Volkswagen is considering offering its Polo hatchback in the United States, CEO Martin Winterkorn said in an interview this week at the Detroit auto show. When he meets with over 600 U.S. dealers at a major gathering later this month, Winterkorn says he’ll ask one simple question — “Do you need the Polo?”
The Polo is smaller than the Rabbit hatchback, and is even offered in GTI guise, which could be popular in the United States. Although cars this small have long been shunned by the U.S. market, concerns over fuel economy have created a renewed interest in such vehicles.
Winterkorn said during the interview with Germany’s Handelsblatt newspaper VW is also considering bringing the production version of the rear-engine Space Up concept car to America.



01/15, 7:03 PM
posted by:
MY Si
MARCO!!!!!
01/15, 7:05 PM
posted by:
TomF
Hell, yes, they can use the Polo against the Yaris / Corsa / Fit / Aveo segment. There’s plenty of room for a slightly upscale alternative as long as build quality doesn’t let them down. Remember, in a prior down economy, the Volkswagen Fox did very well for a couple of years, slotted beneath the Golf… until people discovered what a hecho-en-Mexico box of crap it was.
01/15, 7:08 PM
posted by:
Madcapp
No brainer. A Polo GT would make a great city car.
01/15, 7:55 PM
posted by:
A4
They need the Polo here, hopefully most of the dealers arent as stupid as the ones around here
01/15, 7:55 PM
posted by:
S-60-driver
CEO Martin Winterkorn is a MORON!!!
Don’t ask the dealers!! ASK US!!! WE as CUSTOMERS!!! Bring the goddamn Polo here…..
01/15, 8:12 PM
posted by:
pbwe
Agreed. Clowns. On VW forums I was voicing this years ago. As were many others. One forum mouthpiece asserted safety requirements kept it out of the country. What possibly could have changed?
01/15, 9:36 PM
posted by:
global_lightning
Hmmm, lets see:
The Polo weighs around 2350 lbs, and has a 150 HP or a 115 Hp engine. Great city car, it would probalby do well against the competition. It could also be another option for those considering VW’s but don’t want a car thas seems to be build out of lead and depleted uranium. Weight makes you slow and sucky fuel economy.
01/15, 10:06 PM
posted by:
autonut
It is all great theory but the only 4 cylinder engine VW certified for US is ultra expensive 2L direct injection turbo from Audi part bin. Polo GTI with this engine will be fast little car that cost as much as Rabbit/Golf. If it will be made in Mexico, it will be exactly the same POS as Rabbit/Golf. What they gonna call it: a squirrel?
VW has engine & quality issues in US. If it would be me, I would try to solve existing problem before compounding it.
01/15, 10:09 PM
posted by:
cwwilson
Bring it on over.
01/15, 11:04 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
I have never even remotely contemplated buying any VW product in my life, but I would seriously consider a GTI version of this. I love ‘pocket rockets’ and this is the closest reincarnation of the original GTI in both weight and spirit that I have seen since the early eighties.
01/15, 11:05 PM
posted by:
swamprat
The Polo is moderately light. Given its weight, it should get around 27 mpg city and about 32 highway.
My 2400 lb Acura Integra got the same back in 1987.
01/15, 11:34 PM
posted by:
CA36GTP
POLO!
01/15, 11:45 PM
posted by:
mazdaman
This is the perfect time to offer this product in the U.S. Just don’t do something stupid and rename it “Bunny” because it’s the Rabbit’s smaller sibling; “Polo” works just fine. I know there are probably people out there that have fond memories of “vintage” VW Rabbits, but the model name seems silly and out of place on a modern vehicle.
01/16, 12:05 AM
posted by:
El Aleman
Hm yeah why not.. apart from the fact that a basic model with about 60 horsepower would cost about 20 grand at the current rate of the dollar.
But of course it will probably cost less dollars than euros which makes me wonder how they are profitable in America, since they obviously don’t have a 50% profit margin in Europe.. Does anybody have a clue why this is?
I mean really… European cars produced in Europe cost about 2/3 in America.. What’s the deal?
01/16, 5:04 AM
posted by:
fan
whats the deal? they charge the buyers in europe what they dont charge the buyers in the US…
01/16, 5:39 AM
posted by:
V2
The polo is a great car, and I’ve driven the GTI model in Australia and it’s pretty good. Not as quick as other hot hatches but the build quality is fantastic.
01/16, 8:30 AM
posted by:
Stridder44
BRING IT OVER!!!
01/16, 8:37 AM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
This would be a breath of fresh air in a land of stale Yarises, Civics, and Cobalts. I would pick one up as a runabout ride in town
01/16, 9:02 AM
posted by:
Renton
Ever been to a VW dealership? Those folks are not qualified to make these decisions.
‘tards, every last one of them.
VAG……..market it succesfully and bring it. People will come.
01/16, 9:14 AM
posted by:
livelyjay
Bring it over …. NOW!
01/16, 11:22 AM
posted by:
A4
2.0T and im sold
01/16, 12:30 PM
posted by:
autonut
El Aleman, the answer is taxes. The cars are basically the same the tax structure is different. Same goes for gasoline. The price of gas is about identical between NY Mercantile and London exchanges, look at the pump.
01/16, 1:58 PM
posted by:
Get Real
Winterkorn is a moron……No we don’t need the Polo.
We need quality improvement and MSRP reductions to sell cars.
01/16, 3:38 PM
posted by:
rsg
Volkswagen Fox, maybe? I think the name Polo is actually fine, though. Everybody’s got one so they should too. It would sell great in NYC; yuppies dig VW’s, and they’ve taken over the city, so if they can get one for 15k and actually be able to park it somewhere..
01/16, 4:31 PM
posted by:
rsg
Actually, if they brought this here and I could get it for $10K i’d snatch it up. Let’s pretend it could even come close to meeting crash test standard..
http://www.vw.co.za/models/citi/360/
01/16, 11:47 PM
posted by:
GIUGIK1
autonut, you are one smart dude. Nice to see people like you around here.
01/17, 4:56 PM
posted by:
Astonman12
Bring it over, I say. If GM wants to compete, they could bring that Opel Corsa over in Saturn form as well.
01/17, 11:17 PM
posted by:
Gogogodzilla
Polo in the states… now that’s something to look forward to. (seriously)
01/18, 3:57 PM
posted by:
Htay9500
smart idea, as long as its not made mexico.
02/01, 1:01 PM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
MARCO!