[RavenAvi]

The updated 2017 Volkswagen Polo GT TDI has been spotted for the very first time by a Thrust Zone spy.

Expected to borrow the new 110BHP engine from the recently launched Volkswagen Ameo diesel, the 2017 Polo GT TDI carries the same exteriors as the present-gen Polo.

Volkswagen India might be targeting an early-2017 launch for this upgraded iteration.

[GTO]

VW's predicament reminds me of the Padmini & Ambassador, where their makers would continually flog the old war horses as all-new replacements weren't to be seen. This is already the car with the most engine updates / options in the history of Indian motoring - link. I've lost count now . Even in terms of facelifts, VW launches facelifts as often as Mercedes launches CBUs !

What's surprising though is that the Polo / Vento are still mostly competent, despite their obvious age!

[Asish_VK]

Started reading the post topic, reached "Caught! 2017 Volkswagen Po" and felt "Ohh another update, meh !"

Soon in Indian automobile dictionary, the term "Update" might be replaced with "Polo" and scoops will be like "Caught! 2018 i20, Polo'ed"

Jokes apart, at least they are updating and refreshing their cars to keep up with the market trends, kudos to that

[vijayvelprakash]

If a spyshot of the interiors were caught, it would have revealed if VW are bringing rear ac vent and center arm rest as well. But that is going to increase the price slightly higher. Since the car has come out now, we can soon expect few more spyshots.

If I were to buy a GT TDI, I would buy the standard TDI now (at higher discounts available presently) and get it re-mapped later which will be more powerful than the stock 2017 GT TDI (with the new updated 1.5 engine).

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by GTO

VW's predicament reminds me of the Padmini & Ambassador, where their makers would continually flog the old war horses as all-new replacements weren't to be seen.
I've lost count now

Originally Posted by Asish_VK

Soon in Indian automobile dictionary, the term "Update" might be replaced with "Polo" and scoops will be like "Caught! 2018 i20, Polo'ed"

I really wonder if this is probably THE REASON for VW to price the GTI so high...to recover all the money lost in constantly updating their existing products!!

On a serious note, one thing that we all 1.6 (TDI & MPI) Polo owners can always brag about is:

There was never one, and there MAY never be one like this again.


P.S - At 108 BHP on paper, Getz Prime 1.5 CRDI was The Most Powerful Mainstream Diesel hatch in India, and it has finally been beaten (on papers) by VW with the updated 110 BHP GT TDI. Germans Rule...

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Asish_VK

Soon in Indian automobile dictionary, the term "Update" might be replaced with "Polo" and scoops will be like "Caught! 2018 i20, Polo'ed"

Originally Posted by vijayvelprakash

If I were to buy a GT TDI, I would buy the standard TDI now (at higher discounts available presently) and get it re-mapped later which will be more powerful than the stock 2017 GT TDI (with the new updated 1.5 engine).

Well, imagine what a remapped GT TDI will be like then. Apples to apples buddy - both can be remapped.

Originally Posted by Vik0728

There was never one, and there MAY never be one like this again.

Well said. That 1.6 TDI Polo pulls like a freight train. What amazing power delivery.

[RSR]

Originally Posted by Vik0728

P.S - At 108 BHP on paper, Getz Prime 1.5 CRDI was The Most Powerful Mainstream Diesel hatch in India, and it has finally been beaten (on papers) by VW with the updated 110 BHP GT TDI.

Not yet! On paper at least.

The Getz was sold in India with three 4-cylinder engines - a 1086cc 12-valve SOHC petrol, a 1341cc 12-valve SOHC petrol and a 1493cc 16-valve DOHC diesel.

The 1493cc CRDi was shared with the then Verna and belted out 110 PS of power, same as the 110 PS of all Volkswagen Vento TDIs, Polo GT TDIs & the Ameo TDI. If anything, the Getz CRDi is (still) the joint record holder for the most powerful mainstream diesel hatch (in India)!

Of course, the VW TDIs also produce some more torque than the 235 Nm of the Getz CRDi, and would probably be a bit faster than the Getz in 0-100 kmph acceleration tests.

Volkswagen, being Germans, will always use the metric equivalent of bhp or Pferderstärke (PS) as their preferred unit of measurement:

[heydj]

Imagine shopping for car part and explaining to shop keeper I want part for Polo 2016 Month May and Date 15th model. Don't give 20th date part as that is updated car.


In my view instead of updating their cars every few months and constantly retooling their manufacturing facilities VW should focus more effort on improving customer service.

Single minded obsession to update service every few weeks, month etc. Take a leaf out of Amazon leadership principle book - customer obsession.

[torque18]

Originally Posted by GTO

Well, imagine what a remapped GT TDI will be like then. Apples to apples buddy - both can be remapped.

I was just wondering if there is any hardware difference between the TDI and the GT TDI (105 PS car). If not, then both the cars would have similar figures post remap.
Correct me if I am missing something here.

[vijayvelprakash]

Originally Posted by torque18

I was just wondering if there is any hardware difference between the TDI and the GT TDI (105 PS car). If not, then both the cars would have similar figures post remap.
Correct me if I am missing something here.

I believe GTO's reply was for my comparison of the current TDI with the new GT TDI (new engine with bigger turbo) post remap.

If we compare the TDI with current GT TDI, then they will be the same post remap. I have not been involved in any of this latter remap and hence I am ready to stand corrected if I am wrong.

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by RSR

Not yet! On paper at least.

