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2015 Polo GTI Launched in Britain: Costs More than MINI Cooper S?

A few months after updating the Polo with new tech and a somewhat discrete facelift, VW has launched a new GTI model as well. This time, the changes are rather radical when it comes to under-the-bonnet stuff and we think the Vdub will be a big hit in Britain, one of the biggest hot hatch markets in Europe.
2015 Polo GTI 6 photos
Photo: Volkswagen
2015 MINI Cooper S rear suspension2015 MINI Cooper S rear suspension2015 Polo GTI2015 Polo GTI2015 Polo GTI
Arriving straight from October's Paris Motor Show, the 2015 Polo GTI looks only mildly different. Fans of the brand will notice the wheels, the badging and differences in the front bumper, but this small car looks about the same from the outside.

Only once you look under the bonnet may you realize things have changed. The old Polo GTI had a 1.4 TSI that was both supercharged and turbocharged to produce the maximum power from such a small block, which by the way was 180 PS.

Engineers have ditched that engine in favor of a much larger 1.8 TSI. You know the engine from the SEAT Leon and a few versions of the Audi A3. Now it's been tuned to 192 PS and a very meaty 320 Nm of torque.

Not surprisingly, performance has also improved, as 0 to 62 mph sprints can be done in 6.7 seconds and the top speed is 146 mph. But the biggest news here is that the Polo GTI can be ordered with a 6-speed manual for the first time in many years.

2015 Polo GTI – UK pricing revealed

Deliveries will only take place in March 2015, but pricing information has been announced. It will cost £18,850 OTR for the three door manual with a £630 premium for five door and £1,245 for the DSG gearbox.

Because the specs of this car are almost identical to the new MINI Cooper S, a comparison between the two is inevitable. The main difference between these cars is that MINI now uses a not-so-mini 2-liter turbo with the same power output. Its version of the DSG is a classic six-speed auto. The MINI also grows in size by 16 centimeters (6.2 inches) once you go for the 5-door design instead of the 3-door.

Ironically, the MINI is cheaper, despite its reputation for high cost. the Cooper S 3-door with a manual retails for £18,655, £195 cheaper than the Volkswagen. This price gap continues to be seen for the auto options and the 5-door models.

OK, the Polo GTI has standard LED headlights and MINI options are expensive. But the MINI uses a bigger, less strained engine, comes with the better badge and, we think, better styling on the inside. Another thing you might want to know is that the MINI Cooper S is one of the few cars in this segment with independent rear suspension, which you can check out in the photos we borrowed from exhaust specialists Supersprint.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
Mihnea Radu profile photo

Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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