Turn up the volume: here come the New Polo and Virtus equipped with the Beats premium sound system

It sounds better than good: Volkswagen shows its musical side. Beginning this month, the New Polo and the Virtus can be equipped with the Beats premium sound system. The novelty, which is already arriving at the dealerships for the Comfortline and Highline versions, carries all the technology of one of the most reputable brands of the professional audio market, as well as exclusive visual items.

The Beats package was developed jointly with the BeatsAudio sound specialists. Its premium sound system has 300 watts and 8-channel digital amplifier. The high-fidelity sound is provided by four loudspeakers, two tweeters and one subwoofer with special adjusts.

The New Polo Beats and Virtus Beats arrive as part of the 2019 lineup, aligned with the Beats brand proposition, targeting the public of aspirational customers, mostly young, who does not give up  status and look always for products that are a reference in the technology market. These are the first Volkswagen models to offer the sound premium brand in the national  market.

Both are equipped exclusively with the 200TSI engine, with up to 128 cv and automatic six-speed transmission. The Beats lineup will be available in four different body colors (Sirius Silver, Platinum Gray, Crystal White and Ninja Black) with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty.

• Unveiling of the new Polo R Supercar for the FIA World Rallycross Championship (WRX)
• Fit for the title defence, thanks to systematic improvements
• Volkswagen R new partner of the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden team
• World champions Johan Kristoffersson and Petter Solberg out to defend titles

With reigning Rallycross world champion Johan Kristoffersson and team owner and Rallycross superstar Petter Solberg watching on, the new Polo R Supercar was unveiled by Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets, PSRX team principal Pernilla Solberg and Jost Capito, managing director of Volkswagen R.

"There is no question about it, the new season promises to be very exciting. The opposition will do everything in their power to take our title," said Sven Smeets, Volkswagen Motorsport Director. "Our goal is obviously to provide Johan and Petter with a good car, which will allow them to challenge for the world title. I am confident that we will achieve this, and that the new partnership with Volkswagen R will give us even more power."

Jost Capito, managing director of Volkswagen R GmbH, is looking forward to the partnership in the FIA World Rallycross Championship: "Volkswagen R has always drawn inspiration and passion from motor racing. We will now actively build on these qualities in close cooperation with our colleagues at Volkswagen Motorsport and the PSRX team. The FIA World Rallycross Championship will be really exciting and we are looking forward to working with our partners." 

The new exterior makes this year's Polo R Supercar easy to distinguish from its predecessor. "The most important changes compared to last year's model have been made at the front of the car," explained Fabrice van Ertvelde, technical project manager for Volkswagen in the WRX. The engine cooling, which is a particularly sensitive area in Rallycross races, has been redesigned, with emphasis on aerodynamics. This will make the 2018 Polo R Supercar far more efficient. A second important aspect was design of a new rear wing, which creates more downforce and allows a wide range of new set-up options. There has also been a lot of attention to detail when further developing what goes on under the bonnet of the Polo, in order to be ideally equipped for the short, close and spectacular races in the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

Johan Kristoffersson, who starts with the world champion's number 1 on his car: "The initial tests with the new Polo R Supercar have been very good. The development department of Volkswagen Motorsport has done a magnificent job. As world champion, I am obviously particularly under pressure – but I don't mind that. On the contrary, I am looking forward to some spectacular and hopefully exciting battles with the opposition."

The FIA World Rallycross Championship is held over twelve rounds on three continents. The season gets underway in Barcelona (E) on 14/15 April and ends with the grand finale in Cape Town (SA) on 24/25 November. The WRX circus travels to the re-designed circuit in Silverstone (GB) for the first time, while the race in Austin marks the series' first outing in the USA. 15 cars and drivers are currently registered for the top class, the RX Supercar Series. They include big names from the world of motorsport, including the Volkswagen drivers Petter Solberg and world champion Johan Kristoffersson as well as rally star Sébastien Loeb and DTM champion Mattias Ekström.

 

The Australian Government will require a mandatory recall of certain vehicles with frontal Takata airbag inflators to be carried out by 31 December 2020.

This will entail a staged recall of affected Volkswagen vehicles over the next three years.
Volkswagen will contact owners to let them know when they should visit a dealer to have their Takata airbag inflator replaced.

No Volkswagen vehicle is fitted with an airbag from the alpha population.

No new or current model Volkswagen variant is affected.

At this time the recall applies to 106,804 Volkswagen vehicles.

These are:

Mark 6 Golf (2009-13)	35,817 examples
Mark 6 Golf Cabriolet (2012-15)	2,256
B7 Passat (2011-15)	17,741
B6 Passat (2010)	2,509
A5 Polo (2010-14)	5730
A4 Polo (2007-09)	3952
CC (2009-16)	4461
Eos (2010-14)	3112
Up (2013-14)	2296

A total of 28,930 Volkswagen vans will be recalled. None are currently produced.
These comprise the now replaced Crafter (10,685 from 2006-17) and 18,245 Transporter / Multivan  made between 2008-15.