Of course, the VW TDIs also produce some more torque than the 235 Nm of the Getz CRDi, and would probably be a bit faster than the Getz in 0-100 kmph acceleration tests.

Thank you RSR for correcting my statement buddy

From what I remember reading, here are the 'Sprint Timings':

Polo 1.6 GT TDi (105 BHP/250NM) - 0-100 in 10.27sec

Polo 1.5 GT TDi (105 BHP/250NM) - 0-100 in 10.51sec

Getz 1.5 CRDi (110 BHP/235NM) - 0-100 in 11.1sec

Now all that is left to be tested is the 1.5 GT TDi with 110BHP/250NM.

Remember, Ameo 1.5 TDi (MT) does a 0-100 in 9.80s !!

Originally Posted by torque18

I was just wondering if there is any hardware difference between the TDI and the GT TDI (105 PS car). If not, then both the cars would have similar figures post remap.

+1 to torque18 and even I have a similar thought. Probably it was easier to compare the old 1.6 TDi with the 1.5 TDi, as there was some hardware difference. Considering the regular 90HP TDi and the 110HP TDi only have an ECU calibration, I would really like to know what more to expect post remap.

I made this following comparo pic between the 1.6 GT TDi and the 1.5 GT TDi (110 BHP):



Clearly, the updated 1.5 TDi engine seems to have more power and a wider torque band across the rev range. This could be the reason for the Ameo to be so quick and an almost relentless pulling power, as shown in the Motorbeam test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yldt7IVmlc

[VKumar]

Originally Posted by GTO

I've lost count now

They are rolling out more facelifts than the total number of Force One examples are being sold. I got two Polos' in last 1 year and both have started looking obsolete as of now
My Highline has no cruise control and no touch screen ICE. I thank God that Comfortline is still up to date; but for how long?

What's surprising though is that the Polo / Vento are still mostly competent, despite their obvious age!

That indeed is the point, Polo/Vento still look, feel and drive in a way that they are any ways competent.

Originally Posted by Asish_VK

Soon in Indian automobile dictionary, the term "Update" might be replaced with "Polo" and scoops will be like "Caught! 2018 i20, Polo'ed

Originally Posted by Vik0728

On a serious note, one thing that we all 1.6 (TDI & MPI) Polo owners can always brag about is:

There was never one, and there MAY never be one like this again.

100% agree. I am an engine guy and this 1.6 IMO was the most impressive diesel one could buy under 15 lac. What an awesome power delivery it had.

Originally Posted by Vik0728

Polo 1.6 GT TDi (105 BHP/250NM) - 0-100 in 10.27sec

Polo 1.5 GT TDi (105 BHP/250NM) - 0-100 in 10.51sec

Getz 1.5 CRDi (110 BHP/235NM) - 0-100 in 11.1sec

Now all that is left to be tested is the 1.5 GT TDi with 110BHP/250NM.

Remember, Ameo 1.5 TDi (MT) does a 0-100 in 9.80s !!

If Ameo and Getz can find a place in this list, why can't the Figo and Aspire 1.5 TDCi? Well, we have new 0-100 champs now.

Clearly, the updated 1.5 TDi engine seems to have more power and a wider torque band across the rev range.

I guess there is something to do with gearbox too. The new engine has wider 'peak torque' spread along with peak power coming in at a lower engine speed.
BUT
When we rev hard for accelerating; that torque spread is going to help only in first gear while accelerating from standstill. In other gears the engine will never visit that peak torque zone again. This is where the engine which gets his peak power at 4500 rpm will have an upper hand for two reasons:
1) There is no replacement of displacement
2) Whenever you will up-shift at 5000, you will be back to under 4500 and enjoy an another insane surge of power (It's not tailing off there like for the one with peak power at 4000).

I hope experts will agree with the above two points

[Vik0728]

Originally Posted by VKumar

If Ameo and Getz can find a place in this list, why can't the Figo and Aspire 1.5 TDCi? Well, we have new 0-100 champs now.

Well VKumar, the point was not the 0-100 dash buddy, but more to do with BHP in excess of 100

All the the cars that I have mentioned (though 2 of them are GTs) put out BHP in excess of 100 on paper. There are many reports of VAG manufacturers mentioning the actual power at the wheel vis-a-vis the other manufacturers marketing the one at the crank.

Though I know Figo/Aspire are quick and surely some of the fastest Diesel cars in India today, they have ~98BHP or 100PS of power.

I have not driven the Ameo TDI and was hoping to experience this engine on the GT TDI. With this news of the updated GT TDI making the rounds, I am itching to get my hands on one TD car IF & WHEN it is available.

[shibujp]

To me the beauty of the GT lies elsewhere as below :

As per the specs from Autocar:
20 - 80 kmph in third gear ~ 9.9 secs
40 - 100 kmph in 4th gear ~ 12 seconds.

Leaving aside the siblings, Vento and Rapid I was hard pressed to find a car under 20 lakhs that gave this kind of in-gear performance. The fact is that this is real world performance the one that you can use daily in your commute, in traffic, on the highway etc.

There are quite a few cars that beat out the GT on 0 - 100 kmph timings (the new Ford Figo for example) but the cars that match the in gear timings are mighty few. Searching for comparable timing excluding VW and Skoda I was finding myself in the luxury segment among the BMWs and Audis.

Drive on,
Shibu.

[ashwin489]

Guys, any word on the TSi getting a minor power bump in 2017 as well?