Volkswagen Polo R Line goes on sale

The car you see above is the new Volkswagen Polo R Line – a new sportier and faster variant of the popular hatch. The Polo R-Line comes with a 1.2-litre TFSI engine mated to a six-speed gearbox. At 105PS, power output is the same as the 1.6-litre Polo Highline currently available in India. Only, this is a unit that’s tuned to aid the car attain three-digit speeds in just under 10 seconds and a top speed of 190km/h.

The outside is distinguished by deeper, sportier front and rear bumpers, a black gloss radiator grille with R Line badging, deeper side sills and 16-inch ‘Mallory’ alloy wheels with the standard fog lights including a static cornering function.

The inside also gets brushed aluminum scuff plates with R Line logos stamped almost everywhere – on the seats, headrests and the leather-trimmed steering wheel. The sportiness is further emphasised by seats upholstered in ‘Kyalami’ cloth, aluminum capped pedals and black cloth roof lining.

Standard equipment is ample, including the RCD 310 radio/CD player with six speakers and multi-device interface for plugging in an iPod or other compatible devices, semi-automatic air-conditioning, multi-function trip computer, power windows, height-adjustable front seats, split-folding rear seats, electrically operated and heated-door mirrors, illuminated vanity mirrors, front and rear reading lights, tyre pressure monitor and remote central locking.

For now, the Volkwagen Polo R Line is available only in the UK at £15,195 (Rs.13 lakh) for the three-door version and £15,815 (Rs 13.54 lakh) for the five-door version. With a price tag like that, the R-Line may never see an India launch, at least not in the near future. Until then, satisfy your speed craving with the second-best option – the Polo 1.6 – which does a 0-100km/h in 12.33 seconds. Not bad at all!