clearly hints at the younger, techno-savvy market that the company is clearly chasing for its new premium supermini. Just that this new game exists is proof of that.

For its first interactive marketing venture on the iPhone platform, VW has called in the big guns. Developed by FISHLABS, the world’s leading developer and publisher of 3D racing games, VW Polo Challenge has eight animated tracks, and realistic four-point driving physics. Innovative controls and a score by up and coming German rockers Feinkost add to the game’s credibility.

As with other games for the platform, the new 3D-rendered Polo can be accelerometer-steered around its sunny landscapes by tilting the device itself, with the difficulty increasing with every track. And if driving the car around a virtual course isn’t enough, the game menu can navigate you to the nearest Volkswagen retailer via GPS and Google Maps so that you can put pedal to the metal on real roads (after you’ve read the included press pack, of course).

The German car maker appreciates the marketing value of the gaming application, and claims it is breaking integrated communication ground. Michael Schade, CEO of FISHLABS Entertainment GmbH is equally believing of the product, too: ‘VW has really touched the zeitgeist with the 3D racing game for the new Polo. Games are by far the most popular application for these groundbreaking Apple platforms, and with the help of our large fan community of umpteen million mobile gamers, the new Volkswagen Polo will spread like wildfire.’

Though not the first manufacturer-approved racing game (there’s also the Audi A4 Driving Challenge, while BMW has commissioned a Z4-based application), VW Polo Challenge is fun to play (though not for users with heavy-handed coordination like me), and looks great. Available for the iPhone and iPod touch, it can be downloaded now (free of charge) from the Apple iTunes Apps Store.

After the flurry of last week’s Geneva Motor Show unveiling, more news and footage (see below) of the new Polo has been leaching from Volkswagen. First though, the bad news: it’s been reported that prices in the UK may rise by £500 (but it appears that you do get much more car for the money), and three-door versions arrive here in December, two months after the family friendly five-door models.

Not to worry, though, as it should be worth the wait.

One market that has waited for far too long is the US. The Golf (or Rabbit as it’s known Stateside) has long been the smallest Volkswagen on sale in the US, but that could be about to change. The Polo has never been sold to American punters in all its 34-year history, but many websites across the pond are reporting stories about an imminent turnaround.

Volkswagen Group of America CEO Stefan Jacoby has reportedly recently confirmed that the company now thinks the time is right to import the Polo, and finally make it a proper world car. On sale in China, South Africa, South America, and of course its mainstay market of Europe, it has always eluded US buyers. It makes sense – VW could make the car in its Mexican plant at Puebla alongside the Jetta and New Beetle models.

Primarily using the car to triple its annual US sales volumes to around 800,000 units, reports state the Polo could hit American shores as early as 2010/2011 to take full advantage of the small car market, currently the fastest-growing segment in the country. Jacoby’s statement of intent comes after VW’s development chief Ulrich Hackenberg spoke to Automotive News at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in January.

US Volkswagen enthusiasts have long hankered after the Polo (especially the GTI and more recently, the BlueMotion, although the new version does remind me of the Dodge Caliber), with forums abuzz with comments asking VW to import the car. Following the reports from the last couple of months, the big question is, are they about to be rewarded for their patience?

Hot on the tyre tracks of the new Polo unveiled on Monday night at the Geneva Motor Show, is this BlueMotion concept, and yep, the ultra economical Polo just got a whole lot greener. The current model, which went on sale in late 2007, has claimed fuel consumption figures of 74mpg, but this new version sips even slower, with a quoted 85mpg!

Nasty polluting gases are down, too, with the ultimate-eco version emitting just 87g/km of CO2, compared to the 99g/km of today’s car – itself the cleanest car on sale in the UK on its introduction. There are other similarities, too, with the new sharp-suited body gaining aerodynamic add-ons (taking away some of the dynamicity of the new body with them), lighter alloy wheels, and revised gear ratios.

Volkswagen is chasing a February 2010 on sale date, after the rest of the models in the new Polo range have been rolled out, and with the state of the world’s economics and resources as they are, we may well see more of these sip-sip Polos on the world’s highways and byways. Full (lengthy) German Volkswagen press release follows.

