Volkswagen may bring the Polo to the U.S. for the 2010 model year. The Polo has been available in Europe since 1975.
VW is planning additional Polo models for Europe and other overseas markets, including an entry-level cloth-top convertible, a new version of the SUV-flavored CrossPolo wagon, and an extended mini-minivan.
It’s possible one or all of these could reach the U.S., perhaps by model-year 2012, if only to one-up the competition. The same goes for the sporty 2-door GTI hatchback. More significantly, VW is planning a “mild hybrid” Polo that should be an interesting alternative to Honda’s upcoming “dedicated” hybrid hatchback and the gas/electric Fit expected around 2015, not to mention the sales-leading Toyota Prius.
Like the Hondas, the Polo would not run on volts alone, but would include regenerative-braking battery charging and a fuel-saving engine stop/start system. VW recently teamed with Japan’s Sanyo Electric to develop advanced lithium-ion (LI) batteries for hybrid VW vehicles, one of several such joint ventures. Production reportedly begins in 2009. The LI batteries will likely appear in the hybrid Polo despite their relatively high cost, but reports indicate that plug-in capability wouldn’t be available until at least 2011.
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