Volkswagen starts testing polo GTI in India, launch soon?

Indian market has got very few hot hatches till date. Most of the ones which have been launched are also ‘warm’ hatches at best by the global standards. However, the thirst of the enthusiasts hasn’t been quenched and they want something more powerful. Something more special.

Volkswagen already sells the Polo GT twins in India which no doubt are the best buys in the segment for performance. But, the German carmaker might just treat us with a proper hot hatch which wouldn’t break the bank. They imported one unit of the Polo GTI some time ago and the car has been spotted on test recently in Pune which is close to the automaker’s Indian plant.

With the news of Fiat launching the Abarth brand in India, the enthusiasts will have one heck of a time choosing between these mean machines. The Polo GTI is powered by the same 1.8-litre TSI engine found under the hood of the Skoda Octavia and the power rating is even higher standing at 190 BHP which helps the car propel from 0-100 km/hr in an impressive 6.7 seconds.

The engine is mated to the 7-speed DSG transmission which means the torque output might be restricted to 250 Nm. Unlike the Polo GT twins which receive some very subtle differences over their normal counterparts, the Polo GTI gets some distinct features.

A different front and rear bumper, the GTI grille, different (and sexier!) alloys along with a few more subtle tweaks will set the Polo GTI apart in a crowd of normal Polos. The car will be able to hit a top speed of 250 km/hr (limited) which is right up there and will quench the thirst of speed of most of the people.

The best however is that this might just be the most affordable “proper” hot hatch in the country since it will borrow many parts from cars already sold in India. However, do not expect a shocker of a price from Volkswagen. We expect it to be priced around Rs. 16 lakhs (ex-showroom) and this isn’t too high considering the power-to-weight ratio and other factors.