World Premiere at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show

• 3.3 litre fuel consumption makes this Polo one of the most economical cars in the world
• New 1.2 litre TDI engine reduces Polo’s CO2 emissions to just 87g/km
• Market launch of the most fuel efficient Polo of all times expected in 2010

Wolfsburg / Geneva, 03 March 2009 – It is still a concept – the most fuel-efficient five-seater in the world. Its name: Polo BlueMotion. Fuel consumption: 3.3 litres CO2 emissions: just 87g/km! Likelihood of going into production: extremely high! However, before a potential production launch, development must be completed on the brand new 1.2-litre TDI with common rail injection. And that is precisely what the team led by Development Chief Dr Ulrich Hackenberg is working on with great emphasis. ‘I anticipate,’ says Dr Hackenberg, ‘that we will be able to go into production in February 2010. Meeting this schedule will be extremely demanding. Yet the engine and other systems of the Polo BlueMotion are already operating with such promising performance that we are on course to meet our goal.’

The ‘other systems’ to which he refers include an automatic start-stop system and regenerative braking. These two technologies alone reduce fuel consumption of the 55 kW / 75 PS three-cylinder direct-injection diesel by up to 0.2 litres per 100 kilometres.

But that is not all that is being done. On the Polo BlueMotion concept car, which weighs in at just 1,080kg, Volkswagen is calling upon an entire array of efficiency measures, including an aerodynamic package for the body that is lowered by 10 millimetres (including a modified front end), an aerodynamically optimised underbody and low rolling resistance tires on 15-inch alloy wheels. Altogether, these modifications yield fuel savings totalling 0.8 litres. This has lowered CO2 emissions by about 20 per cent.

Other features being presented on the Polo BlueMotion concept car at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show include a custom interior with ‘Power On’ trim, and a display for indicating upshifting and tyre pressure. The design study is painted in the new exterior colour ‘Emotion Blue’.

Start-stop system in detail
Especially worthwhile is a look at the fully intuitive operation of the start-stop system. As the driver approaches a red stop light in the Polo BlueMotion concept car, he or she applies the brakes to bring the vehicle to a stop, shifts into neutral (which should be standard practice with a conventional car) and takes his or her foot off the clutch. This shuts off the engine momentarily. A ‘Start Stop’ message now appears in the multifunctional display. As soon as the traffic light turns green again, the driver fully depresses the clutch, the engine starts, the ‘Start Stop’ message disappears, and the driver puts the car back in gear and resumes driving.

Regenerative braking in detail
Regenerative braking helps to recover energy that would otherwise be lost in driving in as efficient a way as possible. During deceleration and braking phases of the Polo BlueMotion concept car – for example, whenever the driver simply releases the accelerator pedal or intentionally brakes – the alternator’s charging voltage is elevated, which converts the car’s kinetic energy into electrical energy to charge the battery.

Thanks to alternator control – which regulates the alternator as a function of engine efficiency for optimal battery charging – it is possible to lower alternator voltage at other times, e.g. during acceleration or driving at a constant speed. It is even possible to switch off the alternator entirely. This reduces engine load and improves fuel economy. Special software for energy management and modified engine controller software are needed to utilise regeneration.

The new umbrella brand – BlueMotionTechnologies
Volkswagen is presenting the Polo concept car in Geneva under the new umbrella brand ‘BlueMotionTechnologies’. This label covers all production-mature or near-production technologies and products that significantly reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. These are developments such as the new start-stop system and regenerative braking implemented on the Polo BlueMotion concept, as well as the highly innovative SCR catalytic converter on the Passat CC BlueTDI that is also appearing for the first time in Geneva.

However, they also include the NOx storage catalytic converter that has already been successfully introduced in the USA, electric and hybrid drive systems, and innovative engine systems like those in the Touran TSI EcoFuel which are debuting at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. A launching point for these extremely fuel efficient and low-emission products was the Polo BlueMotion, which in 2006 was the first five-seater to bring fuel consumption down to 3.8 litres per 100 kilometres. The Polo BlueMotion concept car now surpasses this record value by 0.5 litres.

