Polo GTI hits 25

[Exonian]

Possibly of so little interest jv didn’t rush back off his fag break to post this up but…

Drumroll please


For the nostalgic amongst us - VW have released a 25th Anniversary Polo GTI


https://www.volkswagen-newsroom.com/en/press-releases/celebrating-the-birthday-of-an-icon-volkswagen-presents-limited-edition-polo-gti-edition-25-16015

https://youtu.be/PS1iftIi5jM

And pass the sick bucket:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjCr44lMdJA

[Snoopy]

 

[SRGTD]

The linked article states it’ll be available to order in Germany from next month (production is limited to 2,500 cars), but doesn’t mention other markets, so maybe we won’t see it in the UK.

€35,205 (roughly £30,600) sounds a lot for a Polo, even if it is a limited edition GTI model. From the pictures in the article, it’s interesting to see it has conventional buttons on the steering wheel (the facelift Polo GTI that it’s based on has haptic pads on the steering wheel like the mk8 Golf GTI). Maybe Golf performance models will get proper buttons on the steering wheel when the mk8 gets its mid life facelift?

If it does come to the UK, I won’t be rushing out to order one to replace my 32 month old 11k miles 2020 Polo GTI+. I like the graphics along the bottom of the doors though .

[Exonian]

The decals and wheels do look good.
Maybe a few hundred will come to the UK, but I’d imagine South Africa will swallow up quite a few sales.

Interesting that VW fit leather as standard to this and the R20 Years yet blab on about sustainability and the removal of animal based trim on various other group models. Alcantara seats and steering wheel would have been nice.

[SRGTD]

The decals and wheels do look good.
Maybe a few hundred will come to the UK, but I’d imagine South Africa will swallow up quite a few sales.

Interesting that VW fit leather as standard to this and the R20 Years yet blab on about sustainability and the removal of animal based trim on various other group models. Alcantara seats and steering wheel would have been nice.

Yes, I like the wheels; not being diamond cut is a big plus .

The South African market is an interesting one. The South African version of the standard facelift Polo GTI didn’t get the 207ps version of the engine or the 7 speed DSG that the facelift car for other markets got (it kept the 200ps engine and 6 speed DSG from the pre-facelift car); the reason given by VW was the poor quality fuels sold in South Africa. Therefore, as the ED25 gets the 207ps engine and 7 speed DSG, it’s possible it won’t be sold in South Africa.

The leather seats look nice, but I’ve never been a fan of ‘cold in winter, hot and sticky in summer’ leather seats. The large expanse of Piano Black trim across the dashboard is an interesting choice; a real scratch and swirl magnet.

[Watts]

I think it looks pretty smart and if I was looking for something new I'd certainly consider it. But as a limited edition it does look like a badges and stickers job. 245PS engine would've been nice.

[SRGTD]

I think it looks pretty smart and if I was looking for something new I'd certainly consider it. But as a limited edition it does look like a badges and stickers job. 245PS engine would've been nice.

Yes, pretty much a badges and stickers job, plus leather upholstery (leather isn’t an option on the standard GTI).

Agree that 245ps would have been nice, but it’s then treading on the toes of the Golf GTI which is something VW would be unlikely to do, plus It’d probably make it too expensive.

[SRGTD]

The decals and wheels do look good.
Maybe a few hundred will come to the UK, but I’d imagine South Africa will swallow up quite a few sales.

Interesting that VW fit leather as standard to this and the R20 Years yet blab on about sustainability and the removal of animal based trim on various other group models. Alcantara seats and steering wheel would have been nice.

Confirmed by Volkswagen SA that the Polo GTI ED25 won’t be sold in South Africa, even though it’ll be built there. Only to be sold in Europe and Japan.

[willni]

The decals and wheels do look good.
Maybe a few hundred will come to the UK, but I’d imagine South Africa will swallow up quite a few sales.

Interesting that VW fit leather as standard to this and the R20 Years yet blab on about sustainability and the removal of animal based trim on various other group models. Alcantara seats and steering wheel would have been nice.

Leather is a very loose term thrown around nowadays will probably be leather effect plastic.

You'd think they'd make an effort with the front bumper at least, it's as aggressive as a polo match!

[SRGTD]

The decals and wheels do look good.
Maybe a few hundred will come to the UK, but I’d imagine South Africa will swallow up quite a few sales.

Interesting that VW fit leather as standard to this and the R20 Years yet blab on about sustainability and the removal of animal based trim on various other group models. Alcantara seats and steering wheel would have been nice.

Leather is a very loose term thrown around nowadays will probably be leather effect plastic.

You'd think they'd make an effort with the front bumper at least, it's as aggressive as a polo match!

It’s all about cost management these days. The GTI and GTI ED25 does get upper and lower honeycomb grilles and GTI hex-shaped LED’s in the outer sections of the lower grille to distinguish it as a GTI (apparently those LED’s aren’t fog lights - they automatically illuminate along with the LED light bar in the upper grille when the headlamps are on).