Insight: How A Volkswagen Polo GTI Becomes A Rally Car
That means that, among other changes, the Polo GTI R5 has permanent four-wheel-drive, while the road car鈥檚 DSG gearbox is switched for a five-speed sequential unit. What both versions of the Polo GTI have in common is their powerplant: Volkswagen鈥檚 EA288 turbocharged engine. But while the road car uses the 2.0-litre version, the R5 rules require 1.6-litre engines, so the rally car has the smaller version, which produces 268bhp and 295lb ft. Due to the nature of rallying the Polo GTI R5 only has a top speed of around 125mph, with the engine tuned to deliver acceleration (0-62mph takes around 4.1 seconds) and response. The EA288 1.6 engine is already used in sister firm Skoda鈥檚 Fabia R5, so Volkswagen took that unit and further developed it. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had close co-operation with Skoda,鈥?says Smeets. When the Volkswagen Polo WRC made its debut on the 2013 Monte Carlo Rally, Sebastien Ogier set the fastest time on its first competitive stage - and went on to claim a podium finish. History repeated itself in Spain, with Camilli setting the fastest time in the WRC2 division on the first stage of the event. The Frenchman went on to build up a substantial lead, before his bid for victory was ended when his gearstick broke, leaving him unable to change out of first gear. That left Solberg to carry the team鈥檚 hopes. On his first rally in six years the 2003 world champion was right in the mix on Friday鈥檚 gravel tests, but he faded a bit in mixed conditions on Saturday. That said, he stayed out of trouble and claimed a podium finish behind the Skoda Motorsport pairing of Kalle Rovanpera and Jan Kopecky. 鈥淲e are happy,鈥?says Smeets. 鈥淣ot getting a win was a shame, because we like to win, but we were glad to be fighting at the front.
The drivetrain warranty of the 2006 Volkswagen GTI is 5 yr./ 60000 mi.. What is the base engine size of the 2006 Volkswagen GTI? The 2006 Volkswagen GTI has a 1.8 L base engine size. How many gallons does the gas tank in the 2006 Volkswagen GTI hold? The gas tank on the 2006 Volkswagen GTI holds 14.5 gal.. What is the EPA-assessed interior volume of the 2006 Volkswagen GTI? According to the EPA, the interior volume of the 2006 Volkswagen GTI is 106 cu.ft.. What is the cargo capacity of the 2006 Volkswagen GTI with all seats in place? The 2006 Volkswagen GTI has 18 cu.ft. Is the 2006 Volkswagen GTI front wheel drive rear wheel drive or four wheel drive? The 2006 Volkswagen GTI has front wheel drive. How tall is the 2006 VW GTI? The height of the 2006 Volkswagen GTI is 4 ft. 8.7 in. (56.7 in.). What is the drag coefficient of the 2006 VW GTI? The 2006 Volkswagen GTI has a drag coefficient of 0.31 Cd. What is the cam type of the 2006 VW GTI? The 2006 Volkswagen GTI has double overhead cam (DOHC). How long is the 2006 VW GTI? The 2006 Volkswagen GTI is 13 ft. 8.9 in. (164.9 in.) long. What is the city and highway range of the 2006 Volkswagen GTI in miles? The EPA range estimate for the 2006 Volkswagen GTI is 304.5 mi. 420.5 mi. on the highway. What is the EPA city and highway mileage estimate for the 2006 Volkswagen GTI? The EPA mileage estimate for the 2006 Volkswagen GTI is 21 mpg in the city, 29 mpg on the highway. What ground clearance does the 2006 VW GTI have? The ground clearance of the 2006 Volkswagen GTI is 0 ft. 5.1 in. (5.1 in.).
At higher speeds on country roads those larger wheels and lower-profile tyres help, because the Golf delivers all the agility you could realistically want from a family hatch. But this doesn鈥檛 compromise ride quality or refinement, either. There鈥檚 a good level of grip to match the Mercedes, while the steering is similarly lifeless, but slightly more precise. Along with the ride, it鈥檚 a little more refined, too. The engine doesn鈥檛 sound particularly pleasant, but it doesn鈥檛 have the A-Class鈥檚 strained note, either, while wind and road noise are well suppressed. Testers鈥?notes: While the interior isn鈥檛 as modern as the A-Class鈥檚, the Golf鈥檚 ergonomics are sound and everything is constructed from high-quality materials that easily match the Mercedes鈥? With a similar mechanical make-up to the VW, the Audi A3 is another premium hatch. It appeared before the Mk7 Golf, showcasing some clever tech. It鈥檚 had some revisions over its six-year life, too, but is it still competitive in this class? To find out, we test a 拢28,835 1.5 TFSI S tronic in S line trim. Unlike the Golf, our A3 didn鈥檛 have adaptive dampers, and on 拢325 18-inch alloys the ride feels crashier than the VW鈥檚.
It suffers from a similar problem as the Mercedes at lower speeds, but doesn鈥檛 feel quite as busy over broken roads or fidget as much in town. Once you get out on to more open, flowing roads the A3鈥檚 chassis set-up makes more sense, because it鈥檚 direct and responsive with plenty of stability. Due to the MQB underpinnings the steering feels similar to the VW鈥檚. But it doesn鈥檛 have a dynamic edge over the Golf and can鈥檛 match it for comfort. The A3鈥檚 1.5 TFSI unit did deliver performance to match the VW, though, with the low-down torque morphing into a keen top end that, for a regular engine, encourages you to exploit the performance. Testers鈥?notes: It鈥檚 a shame that you have to spec the 拢1,395 Technology Pack on S line trim to get the Virtual Cockpit. It鈥檚 not available as a standalone feature, as it is with the Golf. The Golf asserts its authority again thanks to its all-round ability. It鈥檚 the most affordable and comfortable choice, but also the sweetest to drive, while it鈥檒l be cost-effective to run, too.
