Volkswagen is preparing to apply its R-line performance know-how to the Polo in a bid to produce what could be the apex compact hot hatch.
A spy photographer working for autoexpress.co.uk has caught a glimpse of what appears to be the upcoming Polo R.
Although Volkswagen has been somewhat cagey regarding its commitment to releasing such a model, the company has voiced its intention to return to the WRC with the Polo R widebody – a heavily modified 224 kW racing version of the popular compact hatch that could be piloted by rally ace Petter Solberg.
The sighting of this GTI-bodied test mule sporting R-line alloys and bristling with telemetry equipment now suggests that the company is pursuing the idea of a production Polo R to possibly stamp its authority on the compact hot hatch segment.
Obviously there’s nothing in the way of technical specifications for this model, but it has been suggested that the R could be powered by a 1,6-litre TSI engine tuned to produce 154 kW and good for a 0-100 km/h time in the region of six seconds.
Should this model get the go-ahead, it should emerge towards the end of 2012.