Volkswagen's Polo Blue Motion: 62 MPG of Diesel-Sipping Fun

yea, now they just need to sell it in the U.S.!

It's interesting how more and more car promo shoots are done with wind turbines in the background.

Kind of like automakers were trying to get some of wind power's aura to rub off on their cars.

MGR, I agree, the windmills are pointless... but it's much harder to promote your car as "clean" with a barrel of oil in the background. :-)

Anyway, cool car. I hope we see it here soon.

Can someone holler at me if I am incorrect but isn't the Polo being released in the US as the "new rabbit" (ignore that the Golf was originally the Rabbit and the Polo was once known in the states as the Fox). I bring this up because isn't there already 6 powerplant choices available in Europe for the "Rabbit" but the US only gets the gas guzzling version? Oh man, did I just open up the "torque vs. horsepower, which makes you feel as if you are going faster" debate?

Whiplash, I wouldn't say the windmills are pointless. On one hand, it's a bit of a marketing trick, but it's also helping mainstream wind power and its aesthetic.

I'm sure they did a lot of research on this, and if their conclusions are that wind turbines are appealing to most people, it's a good sign.

Will they ever sell this car in California though?

A few states seem to be fairly anti-diesel. Does this have the standard diesel engine or is it more clean?

No, the "Rabbit" is just the new generation of the Golf. Bad move, I agree with dru, the good move would have been to keep the Golf named Golf and bring in the Polo and call it the Rabbit. The Golf has gotten big and plush, I like the smaller leaner Polo much better. VW must think all U.S. drivers want big cars. Too bad, the Polo is more like VW used to be; small, spunky, economical cars.

(It seems like all the cars companies sell nicer, and more economical cars in Europe than in the U.S. The cars made by Ford and GM are way better than the crap they sell here. I was just thinking the other day that if Ford (for example) sold the Mondeo model here instead of the dumbed down U.S. models maybe they wouldn't be in so much trouble. Same goes for GM and Opel (GM in Germany))

You know you've been covering TH stuff for too long when you say that 62 mpg isn't "breathtaking."

In fact, it is incredibly breathtaking. A car using standard technologies, no tricks, no special batteries or powerplants, just good old fashioned engineering, that gets 60+ mpg is terrific news.

And no, we probably won't get one here any time soon, but it's nice to know the technology is out there waiting for us to beg for it. Or ready for US automakers to get inspired by it. (someone go poke Ford and GM and point them to this car, and tell them it's where their future is.)

Regarding VW and Diesels...

VW won't be able to sell diesel engined cars in the U.S. in 2007 due to changes in emission regulations. A new improved VW diesel will come out in later in 2007-early 2008. They are going to build extra 2006 model diesels to sell until the improved, 2007 compliant diesel is ready.

As I understand it, the Polo model is sold in Mexico as the Derby. Can anyone confirm this? Anybody ever drive one?

"A car using standard technologies, no tricks"

Well, there is a trick; a very lightweight car mated with a small engine. There are already many such cars in the past (Geo Metro, Subaru Justy, old VW Bug, etc), but people didn't want to buy them when gas was cheap.

I'm sure people will be interested in such cars now, but as history has shown us, many many MANY times over, such little cars do NOT sell well in the US.

Think like a typical us buyer and just look at these numbers:

Polo:
Price: $20K
Cargo Space: small
0-60: ~13 seconds
Horsepower: 61 HP

For two decades, horsepower is king. How can you convinced a typical American to pay $20K for a 61HP car?

Wikipedia has a page devoted to the VW Polo. It is very comprehensive! It seems the Derby was another name for the Polo (I believe because of the meaning the word "polo" in spanish isn't favorable). So this name was used in spanish speaking countries, and the name "Derby" seems to be no longer used.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Polo

Amazingly, the Polo isn't VW's smallest car, it is the Lupo. The Lupo is smaller than the Polo. Because the Polo and the Golf have both grown in size they needed to a new model to fill the small car market. (The current Polo is the same size as the original Golf). This car can get up to 78 miles per gallon!