• 15 inch steel wheels
•  Front Assist with City EB and pedestrian monitoring
•  Driver Fatigue Detection
•  Low tyre pressure indicator
•  Multi-Function Display (MFD Plus)
•  Leather multi-function steering wheel
• 8 inch infotainment system
• Apple Carplay and Android Auto
• Bluetooth phone connectivity
• 2 x USB ports
• Rear View Camera (RVC)
• Cruise control
• Air conditioning
• Height adjustment for front seats
• Power windows
• Electrically heated and adjustable exterior mirrors
• Split/folding rear seat

• As above plus:
• 15 inch alloy wheels
• Automatic headlight function
• Rain sensing wipers
• Auto dimming rear-view mirror
• Front centre armrest
• Comfort cloth upholstery

• As above plus:
• 16 inch alloy wheels
• Inductive wireless charging
• Dark tinted rear window glass
• Front fog lights
• Dark tinted LED tail lights

• Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
• Blind Spot Monitor with rear traffic alert
• Park Assist
• Power folding door mirrors
• Proactive occupant protection system

• New Polo augments the world of city specialists
• Update raises the Golf to a new, technical level
• New model campaign in Brazil begins with the compact Virtus
• SUV campaign with T-Roc, Tiguan Allspace and Atlas/Teramont
• Arteon shines as new Grand Turismo of the business class
• up! GTI and new Touareg to open 2018
• I.D. Family accelerating electric mobility's breakthrough from 2020

• Super sporty variant of the new Polo GTI¹ for global rallying
• 200 kW / 272 PS turbo engine, four-wheel drive and safety package
• FIA homologation in late summer, race debut planned for autumn 2018
• presale of production model Polo GTI² starts tomorrow

 
The stage is set for the rally GTI: The Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 enjoyed a successful world premiere. The four-wheel drive rally car for customer sports, which is based on the sixth and latest generation of the new Polo, was introduced to the public for the first time at the official driving presentation of the new Polo GTI in Mallorca (Spain) on Monday evening. The development of the new rally sports car incorporated the experience and know-how acquired whilst winning four world titles in the pinnacle of rallying, the WRC, from 2013 to 2016.

"Presenting the new Polo GTI R5 to the public was a magnificent moment," said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets. "The close relationship to the road-going Polo GTI is unmistakable. In the rally Polo, the GTI family has another spectacular ambassador. Our team and the colleagues at Volkswagen Design in Wolfsburg deserve great credit for this. Over the coming months, the Polo GTI R5 must prove itself in a series of tough scenarios, in order to ensure that it can build on the success of its predecessor in the customers' hands."
 
Development of the Polo GTI R5 has been in full swing since the start of the year. Initial tests on asphalt and gravel took place in mid-November in Fontjoncouse, France, and will continue in Great Britain in December. Responsibility for the entire project lies with Technical Director François-Xavier "FX" Demaison, as well as Project Manager Jan de Jongh, who, as race engineer, looked after world champion Sébastien Ogier's Polo R WRC from 2013 to 2016.
 
"The Polo GTI R5 came through the initial tests without any problems. The feedback from the test drivers was very positive," says Demaison. "It is obviously beneficial to be able to call upon an experienced team of engineers and mechanics, who helped to develop the Polo that won the world championship. And it goes without saying that, as we have in the past, we are also taking advantage of the close and excellent cooperation with the colleagues in the technical development department in Wolfsburg, as well as our Škoda colleagues, who have been offering their customers an R5 car since 2015."
 
Like the production model – the new Polo GTI – the Polo GTI R5 has a powerful straight four-cylinder turbo engine with direct fuel injection, which is mounted transversely in front of the front axle. The capacity of the rally car is limited to 1.6 litres, in accordance with regulations. This is sufficient to generate an impressive 200 kW (272 hp) and maximum torque of 400 Newton metres. A close-stepped, sequential, five-speed racing gearbox and permanent four-wheel drive achieve outstanding acceleration on any surface – whether asphalt, gravel or snow. Weighing just 1,320 kilograms, the rally GTI accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.1 seconds.

The four-door, steel chassis, which serves as the basis for the assembly, is manufactured at the production plant in Pamplona, Spain. In accordance with FIA regulations, it is strengthened with a role cage and other safety components. The Polo GTI R5 will be homologated in the summer of 2018. The first deliveries to customer sports teams, and the first competitive outings, are planned for the second half of the year.

In 2012, the International Automobile Federation FIA passed the R5 regulations for a new generation of rally cars, aimed primarily at customer teams, talented youngsters and privateers. Since then, more than 400 cars have been produced by five different manufacturers and have been in action in national and international championships all over the world.

GTI - these three letters have stood since 1976 for sporty compact cars from Volkswagen. At first it was just the Golf GTI³, but soon the Polo too was impressing as a Gran Turismo. Initially without fuel injection, the history of the sporty Polo began in 1980 with the first GT. The Polo GT G40 was already endowed with the dynamism of a GTI in 1987, with a top speed of 200 km/h. Then 1998 saw the launch of the first Polo GTI with 120 PS (90 kW). In 2010, its power was boosted to 180 PS (135 kW), and in 2014 it was upped to 192 PS (144 PS).

