As of a few days ago, Volkswagen Group is the largest car company in the world. When they launch a new car, zzeea Germans like to beat their chest in pride, but when a car is discontinued they quietly sweep it under the rug.
The Polo TDI BlueMotion was, with the exception of the ultra-expensive XL1, the most frugal car Volkswagen had ever made, thanks to a frugal TDI and tweaked aerodynamics. However, this 3-liter car has been discontinued without a word from the manufacturer.
The reason for this is low demand from customers, which is easily explained. A BlueMotion TDI model cost a little over €17,000 while a regular Polo with the same 75 PS diesel engine is still available for €1,300 less. The weird thing is that it still has BlueMotion badge and is equipped with regenerative brakes.
The normal Polo with the 1.4 TDI engine lacked the low-profile tires and the blocked off front air intake. But we always thought those made the car look ugly. In any case, it's difficult to justify paying €1,300 more for just 0.4 l/100km of extra frugality.
As of last year, the Polo BlueMotion is available with a small petrol engine. The 1-liter TSI produces a respectable 95 PS and consumes 4.1 liters of fuel on the combined cycle. Its primary advantage is that the starting price is only €15,925.
It will be interesting to see what happens to the Peugeot 208, because it too has a diesel-powered eco version that we consider overpriced. The European Union is working on regulations that some believe will make diesel-powered small cars almost nonexistent in the future. The emissions of dCi, TDI or HDI engines will be tested under real-world conditions and taxation will be increased accordingly.
The reason for this is low demand from customers, which is easily explained. A BlueMotion TDI model cost a little over €17,000 while a regular Polo with the same 75 PS diesel engine is still available for €1,300 less. The weird thing is that it still has BlueMotion badge and is equipped with regenerative brakes.
The normal Polo with the 1.4 TDI engine lacked the low-profile tires and the blocked off front air intake. But we always thought those made the car look ugly. In any case, it's difficult to justify paying €1,300 more for just 0.4 l/100km of extra frugality.
As of last year, the Polo BlueMotion is available with a small petrol engine. The 1-liter TSI produces a respectable 95 PS and consumes 4.1 liters of fuel on the combined cycle. Its primary advantage is that the starting price is only €15,925.
It will be interesting to see what happens to the Peugeot 208, because it too has a diesel-powered eco version that we consider overpriced. The European Union is working on regulations that some believe will make diesel-powered small cars almost nonexistent in the future. The emissions of dCi, TDI or HDI engines will be tested under real-world conditions and taxation will be increased accordingly.