The range of BlueMotion models already available today includes the Golf series, Jetta, Caddy, Touran, Sharan, and the Passat and Passat Estate. A recent survey by the organisation ‘Deutsche Automobil Treuhand – DAT’, the renowned and world’s oldest institution for automotive market research, demonstrates just how successful the BlueMotion label has become today. In a representative survey, the highly regarded DAT found that 85 per cent of German car drivers are familiar with the BlueMotion label. The next best competitor only attained a recognition level of 36 per cent. This makes BlueMotion the number one among automotive environmental labels.

Note: All data and equipment contained in this press release apply to models offered in Germany. They may differ in other countries. All information is subject to change or correction. TDI, TSI, DSG and Twincharger are registered trademarks of Volkswagen AG or other companies of the Volkswagen Group in Germany and other countries.

That was a surprise, and yes, it did throw me. Doubting that Volkswagen would pull the covers off the new Polo at the Geneva Motor Show which opens to the public today, the company went and did just that, and the first exciting details are below. The first pictures show that the car looks sleeker, more dynamic, and posher than any other Polo before it.

The sharp suit really does look great and much better than the outgoing car. The front echoes the new Golf, while the rear has jewel-like flat tail lamps, while in profile, there’s more than a shade of Volkswagen’s South American models such as the Gol. I like it, and look forward to casting an eye over it in the metal.

Aside from the new looks, there’s obviously new tech, too. New TSI and TDI engines take the headlines here, as does a 7 per cent weight saving over the current car, but while length and width increase, the height drops. To match the body, the interior is posher, too, with options borrowed from much larger cars once more. Volkswagen UK’s full press release is below.

Smarter, lighter, and even cleaner: fifth generation Polo unveiled

• New Polo unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show
• All-new body accompanied by 1.2-litre TSI and 1.6-litre TDI common rail engines
• New Polo BlueMotion II Concept Car also unveiled promising CO2 emissions of just 87g/km and a combined 85mpg.

The fifth generation of Volkswagen’s evergreen supermini, the Polo, has been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, 34 years after the original went on sale in the UK. It’s sharper, lighter, safer and more cutting edge than ever before and is set to establish new standards in the small car class. Not only does the new Polo weigh 7.5 per cent less than the vehicle it replaces – despite being marginally wider and longer – but it’s also stronger, promises greater refinement and efficiency and features new packaging to make it the most versatile iteration yet.

The stylish Polo debuts a new look as well as highly efficient TSI and common rail TDI engines to set new benchmarks in efficiency – bettering even the high standards set by the outgoing car. In addition, advanced safety systems and an all-new construction allow it to meet the criteria for the recently introduced five-star EuroNCAP standard.

Styled by a team led by Walter de Silva (Head of Design, Volkswagen Group) the fifth generation Polo establishes a distinctive new look for the car that draws on the design direction established by the Scirocco and Golf. Clean, uncluttered lines mix with a thin, horizontal grille element framed by a set of sleek light units. The use of horizontal lines in the grille and lights allows the Polo to appear lower and wider than it really is. The simple design approach continues to the back of the car, which features a set of distinctive new rear lights and a wider track (1,464mm front, 1,456mm rear) to underline the impression of solidity.

At 3,952mm in length the new Polo is 36mm longer than the car it replaces. Its width, at 1,682mm, has also grown by 32mm, yet the overall height has dropped by 13mm to 1,454mm, lending the car a more purposeful stance. These slightly larger dimensions and a longer wheelbase mean there’s greater space inside the new Polo. Head, shoulder and legroom have all increased, as has the load volume which now totals a minimum of 280 litres and a maximum of 952 litres.

Up front, elegant white backlit dials are set into a dashboard constructed out of high-quality, soft touch plastics. Volkswagen’s renowned attention to detail remains apparent in the new Polo with subtle aluminum highlights dotted around the interior and the option of a handy air conditioned glovebox and an easily accessed connection point for an MP3 player. In addition, and for the first time on a Polo, the RNS 310 touchscreen satellite navigation system can be specified along with a three-spoke, multifunction steering wheel.