Now a new GTI is picking up speed: the next Polo GTI². Power output of 147 kW / 200 PS and a top speed of 237 km/h. From 0 to 100 km/h in just 6.7 seconds; fuel consumption of 5.9 litres per 100 km reflects the drive system's efficiency. To accompany the engine's high performance are the standard sport running gear and the optional Sport Select running gear. The new standard production Polo GTI (with 6-speed DSG) model will be available for ordering starting tomorrow. Prices starting at 23.875 Euros.

New sedan offers the latest in design, innovation, interior space and high performance in the premium sedan segment

• Virtus debuts global style language of the Volkswagen brand for new sedans

• Virtus will be the first car in Latin America to use artificial intelligence to help drivers    

• With an average sedan size and one of the largest trunk of the category, Virtus was developed with a focus on Latin America    

• Modular Strategy MQB offers unprecedented features in the segment, such as Active Info Display digital panel, 8-inch Discover Media infotainment system and 3 USB inputs    

• 128-hp TSI engine and 200 Nm of torque and automatic transmission combine low fuel consumption and high performance; Virtus makes 0 to 100 km / h in less than 10 seconds    

• Virtus arrives at Brazilian dealerships in January 2018

• Superior package with generous space crossing segment boundaries, emotional design and the latest connectivity features
• Largest Volkswagen model offensive in Brazil launched: 20 new models by 2020, investments of €1.8 billion
• Board Member for Sales Stackmann: "The Virtus sets standards in innovation and technology."

The Volkswagen brand is setting a further milestone in its South America strategy. With the world premiere of the entirely newly developed compact sedan Virtus in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Volkswagen is forging ahead with the realignment of the brand in South America. The new model, developed especially for the South American market, offers the latest features based on innovative MQB technology and is among the most spacious cars in its segment.

The Virtus is part of the brand's largest model offensive in Brazil. By 2020, 20 new models are to be launched, of which 13 will be produced at Volkswagen's Brazilian plants. Volkswagen is extending its range in Brazil in key segments. For this purpose, the Group will be investing a total of about €1.8 billion in Brazil. Last week, the company already announced investments of about €560 million for a new SUV model in Argentina, which is to roll off the production lines from 2020.

"With our Transform 2025+ strategy, we have set ourselves a clear target: in all the key regions, Volkswagen intends to become the most attractive volume brand. The Virtus shows how we are reinforcing the positioning of the brand in the regions. The new Volkswagen models, which will be precisely tailored to customers' wishes, will be quality and technology leaders in the volume segment," said Jürgen Stackmann, Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen brand responsible for Sales. "Over the next few years, we will be doing everything in our power to take Volkswagen back to the lead in the largest South American automobile market" added the Board Member for Sales.

With its Virtus compact sedan, Volkswagen is stepping up its product offensive on the growing Brazilian market. The fastback, with a length of 4.48 m, sets standards in its class in terms of technology, conductivity, comfort, spaciousness and performance. The Virtus is the first Volkswagen model and the first car in South America to feature assistance systems using artificial intelligence to support the driver. This web-based function is the first result of cooperation between Volkswagen and the IBM IT group.

The Modular Transverse Toolkit (MQB) also brings benefits in terms of interior design. With its wheelbase of 2.65 m, the Virtus offers space for five adults as well as one of the largest cargo spaces in its class, with a capacity of 521 liters.

"We are advancing in South America – and are renewing our model range in Brazil step-by-step. Following the presentation of the new Volkswagen Polo a few weeks ago, the Virtus is a further key element in our drive to take Volkswagen back to the lead in the region," said Pablo Di Si, President and CEO Volkswagen South America Region and Brazil, at the world premiere of the new model.
Following the Golf and the new Polo, the new Virtus is the third model in Volkswagen's Brazilian model offensive based on MQB technology. By 2020, they are to be followed by an entirely renewed pick-up model range and further locally produced SUV's. Volkswagen has invested about €660 million in the modernization of the Anchieta plant, about 20 km to the south of Sao Paulo, for the production of the Virtus and the Polo.

Within the framework of its Transform 2025+ strategy for the future, Volkswagen is taking action to successfully reposition its business on world markets. Increasingly, the brand is transferring to the regions responsibilities which have previously been exercised centrally from Wolfsburg. The regions hold comprehensive responsibility for the entire spectrum of business – up to and including decisions on the model range. In addition to South America, responsibilities are being transferred to North America, China and the sub-Saharan region in Africa.

 

Virtus World Premiere: (from the left) Thomas Owsianski (First Executive Vice President of South America Region and VP of Sales & Marketing SAM), Jürgen Stackman (Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen brand responsible for Sales), Pablo Di Si (President and CEO Volkswagen South America Region and Brazil), José Carlos Pavone (Head of Design Volkswagen South America Region and Brazil) and Dr. Markus Kleimann (VP Product Development Volkswagen South America Region and Brazil).