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There have been rumours going around saying that Volkswagen is preparing a high performance version of the Polo. The German automaker has been rather tight lipped over it initially and later on denied that there would be such a model. But at the 31st GTI Meeting held in Worthersee, Austria, held earlier this year; Volkswagen unveiled a Polo concept which is known as the Volkswagen Polo R WRC Street Concept (top most image). The concept is a road version of the Volkswagen Polo R WRC that will be competing in the World Rally Championships in 2013. And now, there are reports of a production version of the Polo R that is said to be unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show and will be offered to the public shortly after that. Ulrich Hackenberg, Volkswagen's head of R&D, has confirmed that the company will debut the Volkswagen Polo R at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show and the launch will coincide with the automaker's entry into the World Rally Championships. Hackneberg also mentioned that the Polo R's announcement was in fact to draw attention to Volkswagen's WRC efforts and the company originally had no intentions to release such a model. The production Polo R is said to get a tuned version of the same engine used in the Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk VI. The 2.0 litre turbocharged four cylinder unit is tuned to deliver 225bhp. This will give the Polo R a higher performance level over the Polo GTI (second image from top). With a lighter kerb weight compared to the Golf GTI, this means that the Polo R will be slightly faster than the Golf GTI's 0-100km/h timing of 6.9 seconds. The Polo R will remain a front wheel drive unlike its Golf R sibling and it will benefit from a mechanical limited slip differential. Exterior wise, the Polo R will surely be kitted with a host of body modifications and bigger sized wheels in order to differentiate it with the base and GTI models. Expect it to feature a lowered, and probably adjustable, suspension kit and bigger brakes. Photo credit: Net Car Show

- Polo R The happy people at R GmbH have decided to show us a picture of the new Polo R. It seems the official tuning arm of the People's Car, a.k.a Volkswagen, have come up with the R version of the Polo GTI. This Polo R is the fourth R version following the Passat, Golf and Scirocco versions already shown to the general public. According to the still secretive R GmbH, the Polo R makes 210bhp from a new direct injection 1.6liter turbocharged TSI engine. The base Polo GTI has a supercharged and turbocharged direct injection 1.4liter engine. That small four-pot makes 178bhp and 249Nm of torque. The reason I said that R GmbH are secretive is that torque figures of the R has not been released at yet but I expect that it should at least make 270-280Nm. Pretty impressive figures for a production 1.6liter engine. - the Polo R is derived from this car, the Polo GTI. According to sources, unlike the Golf R, the Polo R is front wheel drive like the Polo GTI. I believe as according to some, a front wheel drive is capable of handling up to 260bhp without much handling and grip problems. And because the Polo R only has 210bhp front wheel drive is sufficient. I would also expect a more aggressive electronic XDS differential as well as the usual higher (and harder) specced suspension to go along with the engine upgrade. The usual seven speed DSG transmission would be the gearbox utilised in the R. Of course the biggest change is the visible one. The front bumper is clearly more aggressive with those three large air intakes. The R specified blue color follows the other R cars released recently. This is a Volkswagen which I kind of fancy. It is small (therefore light and nimble), specced well, looks like a hot hatch from the 1980s and early 1990s. Compare this to a Golf GTI which has grown and grown and grown until it looks like a mini MPV. I'd buy this Polo for proper hot hatch thrills. But of course, more information would be released by R GmbH soon and then I would want to test drive the Polo R first before making any solid conclusion on this latest R version of a Volkswagen.

Here are the first images of what the new Volkswagen Polo GTI will look like and it will be unveiled in the flesh at next month's Geneva Motor Show. It definitely looks like it deserves the GTI badge, and goes like one too. The highly anticipated new hot hatch will be powered by Volkswagen's 1.4 litre TSI engine which pumps out 177bhp which is quite a lot for a hatch this size, and of course, it comes with the standard 7 speed DSG transmission. It also features Volkswagen's XDS electronic differential which uses the brakes to slow the inside wheel instead of limiting power, which in turn cuts down understeer. These German's never stop inventing the good stuff.. The suspension has been lowered by 15mm all round and the Polo GTI even has its own spring and damper settings. And like the last Polo GTI, its styled to look like a mini Golf GTI which isn't really surprising but the good thing is you get the similar five-spoke polished 17 inch alloys and the same honeycomb grille with a red frame which really is minimalism at its best. You see Hyundai's and Swifts with that red strip which frankly is just wrong.. The red stitching on the inside and finally, the flat-bottomed steering wheel which is one of the best additions you could possibly ask for. When will this be here? No one knows, but I'm certain that it'll make its way to our little island. For now, we'll wait for it to appear at the Geneva Motor Show.