At the launch of the Polo facelift, Volkswagen India said that the changes made to the regular one will brush-off on the go-faster GT version and also the CrossPolo. We wonder why it took VW a month to bring the cars out but well, here they are - the evil twins - the GT TSI and the TDI.
Yes, they are back but only little has changed. So what exactly have the people at Volkswagen done to change the regular Polo into a hot hatchback? If you consider the exteriors, well, nothing much and they really didn't need to tweak much either. I am just glad there are no decals or anything superficial to make people understand that this is a hot hatch.
Having said that, it is not understated either. The face is the same as the Polo facelift and the rear gets the same treatment. There is one change, however, and that is that the GT gets a rear spoiler dipped in black, which, on a white Polo, makes it look like a dalmatian. To be precise, an odd one called Dipstick from 101 Dalmations.
Volkswagen needed to tell people that this is a faster version of the Polo and the badging that encompasses both, the front and the rear, delivers just that message. Both those letters of the alphabet, i.e. GT, are also found as doorstep garnish on the car and that brings us to the interior.
Both the GTs come in all black interiors, as opposed to the dual-tone interiors of the regular Polo. It does look good, especially the new flat-bottomed three-spoke steering wheel which emphasizes the sportiness of the car. You get everything from USB, Bluetooth, Aux-In to steering mounted controls and even an SD card slot. There are metallic pedals too, which add to that racing pedigree characteristic. That said, I must confess that both of them are very capable of making a case for themselves even without the aforementioned garnishing.
Finally, it comes down to what is at the heart of the car. The GT TSI gets the familiar 1.2-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged, direct-injection motor which churns out 104bhp and develops 175Nm of torques. The familiar 7-speed DSG auto-box channelizes the power to the front wheels, which then squeal furiously as you tackle the roads.
The steering is light, but responsive and it is only when you start tackling a corner do you realize how everything works together to keep the car balanced at all times. The gearshifts are precise and thanks to that the lag is negligible. The flappy paddles were sorely missed but that's more like a 'if wishes could be horses' kind of a situation.
The GT TDI too is very engaging and has 104bhp on offer from the 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder mill. Its 250Nm of torque is available from as low as 1500rpm, and since it gets a manual transmission, someone like me would be smiling from ear-to-ear.
Yes, they are evil and you might think they are fuel guzzlers but you're wrong. While the GT TSI is economical, returning 17.21Km/l, the diesel returns 19.91Km/l which is astounding for a car that is probably the hottest hatchback in the country.
However, power does come at a price and both the cars cost 7.99 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi), which is probably the price of an entry level sedan, or even two small cars, or a top-of-the line hatchback. So, does it make sense to succumb to this evil? Well, if you are practical then probably not; because this one is only for the crazy lot!
Polo GT TSI Petrol 1.2
Displacement : 1197cc
Max Power: 104bhp@5000rpm
Max Torque: 175Nm@1500-4100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed DSG Automatic
Fuel Economy: 17.21Km/l
Polo GT TDI
Displacement: 1498cc
Max Power: 104bhp@4400rpm
Max Torque: 250Nm@1500-2500rpm
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
Fuel Economy: 19.91Km/l
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