Wikipedia has a great Lupo page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VW_Lupo

By the way, if have been to Europe recently and have driven these cars, you come back to U.S. wanting one. They are a completely different breed from cars like the Geo Metro. The newer small cars are sophisticated, quiet, spunky and fun to drive, with stylish and comfortable interiors. They are really a delight, U.S. cars are so dull by comparison. Now that the Toyota Yaris and the Honda Fit are being imported maybe there is hope for more choice in small cars.

Correction, it seems the Lupo name has been replaced by the "Fox", which is made in Brazil and sold in Europe and Central/South America.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VW_Fox

In fact, it is incredibly breathtaking. A car using standard technologies, no tricks, no special batteries or powerplants, just good old fashioned engineering, that gets 60+ mpg is terrific news.

But US manufacturers are still using the same basic combustion engine design that was invented in the late 1800's. This is probably one of the few industries that have been manufacturing 100+ year old technology.

Ah, TDI. Been running my 90hp VW TDI on biodiesel for several years. It averages 47-53mpg. Here's why it's better than a gas-hybrid. Far fewer moving parts, not toxic battery for the landfill, and has as clean emissions a hybrid. Biodiesel has also has more lubricity than gas and conventional diesel so engines last longer. I be the first to buy a Honda or VW diesel hybrid. It'll be interesting to see who gets this vehicle to market first. Contrary to all the hype about the Prius, Honda still is a better vehicle in my opinion.

VW is scrapping the TDI engine in favor of a 50 state legal CRD (Common Rail). There will be no 2007 VW diesels, just '06 leftovers. '08 will see the Passat and maybe the Jetta with the CRD. Since new model year cars usually come out at the end of the preceding year's summer, we should see these in just about 12 months.

Oh, and Randy, modern diesels are not as clean as most hybrids (Prius specifically). More particulate and more nitrogen oxide. Biodiesel and WVO can actually increase those two elements as well. Less CO2, and far less embodied energy as they are simpler to produce, last much longer, and require far less maintenance due to lower RPMs.

About trying to be appealing by putting wind turbines behind the car. When marketing muscle cars, most automakers put half-naked women in the background or drape them across the car. As a woman, I find wind turbines infinitely more appealing...

Why does Europe get all these cooler cars than America? Because they pay up to $6.00 a gallon for gas (equivalent) and we're still only paying $3.00 for the same quantity.

And I will agree that 60 mpg isn't that amazing at all. In 2002, the full size Jetta Diesel was getting 50 mpg; so only 10 more mpg for a car that weighs almost half of the Jetta, with less horse power, is kind of disappointing.

As is the fact that we can't seem to get a diesel hybrid for love or money anywhere in this country. Now, THAT would be something worth getting excited about. Unfortunatly, until American shoppers push the government to let in more of these diesel engines, we're stuck with the limited choices we have.

The Polo looks somewhat similar to a Renault Megane and gets similar MPG numbers. We drove a Megane in Europe this summer for over 3K kilometers. Great car, peppy and the mileage was as advertised. The oil in the crankcase was still clean when we returned the vehicle. If they sold them in the USA I would definitely purchase one. Don't hold your breath though, protection of the US auto giants is the name of the political game and will be for some time to come. Renault sells in Mexico and that might be the cheapest way to purchase one... dittos with the Polo. Not sure about Canada. To paraphrase Donald Dick, "you go to bed with the president that you've got". Good luck America!!! K

I bought a diesel Rabbit new in 1978. It cost $4300 or $5300! It had 48 HP and no AC. It was a fun car to drive and it averaged 55 MPG with a high of 60 MPG on a highway trip in AZ once. I kept it about 12 years until it rusted out in a critical place. It had 458K miles on it when it had to be taken off the road. The engine had never been rebuilt! Although the engine was well-worn at the end, it was still getting 44 MPG!

I have been driving VW diesels ever since. While my opinion of VW as a company and their constant "stonewalling" against making good to the customer on product defects is an ongoing issue, who else had a product available 30 years ago that really delivered 55 MPG?

By the way GM, just announced that they were re-introducing the Camaro [a muscle car] to attract new "young" customers! Talk about a car company that has its head screwed on backwards! This a perfect example why I still drive VWs in spite of the company and incompetent "stealerships."

If VW can deliver on a vehicle that gets a honest 70 MPG, I'll move up to it from my 2000 Golf TDI which only gets a mere 44 MPG!

