VW's New Polo Bluemotion
The Brighton to London Eco-Rally was a breeze for the Polo Bluemotion - it could've started in Geneva without needing to re-fuel. What Car? associate editor Roger Stansfield put the new car to the test and it passed with flying colours, beating its official combined fuel economy figure.
| Benefits: | No Vehicle Excise Duty, No road tax |
|---|---|
| Technology: | Bluemotion |
| Range: | London to Geneva on a single tank (with passengers) |
| Performance: | more aerodynamic and lower suspension than standard Polo |
| Emissions: | 99g/km CO2, zero at the traffic lights |
Engineering
Powered by a highly efficient TDI common rail diesel engine and linked to a five-speed gearbox with lengthened ratios in third, fourth and fifth, the new BlueMotion achieves stunning mpg figures while emitting just 96 g/km of CO2 – bettering the outgoing Polo BlueMotion model which is itself one of the most fuel efficient vehicles currently on sale.
Design
The new Polo weighs 7.5 per cent less than the vehicle it replaces – despite being marginally wider and longer. Good for comfort, but perhaps not so good for traffic jammed city driving. However, it's not quite as wide as it appears, the use of horizontal lines in the grille and lights allows the Polo to appear lower and wider than it really is. Unlike the original Polo BlueMotion - with its 'neutered' aerodynamic tweaks - the new version retains this more aggressive, Golf-like styling.
2006 Bluemotion model v 2010 Bluemotion concept
The gains in efficiency don’t stop there: in 2010 VW will offer an all-new 1.2-litre three-cylinder common rail diesel engine, Automatic Stop/Start and regenerative braking, returning 85 mpg on the combined cycle while generating just 87 g/km of CO2.
Choice
The BlueMotion range represents nearly every Volkswagen model: Polo, Golf Mark V, Golf Estate, Golf Plus, Jetta, Passat Saloon and Estate, Touran and Sharan. The new Golf will be available with BlueMotion technology and is coming to the UK mid 2009.
Recyclability
The longer a car lasts, the lower the burden on the planet's limited resources of raw materials and Volkswagen is renowned for its build-quality. However, cars affect the environment most while on the road, so replacing an old banger with a new car from the Bluemotion range is likely to be the greenest option.
When a VW finally reaches end-of-life, recycling is aided by careful selection of recyclable materials and the labelling of plastic parts with their material type.
In addition, a large range of used parts from vehicle repairs are taken back by Volkswagen and remanufactured on an industrial scale. They are then sold across the world with a full manufacturer's guarantee under the name "Genuine Parts". Volkswagen also recycles old catalytic converters with valuable metals like platinum and rhodium extracted and reused in new ones. This all means VW are now close to achieving their 95 per cent recovery target.
