This VW Polo thing grinds my gears

So VW will import the Polo but not this Polo:

From CARS

They will bring in some taller version that is more along the size of the fit and offer a hatch and trunk version.

I think that if they want a trunk, why not do this:

From CARS

Looks like the old Mazda3 but uglier.

actually the rear side view looks more like the protege5

Why can't they just give us the version that is already ready, already? It's looking more and more like there's a smart in my future.

mistanfo wrote: Why can't they just give us the version that is already ready, already? It's looking more and more like there's a smart in my future.

I keep seeing the Smarts now that I'm in New York. Silly little things. I like them.

me too.. waiting another year until the bottom drops on them and then i will grab a cheap one

Yeah, I just don't understand VW USA. Those guys just really seem to have their heads up their asses.

Some points:

the Polo IS about the size of a Fit...it's always been smaller than whatever version of the Golf was on sale.

When a car company decides to bring a car to market, even one already in production....SOMEWHERE, it usually takes a few months/YEARS to get it to the point where it can be sold in the U.S. The Fit, for example, made it to the U.S. market less than 2 years before it was replaced in every other market. Most car companies wouldn't have bothered for such a short life cycle. This is why Ford won't be selling the "new" Fiesta until 2011....the current one is just now going out of production in the rest of the world.

Finally, I do agree, VWofA is THE most screwed up car company, doing business on a global scale,selling cars in the U.S. After SEVERAL generations of the Golf....they rename the car Rabbit, even tho it looks VERY MUCH like an older Golf. The Phaeton, and to a lesser extent the Passat are marketing disasters. They are WAAAY overpriced compared to their competitors and have odd powertrain combos even tho their target customer probably could care less about W8s or narrow angle V6s. And then there is the matter of their iffy quality control.

Another point - I never understood how that dufus Piech in Germany running VW the parent wanted to make VW a/the PREMIUM brand. Why? You already have Audi. VW = People's Car. Seems like he is finally gone.

I agree on them being way overpriced compared to the competition. Nice cars but not worth it compared to similar models from Mazda and Honda which consequently are more reliable. :)

VWofA.. the company that did NOT want the new Scirocco... or for that matter, the old one.

There was a reason the two previous generations of sciroccos did not get the hot engines that the GTI did.. or only got it after the fact. They felt the sports coupe' would cut sales on the GTI...

and yes.. I never understood Piech's obcession with making VW the premium brand over audi... what will do after that, bring over seat or skoda to make up for a low end car? (not that I would mind seeing seat here)

There is currently a MASSIVE fight for control of VW. Piech is not doing too good at holding onto the top spot. I can't remember the other guy's name off the top of my heas, but he is doing pretty good at keeping VW in the black....everywhere but the U.S. HIS philosophy is " we won't build it if it can't be sold for a reasonable profit". In other words....under me, we won't do anymore stupid moves like the Phaeton.

Sorry, the other guy's name is Weideking....he's "from" the Porsche side of the company, and considering that fact that Porsche is taking ever larger shares of control of VAG....eh, it's still a toss-up.

More on this subject is found at CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK...the article was in the January 2009 issue.

Oh, as of the next year or two, the name "Rabbit" is going away again and they are going back to "Golf". saw it over on autoblog.com this week....

I like Thunderbunnies.

amg_rx7 wrote: Yeah, I just don't understand VW USA. Those guys just really seem to have their heads up their asses.

If it's still the same gang from 8-10 years ago, why yes they do. Believe me, they were a bunch of hippies stuck in the 1960s and 1970s, still riding the 'glory' (?) of the old aircooled days. I am surprised they did as well as they have. Add to that the Phaeton and other horribly overpriced marketing blunders and you have to wonder just what is in their future here in the States.

mad_machine wrote: There was a reason the two previous generations of sciroccos did not get the hot engines that the GTI did.. or only got it after the fact. They felt the sports coupe' would cut sales on the GTI...

Not quite sure I follow you on that one. There have only been two generations of the Scirocco (unless you count the Corrado or new Scirocco). The first gen always had the hottest Rabbit engine as the standard engine, and the second gen got the 16v one year before the GTI did. They didn't get the 1.8l 8v until a year after the original GTI did, but that's the only time I can think of that happening. Hell, even the Corrado got the VR6 before any of the other VWs did. That being said, I do think that VWoA is out of touch with what people want. Or maybe just out of touch with what I want.

TR3only wrote: Some points: the Polo IS about the size of a Fit...it's always been smaller than whatever version of the Golf was on sale. When a car company decides to bring a car to market, even one already in production....SOMEWHERE, it usually takes a few months/YEARS to get it to the point where it can be sold in the U.S. The Fit, for example, made it to the U.S. market less than 2 years before it was replaced in every other market. Most car companies wouldn't have bothered for such a short life cycle. This is why Ford won't be selling the "new" Fiesta until 2011....the current one is just now going out of production in the rest of the world. Finally, I do agree, VWofA is THE most screwed up car company, doing business on a global scale,selling cars in the U.S. After SEVERAL generations of the Golf....they rename the car Rabbit, even tho it looks VERY MUCH like an older Golf. The Phaeton, and to a lesser extent the Passat are marketing disasters. They are WAAAY overpriced compared to their competitors and have odd powertrain combos even tho their target customer probably could care less about W8s or narrow angle V6s. And then there is the matter of their iffy quality control.

Let me clarify my complaint. If you look at the Fit and most of the other cars in the class they look tall and usually have very small wheel wells. One of the reasons the Polo looks nice is the larger wheel wells and accompanying tires and the fact the car doesn't look like a dwarfed Toyota Previa.

If the US and EURO would agree on vehicle standards instead of being a bunch of bung munching egomaniacs we could have the same car at the same time.

