2018 VW Polo GTI Specs: 200 HP, 320 NM, 0 to 100 KM/H in 6.7 Seconds

It was presented during VW Night at the Frankfurt IAA last week, and we didn't pay it too much attention until we realized that some of the major specs had been released.

Yes, it's got a 2-liter turbo engine, which everybody already knew. Yes, that engine produces 200 HP stock, but everybody will tune it. What we didn't know is the torque, which is an impressive 320 Nm (236 lb-ft).

Torque is the thing that makes heavy cars go really fast, and to a point, it's more important than horsepower. The GTI's peak 320 Nm arrives from as low as 1,500rpm. There's also more than in almost any other competitor: 260 Nm in Clio RS, 280 Nm in the Cooper S hatch, 300 Nm in the Peugeot 208 GTi.

We also have two pieces of information regarding performance. The new Polo GTI will do 100 km/h from a standstill in 6.7 seconds and tops out at 237 km/h or 147 mph. They numbers are a little weird, as a Clio RS posts the same sprint but is way slower. But Volkswagen has always been performance dark horses, faster in the real world than officially claimed.

Also interesting is the fact that only a DSG gearbox will be available, at least at launch. So Volkswagen is reverting to its old ways, but at least it's the 6-speed wet-clutch version and not the old 7-speed that had torque limitations.

We figure the car will cost at least €26,000 in Germany before any options. Unlike the Golf, a 5-door body will be standard, but LED headlights will cost extra. The standard suspension will be 15mm lower than a standard Polo's. However, there will also be Sport Select option with adaptive dampers.

Of course, if you want a cheaper GTI, 2018 will bring the hot Up!, which packs a 1-liter turbo for 115 HP of joy. 0 to 100 km/h takes 8.8 seconds and it won't even hit 200 km/h.