Hello to everyone.

As a european living in California, I get frustrated by the limited car market we have here. Every summer I come back from Europe wishing I could buy one of the cars I see at home. Yes Diesel powered, compact, fast, good looking,sporty.... When can we enjoy the same benefits here? I feel frustrated by the us auto market, middle and compact class cars are underpowered, choked up, gass guzzling in comperason to the ones in Europe. Why???? politics, emission control? Does everyone in the US want big cars?
Well, I guess I will have to buy SUV like everyone else and hate avery minute of it. NOT!! Help!
Can't take it anymore, those ugly cars here! Hope gas will reach 5 or more bucks/gal and than it will change thing a bit.

Hi,I think VW are going backwards not forwards with making a car that does many mpg.I have a 1993 VW passat 1.6LTD it said back in 1993 that it would do 66mpg at 56mph well i do 63mph and get 61mpg out of it.It is a big heavy car.There were only about 100,000 made worldwide as far as I know?.Still going strong and looks good as well.It`s just been in the VW dealership to get a service and the only car they have to beat my old Passat is a Polo 1.4TDi it does 69mpg at 56mph and is a lot lighter then my old Passat.

I like the polo, I think its time to save some serious change with fuel efficiency. VW POLO

You are all killing me by complaining about Euro vs American car lines. "Treehuggers" are exactly the reason those cars are not sold here. They can't pass our standards (evil empire as we are for not signing Kyoto). Also, politicians are very astute at using the EPA to protect oil interests. If the US passenger car fleet went to 30% diesel powered cars we would save the amount of oil that we typically buy from Saudi Arabia annually, but the EPA screws around with the diesel standards every time VW steps up to them. I heard the original TDI would not meet todays standards and would not be allowed without the latest tweeks. Do the research. After all, you do read treehugger.com

Hey i drive a VW polo 1.4 TDI and to be honest im amazed.

The Power for a 1.4 is amazing and it is brilliant on fuel.

I suggest you all get one!!!! :)

Hey, VW, wakeup!

You guys think that americans won't drive small cars... you're wrong!

Import the Polo and it'll sell.

I drive a Golf --I like VWs for a lot of reasons, but new VWs are way TOO BIG, not like the zippy small VWs of years gone by.

I aggree with the above comment -- the POLO should have been the new RABBIT in the US, and the Golf should have stayed the Golf.

VW, take your head out of the sand (or maybe its somewhere else)... Honda is selling the Fit, Toyota is selling the Yaris, Nissan is selling the brillant, roomy Versa... Hello, VW.... SELL THE POLO here please and maybe I'll buy one.

"For two decades, horsepower is king. How can you convinced a typical American to pay $20K for a 61HP car?"

Well this is what the big three and the UAW want you to think.But we are running out of petroleum. There are no new dinosaurs being turned into oil. There is an end and it is coming. I bought a 2006 TDI VW. They could hardly keep diesels on the lot. And the feeling of driving a diesel powerplant on a tank full of soybean oil grown in the USA. Who cares about the Middle-East, we don't need you.

Everyone needs to understand that the Polo we see the picture of is not a Polo that can pass U.S. emissions. The Polo is very low in every emission category except that it must further reduce NOx emissions about 40%-50% to be fifty-state legal in the U.S.

The latest technology can solve that problem with an LNT-style De-Nox sysstem, but it will cost VW $1800 per unit, which is more money than the entire clean engine that is in that automobile.

If VW wants to make the same profit in the U.S. as they do in Europe, they would have to sell it for about $22,000 here.

How many Americans would buy a $22,000 sub-compact that has only 95 hp, when they can buy another sub-compact for $13,000 that gets 40 mpg.

I'm all for the Polo in the U.S., but under the current regulatory environment, I don't see this being a wise marketing decision for VW.

i agree....this needs to be brought to the US, along w/ all the other eco-friendly cars.... why are we left out?!?!?!?!

