Continuing our theme of small and big, here’s a fine curbside shot of a VW Polo Mk1 and Mk5, shot and posted by Heinrik Sommer. Needless to say, there’s been some growth, and the Polo surpassed the dimensions of the Golf Mk1 a generation or two earlier. And as far as I can tell, the new Mk7 Polo is bigger yet, but I can’t find the stats yet. let’s take a closer look at the Mk 1.
This is a 1979 or later face-lift version, the grille being the giveaway. We’ve never done an in-depth post on the original Polo, but then it should really be on the Audi 50, as that is what the Polo started out as. Audi was on a roll at the time, and somewhat oddly, decided to develop an very compact car, despite Audi generally slotting above VW. But they didn’t have to start from scratch: the 50 was based on work that NSU had started to develop a replacement for the rear-engine Prinz/1200. Exactly how much of NSU’s work is encompassed in the 50 is unknown to me.
Audi brought the 50 to production in only 21 months, but the results were excellent. It was a stellar small car, and largely set the standard for its class in terms of performance, efficiency, space utilization, and handling. Typical for Audi, it was a fly weight, tipping the scales at some 1500 lbs (685-700 kg). And its very modern new 1093 cc OHC four was a delight, making 50 or 60 hp.
The Audi 50 was only built from 1974 through 1978, as VW coopted it for its Polo, and decided that such a small car had no place at Audi. It followed on the heels of the Golf, and the two essentially remade VW, although they were developed separately. But VW adopted the Polo’s 1.1L engine for the European version of the Golf. The EA111 series of engines went on to have a very long life at VW, used until just a few years ago in a variety of sizes and cylinders, but never made it to the US. Of course that goes for the Polo too, which was considered to be too expensive to sell/build profitably for the NA market.
We Didn’t Get The First Gen But We Do Get The Current Gen.They Are Good Cars,They Just Don’t Like 110Plus Degrees Weather.
Those early Polo’s are getting mighty rare on the ground, especially non-garaged ones…Very attractive styling.
Growing up, my friend’s mom bought a new a VW Derby which was a Polo with a trunk that was introduced late in the Mk1’s span. Needless to say those were rare even then, they were never a big seller, it’s curious as to why it was even introduced.
I believe the Mk5/6 is actually just about as large as a MkII Golf (85-92 in the US). It’s a livable size and worked well when we rented one in Iceland last year. While the Golf may BE the franchise at VW, the Polo is not far behind.
2017 Polo weighs 2315 lbs, also about the same as the MK2 Golf.
From the side it looks like a Yugo. I know Yugos were Fiat based not VAG.
The roof line has a strong resemblance to the mk1 fiesta.
To my eye the latest Golf has crossed a murky line and become a car that’s perhaps bigger than it was meant to be.
Most name plates become bigger over time of course, but the identity of the Golf as a small, efficient, no-nonsense package has always been central to its very special DNA. Something about the latest version seems slightly stretched and inflated, carrying just a little too much middle-aged padding in its new sheet metal than the ‘uber sensible’ Golf of the past 4+ decades should.
Perhaps the Polo is new Golf.
Funnily enough I was passed today by a 2002 Peugeot 406 estate, closely followed by a new Polo, and was struck by how bulky the Polo looked.
The 406 is two sizes up, but in every aspect except length, the Polo looked bigger – and the 406 was slightly bigger than its competitors when new.
Yup, I have noticed the growing VWs Not only is the Polo now larger than a Mk I Golf, the Mk VII Golf is now bigger than the 70s Dasher. Not that VW is the only offender, nor is this a new phenomenon. My 98 Civic hatchback was about the same size as the original Accord hatchback. There is a video on youtube of the latest iteration of the Polo. After running through how much bigger the new one is, including a 94mm wheelbase stretch, how refined and sophisticated it is, the video asks “so good you don’t need a Golf? ”
VW had the official introduction of the T-ROC CUV last week, which apparently we will not get here. Next up in the “not for you Americans” parade is the Polo based T-Cross.