Continuing the programme of efficiency improvements established by Volkswagen, the new Polo is powered by a mix of advanced naturally aspirated 1.2- and 1.4-litre engines as well as a new turbocharged 1.2-litre TSI petrol unit joining another all-new 1.6-litre TDI common rail diesel engine. All are equipped with either five- or six-speed manual gearboxes as standard and, for the first time on the Polo, selected variants can be specified with Volkswagen’s advanced and lightweight seven-speed DSG gearbox.

A Polo BlueMotion model will also join the range shortly after launch. Powered by a highly efficient 1.6-litre 90 PS TDI common rail diesel engine and linked to a five-speed gearbox with lengthened ratios in third, fourth and fifth, the new BlueMotion achieves 74mpg while emitting just 96g/km of CO2 – bettering the outgoing Polo BlueMotion model which is itself one of the most fuel efficient vehicles currently on sale. The gains in efficiency don’t stop there: in 2010 the second generation BlueMotion will follow.

Shown as a concept car at Geneva, and equipped with an all-new 1.2-litre three-cylinder common rail diesel engine developing 75 PS, the BlueMotion II will be capable of returning 85mpg on the combined cycle while generating just 87g/km of CO2. Making this possible is a package of modifications including the new engine, automatic Stop-Start and regenerative braking, a gearbox with revised ratios, optimised aerodynamics beneath the vehicle, suspension lowered by 15 mm and the fitment of low rolling resistance tyres.

The new Polo features a comprehensive roster of standard safety equipment including for the first time on all models four airbags, anti-lock brakes, Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP) and ISOFIX anchor points all fitted as standard. Production of the new Polo for the UK market starts this summer before first deliveries take place in October. Prices will be announced nearer this time.

Engine derivatives available in the UK from launch as follows:

Petrol
1.2-litre 60 5-spd
1.2-litre 70 5-spd
1.4-litre 85 5-spd / 7-spd DSG
1.2-litre TSI 105 6-spd

Diesel
1.6-litre TDI 75 5-spd
1.6-litre TDI 90 5-spd

Log
Client: Volkswagen
Agency: DDB Berlin
Production Company: Hot Dog
Director: Nicholas Barker
Chief Creative Officer: Amir Kassaei
Executive Creative Director: Bert Peulecke, Stefan Schulte
Creative Director: Dennis May
Copywriter: Ricardo Wolff
Art Director: Gabriel Mattar
Country: Germany

Molehill
Client: Volkswagen
Agency: DDB Berlin
Production Company: Hot Dog
Director: Nicholas Barker
Chief Creative Officer: Amir Kassaei
Executive Creative Director: Bert Peulecke, Stefan Schulte
Creative Director: Dennis May
Copywriter: Ricardo Wolff
Art Director: Gabriel Mattar
Country: Germany

The latest TV spot features a lone gas station and its owner, and a BlueMotion, which seemingly doesn’t need to stop to pick up any juice. Darkly shot, and just a little creepy, the message is that there is ‘less refuelling with a Polo BlueMotion’. (Thanks to German Car Scene.)

That same frugal message is also used to eye-catching effect in the two print ads currently running in the German press. Rendered in the style of surrealist painters Salvador Dali and  René Magritte, the pair proclaim that the Polo BlueMotion has ‘absurdly low fuel consumption’.

The Dali version features many cues to his Persistence of Memory artwork with malleable watches, while the Magritte advertisement features an illustration based on his The Man In The Bowler Hat painting. Both renderings are by Russian illustrator Kirill Chudinskiy. (Thanks to Ads of the World.)

