REPORT: VW planning Polo-based mini MPV
Next up to announce a miniature MPV is Volkswagen, said to be eying its Polo for conversion to a (little) people hauler. In Europe such a car would go against competition like the Opel Meriva and Fiat Qubo. A VW board member suggested that such a car would be about adding to the company's small car variety, and it wants to have the right mix of offerings when the recovery comes.
On a side note, VW is also planning a "less effeminate, more assertive and masculine" Beetle that they want more men to buy. Because who knew button-cute car with a flower vase holder wouldn't appeal to men?
Gallery: 2010 Volkswagen Polo
[Source: Autocar]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Alex 9:07AM (5/28/2009)
Masculine Beetle? Its called the Scirocco.
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Kooshball 1:46PM (5/28/2009)
i'd say it's the TT.
GOT 5:41AM (5/29/2009)
Unbelievable. VW (and most auto manufacturers) has been spitting in the face of masculinity for over 3 decades. The reason the Type-1 was so incredibly popular with men was it's ease of maintenance and modabilty (independence... or if you like, interdependence). WE could make them more masculine. The chicks could get flowers and polka-dots painted on theirs and guys could turn theirs into dune-buggies and most everything else. The most masculine cars in existence are rally cars (which are personalized & modded to the hilt). TAKE A HINT VW
Until the manufactures build cars which can be more personalized, modable and back-yard-maintainable, like they used to be, I don't see then becoming more masculine.
Aaron Friedman 9:18AM (5/28/2009)
I would love to see some 6-7 seat MPVs here in the States. All we have is the Mazda 5.
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Bloke 10:37AM (5/28/2009)
The Mazda 5 is a C-segment MPV and competes with the likes of the Ford C-Max, Vauxhall Zafira, VW Touran and Renault Scenic. The Polo variant would be a B-segment MPV and compete with the likes of the Renault Modus, Vauxhall Meriva, and upcoming Ford B-Max.
Aaron Friedman 11:02AM (5/28/2009)
... and none of those 'C' class units are available here (US).
FSM 9:40AM (5/28/2009)
Give the Beetle 300hp, AWD, and replace the flower vase with a beef jerky dispenser and men will buy it.
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krische 10:00AM (5/28/2009)
Or bacon. Emmm bacon.
Why should I have all the fun? 2:59PM (5/28/2009)
I guess a beer dispenser would be out of the question
Todd 9:43AM (5/28/2009)
I really like the new MPV they have in Japan. Too bad Mazda wouldn't bring it to the states.
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akboss302 10:23AM (5/28/2009)
I for one think the new Polo looks incredible and can't wait to test drive it Stateside side-by-side with a new Fiesta. I had high hopes for the Tiguan but it was overpriced and overrated (at least the versions we got here), maybe a Polo-based AWD vehicle would work out a little better.
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chicagovet 10:35AM (5/28/2009)
Let's not forget that millions of that so-called "button-cute car" have been sold to both men and women without making it "aggressive"-looking.
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typhoon5000 10:37AM (5/28/2009)
So it's gonna be a slightly smaller Golf Plus?
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MAXLD 12:01PM (5/28/2009)
Yes it will. The Golf Plus came to compete with the already successful Opel Zafira. The Opel Meriva, which is smaller than the Zafira, is still dominating the mini-MPV European market... even with an old design. When the new Meriva arrives next year, I bet the sales will boost even more. And that's why VW is concerned... the Meriva is selling better than the Skoda Roomster even in their own German soil... they need a new VW model to compete with it.
Rev Junkie 11:15AM (5/28/2009)
A more masculine Beetle? Perhaps this means a new Beetle RSi. Give it the turbo four from a TTS, or the upcoming turbo five from the TTRS, pair it to a six-speed or that flappy-paddle crap, and send it to all the wheels via 4Motion. I'd love to have something like that. Imagine, being able to keep up with (or potentially embarrass, depending on the engine) Mustang GTs and Charger R/Ts, in a Beetle!
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Kumar 11:16AM (5/28/2009)
A 4 door Beetle (2 suicide doors) would be much more useful.
The current one looks pretty good, but isn't practical at all.
Maybe a Ghia reskin of whatever the next Beetle is for a little variety too.
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gualicho 11:55AM (5/28/2009)
VW already has a small MPV based on the Fox platform for the LATAM market: the Suran or Fox Space - depending on the country.
See pictures:
http://www.vw.com.ar/_modelos_galeria_fotos.asp?vModeloNAV=suran
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Why should I have all the fun? 3:04PM (5/28/2009)
make this VW:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-new-beetle-renderings/537221/
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P.V. 3:44PM (5/28/2009)
Yup. The Polo MPV competes with the Meriva, the Golf Plus with the Zafira.
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gerrrg 4:49PM (5/28/2009)
Mini People Vehicle?
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