Time for something a little different to bikes. Cars are also a passion of mine and have been since I could first see colours, apparently. I mean, it was destiny considering my mom was dicing another car while pregnant with me or the fact that my dad raced while I was growing up and that race day on Sunday was family day.
Fast forward a few years and it has not changed. I still desire the thrills of racing and the feeling of a car coming past you at 200+km/h. There is a local series called “POLO GTI CUP”, they are quite frankly nothing like a production anymore but it still resembles a POLO in someway. Always fast racing, always close fighting and big offs, like BIG OFFS! In hindsight, they have always had a close spot to me because of watching them race growing up.
Now we get to the part that I would want to talk about. My little smurf. It is a Polo Vivo, 1.4, pushing 63kw. That motor is similar to the original CITI Golf motor and has very similar aspects but with modern technology. A Polo should not be fun because it is practical, a family sized car and light on fuel. Well… not with my foot. Okay, sometimes I drive nicely and I get great consumption with nearly 18km/l in a motor that is non-turbo and only a 5 speed that needs to be revved.
Then comes one of the most impressive things about the car, the handling. Yes, it does not have the same suspension and set-up as a Polo GTI or a CUP Car, but it makes me feel like I am one of the boys sending it through Malmesbury sweep at Killarney on 3 wheels. A short throw gearbox with an easy clutch makes life easier when changing gears quickly but also when in heavy traffic.
The seating is firm at first, but does become more and more comfortable as time goes on but we are not here to talk about how your bum feels on a seat now are we?
It is to date the only vehicle that I have got a speeding fine in and I was going 1km/h over the limit! SEE, SPEEDING but it feels effortless when getting to that 80/100/120 which means you will watch the needle very closely.
I feel that a lot of people do not quite understand VW. They tend to think it is a common vehicle because of their mom or dad owning one or that they are affordable. I believe it is due to motorsport and how they have somehow and in someway managed to grip us and say ” I WANT THAT” and the trusted term, what wins on Sunday sells on Monday. They showed up with the GTI, everyone wanted one and they still sell in their thousands. They went and started a Polo Cup in the late 90s and that got people flocking to dealerships. They went rallying in Dakar, WRC and WRX and dominated. Without us even knowing, we saw a VW badge in our face as the winner and only the winner. Who know motorsport could have such an influence on cars to this day?
Germany lost the war, but quite frankly, won the race in perfecting the recipe for the best all round hatchback. Comfortable, fun, reliable and well kitted. Well… the modern ones not so much with well kitted but you understand.
The FIAT 500 has a notable mention here because it ran extremely well against my Polo going to the Knysna Hill Climb in May of this year. That is for another day and when I am allowed to drive it again and use the “TURBO” button.