We certainly have a limited choice of Diesels currently, and getting thinner for the short term. The modern diesel with a good, task appropriate transmission can give us instant reductions in fuel usage on a large scale. The ease of distribution, micro-refining capability and plug and play switch to bio-diesel makes it that much more of a "duh" common sense medium term solution. There is hope for a 50 state legal diesel from various technologies. I came across the following info the other day and it sure looks like a good tool in this direction.

http://www.biodieselnow.com/forums/thread/128103.aspx

I'd sure like to see a Jetta TDI wagon with a set up as described. If you add 4x4 you could replace 70% of the SUV's on the road and jump from 12 to 42 mpg and sacrifice nothing but ground clearance. Do people really need 8.5 + inches of ground clearance to drive in urban or motorway settings?

The fifty-state emission compliant diesels are coming for sure.

2008 - Volkswagen Jetta and Tiguan with LNT-type NOx reduction (The kind that will not require an external liquid, exhaust-injection to meet emissions). The Jetta TDI should be up 7 in all around fuel economy, from the outgoing 1.9 TDI, to 45 mpg with 40 more horsepower and 59 more pounds of torque, which will bring the diesel on par with the five-cylinder, standard gas engine in peformance and refinement even as it gives up half a liter and one cylinder to the gas guzzler. The standard Jetta gets 26 mpg, all around, and can use only E10 ethanol. The new diesel will get 45 mpg and can use any blend of biodiesel without losiing more than 5% fuel economy. Biodiesel is made from vegetable oil; not petroleum; and all diesel equipment can use any blend.

Also, the Mini-Cooper D will probably show up in '08 with 54 mpg, combined rating with a 1.6 liter, 4 cylinder, Peugeot-Citroen diesel engine. This vehicle will probably exceed 60 mpg on the highway.

As for SCR-type NOx reduction, these will be limited to the V-6 engines and up. BMW, Audi, VW, and Mercedes-Benz all plan on bringing V6-powered diesel vehicles in late 2008.

2009 - Honda with an LNT-type system. Ford F150 with an SCR-type system.

2010 - MItsubishi Lancer, Hyundai Veracruz, Nissan Maxima,GMC Sierra, Chevy Silverado, Dodge Ram, Dodge Dakota, and the list continues to grow.

Folks can argue whether or not gas HEVs or diesels are better for the environment, reducing petroleum consumption, and whether or not one or the other is less expensive, but--really--the only thing that matters is that compression-ignition, compared to spark-ignition, with all the latest advancements in diesel refinement and emission control, combined with the higher capabilities to more readily use alternative fuel; is a worthy technology to introduce to America.

The market will decide, and I believe the market will accept both HEVs and diesels, but diesels will go from almost nothing, to overshawdowing hybrids in the next ten years. J.D. Power agrees.

As long as hybrids include an internal-combustion engine, it will always be true, that a compression-ignition engine is superior to a spark-ignition engine; hybrid or not.

Just returned from Holland, rented a Touran Diesel.
What a car! Unfortunately I don't see this car in the USA. What's up?

Whei is it not possible to buy an efficient diesel car in the US? My European associates are shocked when they learn that the average US consumer has no way to buy such cars. Is our national energy policy simply to consume as much crude oil as possible? Can someone explain this? I am not into conspiracies but I am beginning to think that this policy is bought and paid for by big oil.

It is 72mpg combined driving...not just motorway or just in the city. So it's all around driving.

You probably can expect more than 72mpg on the motorway.

>

I disagree with the above quote. I recall in the late 70's being in summer school and being taught about energy using Carter Administration Energy Dept booklets. The booklets taught that we needed to stop relying on coal because world supply would be depleted by 1995. Petroleum was also given a short life line. Well, there is still plenty of both around.

(I remember also being taught that global cooling was a serious environmental risk we all had to face. A new Ice Age was imminent.)

Now I am no fan of fossil fuel energy, but there is still an ample supply of petroleum around. The problem is environmental and economical, not from the supply side, but the demand. Oil is not going to be depleted anytime soon.

That said, I look forward to the large-scale intro of the ultra-efficient diesels and hybrids in the USA. This country has been way too lethargic in addressing our part of the global over-consumption of non-renewable resources.

By embracing efficient vehicles and alternative fuel technology, we can make sure we never deplete the oil supply.

anyone read "The European Dream" by Jeremy Rifkin? I'm only about 60 pgs into it and finding it an incredible book that puts words to thoughts that I've had for the last decade or so.

