Volkswagen Polo R Could Arrive in 2013

It’s the Germans at Volkswagen that actually relaunched the hothatch game with they introduced the fifth generation of the Golf GTI in 2004, blending comfort, refinement and hooliganism in a 2.0-liter turbocharged package. But the game has moved on since then and VW seems to have lost its luster.

In an effort to bring back that extra spark of interest for the Golf’s little brother, Das Auto might introduce the Polo R as early as 2013, according to AutoCar. The hardcore version of the Polo will back up the assault of the Polo WRC with some road-going capabilities.

In the past, Volkswagen refused to make an ‘R’ version of the smaller offering, saying that it struggles to see a business case for an ultra-fast, ultra-expensive small car, but all that seems to have changed as the carmaker’s contender for the gravel track already bares the name Polo R WRC.

VW board member Ulrich Hackenberg admitted that the WRC campaign is very likely to result in a road-going variant beyond the current GTI: “You can see how the World Rally Championship programme would increase the probability of an R version of the base model [Polo].”

When asked about a timeframe for the launch, he said that “it is with the rally programme, not before it. I can’t give a precise date, but it’s along those lines.”

The hot Polo will no doubt use the group’s 1.4-liter turbocharged and supercharged motor, developing much more then the 180 hp of the current GTI. We expect to see figures higher than 200 hp, as it wouldn’t make sense to make it less powerful than the Clio RS. Four-wheel drive is unlikely to be seen, though technology sharing with the upcoming S1 is likely.