| It always amazes me how efficient the Germans are. | | | | buyers and is now de-rigueur with all in-car audio units. |
| Whilst settling down to watch Grand Designs the other | | | | 1994 finally saw a significant update of the Polo. |
| day, I saw an entire house built in a Bavarian factory, | | | | Available in 3 and 5 door hatchback versions, the car |
| shipped to England and built in three days, all without | | | | sat on a new chassis shared in part with the SEAT |
| mistakes and of course - with a top quality finish. It's | | | | Ibiza (VW also owning SEAT) and the Polo's big |
| the same story with sport, I bet Michael Schumacher | | | | brother the Golf. Eight different engines were available, |
| could waltz back into the Formula One paddock, shake | | | | the largest choice yet in the Polo range and more |
| Lewis Hamilton's hand before demolishing him on the | | | | contemporary styling was also on offer. The turn of |
| track, without breaking a sweat. German cars are no | | | | the millennium saw the obligatory facelift with 70% of |
| different and a perfect microcosm of this can be | | | | the components being changed, although this wasn't |
| found with one look at the Volkswagen Polo. | | | | outwardly visible. The car certainly continued the |
| Staggeringly this car has been with us for 33 years | | | | tradition of being better made and having a more |
| and is just as popular today as the first model was in | | | | upmarket feel than its rivals and sold well. It also won a |
| 1975, which sold over 500,000 units worldwide in just | | | | number of awards including best 'Supermini' from Top |
| six years. Originally a rebadged Audi 50, the Polo was | | | | Gear, Auto Express, and Which? in the late nineties. |
| sold alongside it's Audi counterpart but was cheaper to | | | | The Mk IV Polo was launched in 2002 and further built |
| buy. Unsurprisingly, the Polo outsold it's identical twin | | | | upon the heritage of it's predecessors. Again sharing a |
| and Audi stopped production of the 50. Buoyed by it's | | | | platform with the SEAT Ibiza and additionally the |
| success a face lifted Polo appeared in 1979, with | | | | Skoda Fabia, the Polo's appearance was dramatically |
| subtle styling changes to bring the baby Polo into line | | | | changed, with quad headlights similar to the smaller |
| with the design of the existing Jetta Saloon (this | | | | Lupo featured in the new design. No fewer than 11 |
| included square headlights on the top-of-the-range | | | | different engine options were available, each with |
| 'Derby' derivative). It was VW's intention for this to act | | | | different levels of trim to complement. Despite early |
| as a stop-gap until the Mk II Polo arrived in 1981. It's fair | | | | promise, the Mk IV didn't sell as well as previous Polos |
| to say that Porsche are often criticised for having a | | | | and faired poorly in many customer satisfaction |
| lazy design studio, after all the 911 has looked almost | | | | surveys, including high profile ones such those |
| identical for 40 years, but Volkswagen made a fair fist | | | | conducted by Top Gear. With this in mind, the Mk IV, |
| of clinching the title in 1981. The Mk II Polo was | | | | was redesigned in 2005 and is the model found on the |
| essentially identical to it's predecessor, although crucially | | | | roads today. Subtle exterior changes were made for |
| what it lacked in originality of styling, it more than | | | | the car to again share the design style of others in the |
| compensated for with build quality and reliability. Whilst | | | | Volkswagen range, particularly the Passat and interior |
| it's main rivals the Renault 5, Fiat Uno and Austin Metro | | | | components were redesigned in the light of previous |
| have long since gone to the great scrap yard in the | | | | criticism. The latest model is the Polo Bluemotion, |
| sky, the Mk II Polo is still in plentiful supply on Britain's | | | | specifically designed to be more environmentally |
| roads. Built until 1994, the Mk II also allowed | | | | friendly, by reducing the vehicles weight, electronic |
| Volkswagen to pioneer new technology - most | | | | equipment and engine emissions. Reliability and value |
| notably a G-supercharged engine that would later be | | | | for money continue to be the Polo's standout features, |
| the basis for the one found in the Corrado and Golf. | | | | although there is no doubt the latest model is a very |
| As with the Mk I, the second generation Polo received | | | | classy looking vehicle. The best way to sum up this |
| a subtle facelift in 1990 for the final four years of | | | | car is to steal the phrase from the German company |
| production. Despite new headlights and bumpers it still | | | | themselves - "small but tough". |
| bore a near identical resemblance to the original 1975 | | | | Jake Delur is a motoring enthusiast who has a passion |
| model. One notable feature however was the | | | | for all things Volkswagen. He is currently working to |
| introduction of a removable stereo/cassette unit, | | | | promote the VW Polo at Alan Day VW in London. |
| allowing for increased security and was a hit with | | | | |