Had a Diesel Jetta in the 80's didn't come with a radio. We test drove a BMW 3 series, and the Jetta was so much more comfortable. And not to forget about 49 MPG's..
I can hardly wait till 2008 come and I can buy one of the new Diesels.. I work in the movie bus. and a grip i know bought a use one in Oregon and did the Bio- and veggie thing and claims to get 123 MPG.....

take care Roccokidd

Yeah, the U.S doesnt want them selling their fuel efficient cars in the U.S because THEY DONT WANT US TO HAVE FUEL EFFICIENT CARS! They want us to think 20mpg is good! The VW 1.8 Turbo Dielsel gets at least 34mpg City and 44mpg highway. Name ONE American car that can do that! They dont exist. America sucks.

Just back from two weeks driving around Europe in a rental BMW 318D. Manual transmission, diesel. Got 53 MPG and 130 mph on the autobahn. All the talk about the US being denied access to fuel efficient cars (diesel) is true. The deep question should be why? It seemed as though most small cars on the continent and in the UK were diesel. This included Hondas and Toyotas. There is none of that stinking exhaust found in the US when trailing a Dodge or Ford diesel pickup down a Calif freeway.

How is it that the europeans are doing so right on this? Anyone see "Sicko"?

You guys are right about a lack of reasonable deisel cars here in the states. When I first learned about biodiesel, I purchased a Ford F-250 to take advantage of the opportunity to stick it to both the Middle East and Big Oil. The monsterous truck I have was actually the SMALLEST of the ones available. I insisted on a manual transmission for all the obvious reasons, and found myself with a 6200-lb monster. Why couldn't I have gotten a Durango with a Cummins I-6? Or something smaller still- like a Subaru with a 2L common-rail? As an educated consumer, these are items I would have paid a premium for, had they been available.

Now I have learned that the Big Three in fact make smaller diesels, and sell them in smaller trucks- in foreign markets only!! What crap!

So- the F250 gets up to 22 MPG on biodiesel. I did not accomplish the mileage goal, and biodiesel can be hard to find in New Mexico and California. Hmmm. But at least I can claim to have reduced the amount of $ the Middle East gets from my wallet.

There may be more oil underground than we seem to realize... but in forms that are difficult to extract. I am a biotech guy by profession, and have dreamed of the opportunity to do something about this issue.

The diesel hotrod community has a few tricks that might have been missed here. Does anybody on this board have experience with propane injection? The hotrod guys swear that the stuff acts as a catalyst, and makes compression ignition of heavier oils more efficient. They claim that they can get trucks like mine up from 17MPG to 26 MPG and beyond. Imagine what could be done with a Euro-spec 2L 3-series BMW, if ths advantage were applied.

Whether we like it or not, we are in this situation together. I am not happy with the way laws appear to get selectively twisted to serve interests other than our citizen's, but feel that if common citizens like ourselves share information, we can solve many more problems than useless, expensive beaurocrats!

Hope I have made somebody go out and try out an idea! I plan to, and soon.

Best Regards,

-HF PhD

62 mpg is in normal units 26.4 km / l.

Indeed not really earthshatering.

Eleven years ago Greenpeace Germany developed a car using running 30.3 km per liter (71.3 mpg)

http://www.greenpeace.de/themen/sonstige_themen/smile/

A link in English:

http://archive.greenpeace.org/climate/smile/

FYI, Cummins is coming a light duty diesel (v6 and v8) which will be available in 2010. This engine will get anywhere between 30 to 40 MPG, and will go into smaller trucks and SUVs.

The main enemy for diesels is the EPA. As much as I like the EPA, they greatly hurt our ability to market an efficient small clear diesel in the US. What most people don't understand is that it is hard to reduce diesel emissions with out increasing fuel consumption.

I'm waiting for VW's new CRD engine so I can purchase one. I just bought a VW Rabbit that I'll drive around for now, but trade in for a CRD hopefully next year.

I think a more comparabe car to say a prius, since its the cheapest hybrid, would be the 2008 vw jetta tdi (4door) which has a claimed 45mpg real world and supposed base costs 21630. The prius gets 47mpg real wo