New details: 2015 VW Polo GTI

Volkswagen has revealed key details of its upgraded Polo GTI, based on the facelifted fifth-generation Polo launched this week in Germany.

When it arrives here in September, the revised 2014 Polo hatchback range will bring a host of new technologies, as we outlined when it was revealed at last month’s Geneva motor show and again in our first drive review today.

However, reflecting the higher level of standard equipment, it will be also be more expensive, with small price increases expected over the outgoing model, which is priced from $16,990.

Volkswagen has also confirmed it will axe the diesel engine option from its new Polo range, spelling the end of the 1.6 TDI Comfortline ($24,240) and the no-show of the Polo’s new 1.4-litre three-cylinder turbo-diesel, which is available in Europe with 55kW/210Nm and 66kW/230Nm and combined fuel consumption as low as 3.4L/100km.

Nor will the 2014 Polo’s optional new two-stage Sport Select variable damping system be offered in Australia, where other new technologies like emergency city braking, radar cruise control, driver fatigue alert, LED headlights and the segment-first automatic post-collision braking system are likely to be packaged with a reversing camera as part of an optional safety pack.

The refreshed Polo will, however, come with electric steering, revised suspension tune, fuel-saving idle-stop and regenerative braking systems, the Golf’s classy touch-screens (5.0-inch monochrome and 6.5-inch colour) and the first employment of Volkswagen’s new multi-media system including Bluetooth phone connectivity, satellite-navigation and (in Europe) the new MirrorLink apps system.

Also helping to lift prices will be the discontinuation of the current base model’s 1.4-litre petrol engine, and the unavailability of the 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine from the discontinued up!, in either 44kW or 55kW states of tune.

Instead, Volkswagen Australia will continue to offer the direct-injection turbocharged 1.2-litre four-cylinder in both 66kW/160Nm and, later, 81kW/175Nm tune. Both engines consume 4.7L/100km. They will be sold as the new entry-level 66TSI Trendline and the higher-spec 81TSI Comfortline.

Of course, following the mainstream Polos in September will be a similarly upgraded Polo GTI in the first half of 2015, following its European reveal later this year.

As we’ve previously reported, the 2015 Polo GTI will be offered with a manual transmission for the first time.

Given the current Polo GTI DSG costs $29,540 and VW charges $2500 for the DSG twin-clutch auto in other models, the new Polo could be priced as low as $27,000 in six-speed manual form -- $1000 more than Ford’s manual-only Fiesta ST.

If Volkswagen reintroduces a three-door version, the facelifted second-generation Polo GTI could be even cheaper.

Volkswagen has confirmed the 2015 GTI will also be more powerful at 141kW – eclipsing the Fiesta ST’s 134kW and the 132kW output of the current Polo GTI, which is powered by a 1.4-litre ‘twin-charger’ engine.

However, that is engine is being phased out in favour of the Octavia’s newer 1.8-litre turbo-petrol engine, which is also likely to give the GTI more peak torque than the outgoing model’s 250Nm.

BlueGT and CrossPolo versions of Volkswagen’s second-biggest seller globally will remain unavailable in Australia, as will Europe’s upcoming Bluemotion TSI and TDI variants, which consume as little as 3.1L/100km.