By Andy Hum

VOLKSWAGEN’S EFFORTS IN launching the new Polo is a clear sign of their intentions – to increase their market share where cars like the Honda Jazz and the Toyota Yaris have been strong names for a long time.

Launched with a price tag of $63,300 (including COE) and packaged with technology that’s ahead of the competition, Volkswagen Group Singapore representatives also mentioned during a media preview that they are aiming for a 10 percent market share in this segment.

And they’re very serious. Dr Zeno Kerschbaumer, managing director of Volkswagen Group Singapore, shared during the preview that “close to a million dollars” was spent on the launch of this car, and that it was the most money spent so far this year to usher in a new VW model.

With its public launch happening on November 20-22 at the Volkswagen showroom on Alexandra road, where guest DJs Glenn Ong and Jean Danker will be broadcasting ‘live’ from, a 30-hour drive by celebrity blogger Mr Brown on November 21-22, followed by more exposure come the annual ZoukOut party in December, where the Polo is the official car, it’s clear that Volkswagen is targeting the younger, trendier crowd with this model.

“We prepared everything in order to make sure that Singaporean customers will get to know about this nice package from Volkswagen,” said the amiable Dr Kerschbaumer. He also recognised the fact that the Polo is in a market segment which is more price-competitive, and said that “this is the car that has the strongest value for money in our range”.

The new Polo is slightly larger than the previous generation and has a five-start EuroNCAP rating. It comes with a 1.4-litre engine that makes 85hp and 132Nm of torque, enabling it to get from 0-100km/h in 11.9 seconds, and a top whack of 177km/h. Highlights include a remarkably low carbon dioxide emissions level of 135g/km and also its super-fast gear shifts, courtesy of its seven-speed DSG transmission – it’s also the only dual-clutch gearbox in this class.

A hotter version with a turbocharged 105hp 1.2-litre engine will arrive in Singapore in the third quarter next year. Meanwhile, delivers for the new Polo will begin next week.