I spent several years feeling snubbed because this pretty little car never made it over here (a feeling now revived by Mazda’s decision not to let us have the new Mazda 2). This annoyance was tempered somewhat by the number of reports from the European/UK press that the Polo’s brakes were worse than bad, although I can’t believe that something could not be done about that. But ever since I swapped a Fiat 500 for my first Mini, I have always had a soft spot for any car that could carry four adults within a tiny footprint while weighing under a ton.
That is of course no longer possible in any all-roads car, since we are expected to survive almost any possible collision, of the sort I managed on two occasions – and my girlfriend on one – to avoid because the car was light and agile enough to steer around it. In her case, she was driving my Mini through an industrial park, and suddenly found herself face-to-face with an oncoming semi-tractor. She braked and steered, the truck driver braked, and they came to a stop side by side. Had she been driving a Cadillac she’d have been dead.
I have only seen one Polo in the wild and I have no idea what version it was. A woman at one of my former employers moved here from the Mexico City office and brought her Polo with her; I assume that she drove it. In any event I’m sure it was the only car within a 100 mile radius with a Mexico DF license plate. This was circa 2005-06 and the car was fairly new then if that helps to identify what version it was.
I can’t think of any model of car that hasn’t gotten larger over time; I suspect this is inevitable given safety regulations and our increased appetite for luxury features. I remember seeing an original Mini on I75 near Atlanta a few years back and being struck by how small it was. It appeared to be small enough to fit into the cargo area of some of the XXXL SUV’s.
I have only seen one Polo in the wild and I have no idea what version it was. A woman at one of my former employers moved here from the Mexico City office and brought her Polo with her;
I saw a small VW sedan in the parking lot at The Henry Ford Museum a few months ago. Far too small to be a Passat, but it didn’t look like any generation of Jetta. Circling around to the back, I saw it was a Vento, and was wearing a Mexican plate. The Vento is a sedan version of the Polo, built in India.
I was under the impression that Deutschland (letter “D” on license plate for Germany) was very strict on abandon cars on the street. The moss on the paint and weeds in the street makes you think the red VW landed in Portland, OR in some kind of parallel universe;-}
No, not reallly. As long as the inspection stickers are in current stand, they are pretty much ignored for up to four years. Some cities require the vehicles not to park in same spot for maximium period of time, which is difficult to enforce.
Case in point: one guy in Munich couldn’t remember where he parked his car before pub crawling. He searched for the car and canvassed many streets as he could.
It wasn’t a few years later until the traffic wardens noted the expired inspection sticker and cited the owner.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-drunk-idUSBRE89A0ZO20121011
http://jalopnik.com/5951032/a-drunk-german-man-who-forgot-where-he-parked-just-found-his-car-two-years-later
I have had two different generation Polos as rent-a-cars in Europe. Frankfurt rented me one in ’84; Prague sent me out in one in 2007.
Both Polos were excellent and fun (manuals of course). It is always interesting to rent a car in Europe that can not be found in the USA and those two Polos, used for a week’s worth of touring both times, contributed to the satisfaction of the trips.
Generally rental cars in Europe are good or excellent. My only bad experience was with a Renault – no surprise there.
The original Polo’s mission has been taken up by the VW Up!, Seat Mini and Skoda Citigo. Nice quality, sweet 3 cyl motors, but automated manual trans needs to be avoided……
Is it known whether the mk1 and mk2 Volkswagen Polos (and related Derby saloons) were easily capable of featuring 5-door hatchback / 4-door saloon bodystyles?
A curious and rather viable sub-Polo city car prototype that may or may not be related to the larger Polo would be the 1975 Volkswagen Chicco, which based on limited sources was said to be powered by a 40 hp 900cc 3-cylinder engine (presumably though not necessarily derived from the existing EA111 units).
http://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/1975_volkswagen_chicco/