[Silverfire]

Hormazd from Autocar confirms that the Polo GTI will be showcased at the Expo with a probable Sept launch.

Exciting part: It will be a 3 door 189 BHP monster

[shefiu]

Originally Posted by Silverfire

Hormazd from Autocar confirms that the Polo GTI will be showcased at the Expo with a probable Sept launch.

Exciting part: It will be a 3 door 189 BHP monster

If this is the case, good bye 15 - 18 lakh price point and hello 30 lakh+ pitting it against the 595 competizione (as far as pricing and packaging is concerned) not directly above the Abarth Punto.

Probably decided they can't get the kits and put it together in India, so launch it in a 3 door guise, instead.

I really hope he's mistaken though!

[volkman10]

VW confirms 3 door version of Polo GTI to debut first - Sept 2016. 4 door version likely to come later.

Volkswagen might also work on a locally produced derivative to the GTI at a later stage to cater to the lower end of the price bracket

VW is confident a small band of enthusiasts who will be happy to pay a premium to own one of the fastest hatchbacks in the country!

Volkswagen gave a green light to the hot hatch after a year of deliberation and is working hard to achieve a competitive price. However, being a full import, the Polo GTI will be priced above Rs 20 lakh.

In a surprise move, however, the German carmaker has decided to get the performance hatchback in the three-door avatar initially. It’s a bold strategy since India has no history of three-door cars except for the 2003 limited-edition Zen Carbon and Zen Steel since there hasn’t been any demand for them. But Volkswagen is confident that the launch of the GTI could start a new trend. Besides, a five-door version could make its way into the country at a later stage.

http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-new...form=hootsuite

[amitg79]

Here is the link to that Autocar story:
http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-new...er-399813.aspx

And this time, it is straight from Michael Mayer, Director, VW Passenger Cars India, so must be true.

Priced above 20 lakhs!

Was that the sound of thousands of day-dreams shattering?

[petrol_power]

Mini cooper S comes around 31 lacs ex-showroom (I am not sure about whether it has increased) and they also claim 6.7 seconds from 0 - 100. If they price the GTI above 20 lacs (ex showroom), people who plonk money on a GTI will definitely think about the Mini Cooper, which is an exclusive one when compared to the Polo, which we see every now and then in road.

[reignofchaos]

Originally Posted by petrol_power

Mini cooper S comes around 31 lacs ex-showroom (I am not sure about whether it has increased) and they also claim 6.7 seconds from 0 - 100. If they price the GTI above 20 lacs (ex showroom), people who plonk money on a GTI will definitely think about the Mini Cooper, which is an exclusive one when compared to the Polo, which we see every now and then in road.

The 31 lac cooper is bare bones. Put some decent options and the ex showroom touches closer to 35-36. The JCW versions touch 40. Also the one sold in India won't do 6.7 to the ton due to bad fuel quality. Yes there are some discounts but still it is quite expensive. Had a look at the Cooper recently when I bought a new car. Was fun to drive but not worth so much cash. Also these are previous year models. Current year models are diesel only.

[printh]

3 door+ 20 lakh tag+189hp & niche product !!!?? Everything is in right proportion for a niche /low volume product except for the looks !! At the end of the day, it's a polo after all and the people who plonk that kind of money in a 3 door hatch can't accept the same look of a hatch costing 1/3 rd of the price. Throw in some GTI accessories on the regular hatch and 99% can't make out the difference of the two. Maybe the golf in the place of polo would've been perfect for that niche they crave for !!

[carwatcher]

I strongly feel that people won't be ready to put big money on a car which doesn't give them distinctive looks. We had an example of Lancer Evo costing 50 Lac but looked like its 8-9 Lac rupee sibling.
The car must have some uniqueness like Beetle which costs almost the same.

[adneeraj]

Completely agree to the sentiments in this forum. A price tag of 20 lacs+ for this car will not really attract a lot of customers even if they give it a youthful 3 door appearance. That's the segment they'll try to target.
When bringing this product at this point, VW must have already accepted that they would not do large numbers. But in that case, bringing the 1.4 TSI from the polo cup will make more sense as it will help keep the prices around the 15 lac mark, maybe helping compete with the Abarth lineup.
A 20 lacs+ tag sure requires a VW Golf to pull it off. BTW I had seen a golf doing rounds where I live. It looked like a boot chopped Jetta. But it really looked amazing for a hatch. Cool enough and yet worthy to demand a premium price tag.!!

[shefiu]

My daydream has definitely shattered. I was one of the few takers at 18 on road, but 3 doors and CBU means this is now for those who want an additional toy at home apart from the MLs, X5s and Q7s they would have in the garage.

Even if this was @ 20. Why wouldn't I add some more and get the hatchback-ish A3?

Skoda - your move. Please bring us the vRS!

[sweetvar26]

With the regular Polo GTI doing the test runs from the pictures all over, I am really surprised they are going to release the 3 door version of it, considering it would be launched as CBU.

Why even launch a 3 door version when they can launch the regular Polo GTI with a lot of localization that could be done so that the price tag doesn't shoot up? I just don't get it.

Is it that they want the car to be a little more exclusive to the regular Polo on the streets so that people could differentiate it? Other than this, I can't think of anything else.

[Diesel_convert]

Does it have to be a cbu?
The engine and transmission is similar to the octavia tsi. Only the body in white has to be imported as its a three door. Maybe it will be a CKD. What sort of pricing will it have if its a CKD? 18-20l otr is OK for me I think. Anything close to the Octavia tsi and it will be another fiat 500.

[VW2010]

Wish they give it in 6 speed manual. They have a buyer in me . They are not marketing this as common man car. Not sure why we are worried about sales when the company is very clear to aim at the enthusiast market.

Its like a beetle or mini cooper. No sane buyer would buy it for the price but the enthusiast with enough money will always buy them.

[vb-saan]

I've read sometime last year that the Polo 3-door in general is not much in demand over Europe (compared to the 5 door model), and with the next generation VW may completely ditch the 3-door option. The decision to launch the 3-door option in India maybe a way to clear off the existing kit and give way to the next generation. Even if a few units are sold, it's still good business for VAG.

[sweetvar26]

Originally Posted by VW2010

Wish they give it in 6 speed manual. They have a buyer in me . They are not marketing this as common man car. Not sure why we are worried about sales when the company is very clear to aim at the enthusiast market.

Its like a beetle or mini cooper. No sane buyer would buy it for the price but the enthusiast with enough money will always buy them.

The 6 speed manual would be spectacular if launched but it is highly unlikely that they will.

As for the sales, this car if launched at the right price and the edition, can't move volumes like the regular Polo would but I think it has a chance to survive in the market if launched around 15-18L.

As for the Beetle or Mini Cooper, those cars have the exclusivity, heck even the name itself gives you the unique factor and when it comes to this one here, it is still a Polo. Beyond 20L, it is entering into the Octavia, A3, A class, V60 territory.

But I hope you are right, regardless of the offering, I for one am really excited to see this smoking hatch in the country, just have to wait for a little longer for the launch details.