‘Dali’
Absurdly low consumption. The Polo BlueMotion.
Advertising Agency: DDB, Berlin, Germany
Chief Creative Officer: Amir Kassaei
Executive Creative Directors: Stefan Schulte, Bert Peulecke
Creative Directors: Ludwig Berndl, Kristoffer Heilemann
Art Directors: Marian Grabmayer, Marcus Intek
Illustrator: Kirill Chudinskiy
Account Manager: Kathrin Thiele

‘Magritte’
Absurdly low consumption. The Polo BlueMotion.
Advertising Agency: DDB, Berlin, Germany
Chief Creative Officer: Amir Kassaei
Executive Creative Directors: Stefan Schulte, Bert Peulecke
Creative Directors: Ludwig Berndl, Kristoffer Heilemann
Art Directors: Marian Grabmayer, Marcus Intek
Illustrator: Kirill Chudinskiy
Account Manager: Kathrin Thiele

Made by the Polo-Land forum in France, Polo Selecta is based on a similar piece of kit for previewing modifications on old Beetles. First, you choose your steed (hatchback, coupe and saloon are all there, pre and post-facelift), then apply a colour, and you’re away. Wheels can be chosen next – 80s Ronal Turbos or classic ATS 15-inchers? Suspension can be slammed to the floor (but be wary of those violent sleeping policemen), and the rake of the car adjusted, too.

Accessories can be added, as can different sets of lights, side repeaters, aerials, and side mouldings and spoilers can be added or taken off. Great detail has been made to make every detail right. With the colour palette, there’s even a selection of decals from the varying Polo models that had them. The possible combinations are staggering. It’s great fun, can while away more than a few minutes, and I can see it becoming quite addictive. Your Polo can instantly become a Po-low, and the age-old ‘What flavour is yours?’ Polo mint gag can be taken to new heights.

It’s a while since I modified a car, as these days I prefer my 1994 Polo GT near-standard (on the outside at least), but I could quite easily catch the online modifying bug. Although not radical, how are these for starters?

Modern with a classic twist: lowered Polo Coupe 2F with ATS 15″ alloys

Old school: lowered Polo Coupe 2 with 14″ ‘Pirelli’ alloys and GT decals

Polo Selecta. Which flavours (or should that be flavas) will you create?

Voted for by the readers of Autocar online, the ‘Polo Confidence’ TV commercial features a Jack Russell dog which is shown to be nervous and timid in everyday situations, yet, while in the Polo, ‘sings’ happily and confidently along to the soundtrack of I’m A Man by the Spencer Davis Group.

On accepting the prestigious award, Chris Craft, Director of Volkswagen UK commented: ‘We’re delighted to receive this award from Autocar – and it’s really special because it’s voted for by the public.

‘We wanted to develop the advert to reinforce the key messages of the Polo – safety, security and therefore confidence. We are really proud to have produced such a memorable advertisement and one which has clearly captured the public’s imagination.’

The Polo ad had some formidable rivals for the award. ‘This is the new Jaguar’ spot for the XF; Honda’s live skydive advert for the Accord and Renault’s ‘4×4 spirit’ advert for the Koleos were all up for the gong, but the clear winner was the Polo campaign. Charles Hallett, Editor of Autocar agreed with the readers’ choice: ‘It’s funny, memorable and in keeping with some excellent Volkswagen adverts over the years.’

Conceived and produced by Volkswagen’s advertising agency, DDB London, the advert was filmed over three days in Los Angeles, USA. Two Jack Russells, Bear and Cody, were used during the filming. Though almost identical, the two male dogs are not siblings.

One of the trainers from the dogs’ agency, Worldwide Movie Animals, said: ‘On screen, Bear did all the happy, singing in the car stuff and Cody did all the scaredy cat, shaking stuff. Cody has a command called “head down� where he lowers his head as you see in the commercial and it makes him look very timid. As soon as you release the behaviour, he pops his head back up and looks super happy again. They love chicken, playing ball, frisbee and tug of war. Both are really good tempered, well trained dogs that are fun to be around.’

The advert has so far registered over one million hits on the internet video site, YouTube, while 36 fan groups were set up on social networking site FaceBook. The soundtrack, which was not re-released, also peaked at number six on the UK Rock Top 100 on iTunes.

Source: Volkswagen UK Press Office