2018 Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 rally car revealed

KUALA LUMPUR: Volkswagen hinted towards developing a new rally car at the end of the World Rally Championship 2016. Now, the automaker has finally revealed a new rally car, which is based on the sixth-generation Polo hatchback. Yes, the wraps from the 2018 VW Polo GTI R5 has been finally taken off to offer a new option to the customer teams. The car was showcased at the special event held in Mallorca, Spain with its name suggesting to meet the FIA’s R5 rules.

The new rally car is manufactured at the Polo’s Pamplona, Spain plant while keeping the FIA regulations in consideration. Based on the manufacturer’s new MQB AO platform, the focus has been put on improving the safety features of the car which include steel body as the base, roll cage, shock absorbers, auxiliary springs and special tuning of the springs.

Powering the 2018 Polo GTI R5 is a 1.6-litre turbocharged inline-4 engine that has the potential to develop a maximum power output of 272 hp and peak torque of 400 Nm. It is further coupled to a 5-speed racing gearbox and comes with a standard four-wheel drive system. The 2018 Polo GTI R5 can clock 100 kmph mark from naught in mere 4.1 seconds, making it one of the quickest hatchbacks in the respective segment.

Talking about the 2018 Polo GTI, it will be powered by Volkswagen’s EA888 engine series, which is a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder direct injection turbo-petrol engine that develops a maximum power of 197 hp at 6000 rpm and peak torque of 320 Nm at 1500 rpm to 4,400 rpm. Considering the acceleration of the 2018 Polo GTI, the hatchback can hit 100 kmph mark from zero in 6.7 seconds. The engine will be further coupled to either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed dual-clutch automatic (DSG).

This is the first time that Polo GTI has been equipped with fully digital instruments with a range of new features like City Emergency Braking, Pedestrian Monitoring, Blind Spot Monitor, Front Assist, proactive occupant protection system and automatic post-collision braking system. The launch of VW Polo GTI is still not confirmed for the local market but, it will hit the global markets in early 2018.