16vCorey wrote:

mad_machine wrote: There was a reason the two previous generations of sciroccos did not get the hot engines that the GTI did.. or only got it after the fact. They felt the sports coupe' would cut sales on the GTI...

Not quite sure I follow you on that one. There have only been two generations of the Scirocco (unless you count the Corrado or new Scirocco). The first gen always had the hottest Rabbit engine as the standard engine, and the second gen got the 16v one year before the GTI did. They didn't get the 1.8l 8v until a year after the original GTI did, but that's the only time I can think of that happening. Hell, even the Corrado got the VR6 before any of the other VWs did. That being said, I do think that VWoA is out of touch with what people want. Or maybe just out of touch with what I want.

I am talking about the scirocco that is out now.. VWofA did NOT want that car sold here in the US.

And yes, the corrado got a better reception than the original sciroccos did. Not sure why, I liked all of them, but it seemed the scirocco was always the "well, I guess we have to" to the GTI

mad_machine wrote:

16vCorey wrote:

mad_machine wrote: There was a reason the two previous generations of sciroccos did not get the hot engines that the GTI did.. or only got it after the fact. They felt the sports coupe' would cut sales on the GTI...

Not quite sure I follow you on that one. There have only been two generations of the Scirocco (unless you count the Corrado or new Scirocco). The first gen always had the hottest Rabbit engine as the standard engine, and the second gen got the 16v one year before the GTI did. They didn't get the 1.8l 8v until a year after the original GTI did, but that's the only time I can think of that happening. Hell, even the Corrado got the VR6 before any of the other VWs did. That being said, I do think that VWoA is out of touch with what people want. Or maybe just out of touch with what I want.

I am talking about the scirocco that is out now.. VWofA did NOT want that car sold here in the US. And yes, the corrado got a better reception than the original sciroccos did. Not sure why, I liked all of them, but it seemed the scirocco was always the "well, I guess we have to" to the GTI

The problem with the Corrado was that it was VW's first attempt to go "upmarket" into luxury territory (as someone mentioned previously). We couldn't get it with the 16v option, or even without power windows/roof/blah/etc.

As wonderful as they are, there was really no "base" trim package, and even the G60 (the early supercharged 4cyl version) were right around $20K (in 1990!), and the VR6 I saw in the showroom in 1992 was damn near $24K. People weren't ready to buy a Twenty Thousand Dollar Volkswagen, and walked out (except for me, who bought a Golf 8v GTI). I think the Phaeton and slumping Passat sales show that they aren't ready for the current equal to that price, either. VWoA is shooting itself in the foot by trying to sell two premium brands over here, instead of letting VW be what is is in the rest of the world-the last German car that normal people can afford. I would have bought a Lupo or Polo years ago, if the shiny happy people would just have sent them here. I just keep on driving my Golf, but it's beginning to get really old. I take one of my Corrados when I have to pull the Golf off the road, but those times are getting closer together, and longer in duration.

Call me a marque idiot, but I don't want a Fit, or whatever thing Toyota or Mazda are making. I guess if VWoA passes us over again, I'll just find me another A2 and go through it from stem to stern.

Jensenman wrote:

amg_rx7 wrote: Yeah, I just don't understand VW USA. Those guys just really seem to have their heads up their asses.

If it's still the same gang from 8-10 years ago, why yes they do. Believe me, they were a bunch of hippies stuck in the 1960s and 1970s, still riding the 'glory' (?) of the old aircooled days. I am surprised they did as well as they have. Add to that the Phaeton and other horribly overpriced marketing blunders and you have to wonder just what is in their future here in the States.

A good exaple of this is that stupid Routan comercial with all the hippies looking at pictures of old transporters and it comes down the street. They are acting like this is the second coming of the van, having everyone believe it too! People are shocked when i tell them it's a Dodge. Also I like how they bring out a mini-van when every other company is shying away from them.

Also i really like the euro polo and wish we got it here.

PaulY wrote:

Jensenman wrote:

amg_rx7 wrote: Yeah, I just don't understand VW USA. Those guys just really seem to have their heads up their asses.

If it's still the same gang from 8-10 years ago, why yes they do. Believe me, they were a bunch of hippies stuck in the 1960s and 1970s, still riding the 'glory' (?) of the old aircooled days. I am surprised they did as well as they have. Add to that the Phaeton and other horribly overpriced marketing blunders and you have to wonder just what is in their future here in the States.

A good exaple of this is that stupid Routan comercial with all the hippies looking at pictures of old transporters and it comes down the street. They are acting like this is the second coming of the van, having everyone believe it too! People are shocked when i tell them it's a Dodge. Also I like how they bring out a mini-van when every other company is shying away from them.

Not to mention VW was already building a people mover overseas.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/05/volkswagen-sharan-bluemotion-diesel-gas-mileage.php

"But nooooo..", says VWoA, displaying their usual cranial-anal insertion. "It doesn't suit our market..", and off we go again. Most of the other guys I know into watercooled VWs are leaving the dub at home except for shows & track time, and buying Japanese for daily drivers.

I'm not, but probably just because mine hasn't stranded me yet. I think when the child support goes away, I'll go buy a Mazda 3 and send a picture of it to VWoA's head office. With a rude note telling them that I waited fifteen years for them to get their berkeley straight..

I went to look at a routan when I was looking for a mini van. Well it WAS really nice much better interior than say a new dodge. But for 30k plus no way, hell dealer even had a markup on them something like 4k or more (:0)

the liberals y'all keep sending here to D.C. will always buy that 3-4yr old Jetta and say it's the best car they've ever had, whilst laughing like a stoned prez at the plight of the domestics (60 min. ref.)

WV seems to design cars by taking pictures of clouds and cutting out wheel wells.

VS