Good To The Last Drop (Of Diesel) - VWs Polo BlueMotion

Capitalizing on Fuel-Saving Technology

Despite the recent shift to hybrid powertrains, there are a few manufacturers who have a one-track mind on diesel; one of those is Volkswagen. Sure, theyve tinkered with the idea of hybrids and hydrogen in a couple of concept cars, but like many other German automakers, Volkswagen continues to believe that oil-burning technology is the best long-term solution to the worlds fuel problems. By volume, it only makes sense that they support diesel technology, after all, they are the leading seller of diesel-passenger powered cars in North America, with the Jetta, Golf and New Beetle TDI, and are considered one of the diesel masters across the globe.

The brand also made it into the history books on several occasions with the help of diesel. In 1999, VW launched the Lupo 3L (not named after a 3.0-liter displacement engine), a super-economy version of their now defunct city car that was capable of returning 78 mpg. Audi also produced a 3L version of the ASF aluminum-bodied A2. Perhaps an even more famous diesel-powered Volkswagen was the 1L, an ultra-skinny tandem-seater 8.5-horsepower car capable of achieving 282 mpg.

For this years Geneva Motorshow, Volkswagen brought out a special version of its subcompact Polo hatchback fitted with all sorts of economy-improving additions. It must be said that the Polo BlueMotion isnt as efficient or as advanced as the A2 or Lupo 3L, however, this isnt the purpose of this new model. Having already proven its abilities to reach the 78 mpg goal in a four-seater passenger car, VW shifted its resources towards providing the masses with a slightly larger car that cost less to buy, requires fewer compromises on the part of the owner, and is still fun to drive.

Generally speaking, hybrids and ultra-diesels like the 3L vehicles arent exactly fun to drive. With the exception of high-end HEVs like the Honda Accord Hybrid and Lexus RX 400h, they are mind-numbingly slow, and have poor cornering capabilities as theyre equipped with low-rolling resistance tires. Will the Polo BlueMotion escape this blanket statement? Not exactly. It is powered by a 1.4-liter three-cylinder common-rail turbodiesel motor, which is also available in the regular Polo. On the contrary, this particular engine makes 80-horsepower and generates 145 lb-ft of torque, all of which is accessible as low as 1,800 rpm, which is a surprising amount for a car billed to be the leanest and greenest Polo.

The Polo BlueMotion is a relatively quick vehicle; it takes 12.6 seconds to reach 60 mph, but it has a top speed of 104 mph. Slow by most standards, but its a fair bit quicker than most in the Polo range, including models powered by the 55- and 64-horsepower 1.2-liter gasoline engine (0-60 km/h: 17.3 and 14.7 s), the 1.4-liter gasoline engine (12.7 s), not to mention the 70 and 80-horsepower 1.4-liter TDI models (14.4 and 12.6 s). As if not to make the rest of the range seem pointless, the BlueMotion is also more fuel efficient than each of the listed models, and an impressive 0.132 gal/60 miles more efficient than the equivalent non-BlueMotion Polo 80-hp 1.4 TDI.

Unlike the Lupo 3L, which featured a primitive version of VWs fancy DSG sequential-manual gearbox, the Polo has a DIY five-speed manual transmission, which plays an important part in the Polos reduced thirst for diesel. Though theres nothing special about the shift mechanism or the clutch, the gearbox has a new set of ratios. The first two gear ratios are identical to the standard Polo, enabling it to be as quick as the standard car in in-town situations, while gears three to five are 12 to 24 percent longer, enabling the engine to rotate at lower revs when the car is running at higher speeds, saving fuel when cruising on the highway.

The other part of the equation is made up by simple changes to the cars exterior. The Polo features a special aerodynamically-optimized bodykit, a rear spoiler that wraps around the roofs ledge and the sides of the rear tailgate, and a grille insert that has a narrower opening. From a scientific standpoint, the Polo isnt exactly the most aerodynamic shape for a vehicle, but these changes manage to drop its coefficient of drag rating down to a measly 0.30 Cd from 0.32. The final touches to the Polo are a set of lightweight 14-inch alloy wheels that are wrapped in 165/70 series low rolling resistance tires.

Thanks to the combined efforts of drivetrain and aerodynamics, the Polo BlueMotion is able to return an average of 60 mpg of fuel in an even mix between city and highway driving. Put it on a highway and its thirst becomes even smaller, consuming just 73 mpg! Broken down into simple terms, on a single 11.9-gallon tank of diesel fuel, the car can travel an astonishing 711 miles. These results are amazing given the few changes that were made, and make the likes of  the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit seem wasteful in comparison. The Polo BlueMotion also boasts an extremely low CO₂ rating of just 5.8 oz/mile, some 0.5 ounces less than the regular equivalent Polo, and one gram less than the Toyotas full-hybrid Prius.
 
While consuming as little fuel as possible is a nice gesture to the environment, lets face it — few of us are content without our toys. The Polo Bluemotion comes with a pretty extensive list of standard equipment that includes power windows and mirrors, a AM/FM/CD stereo, front and side airbags, ABS brakes, three-point seatbelts for all occupants and a trip computer to keep track of your fuel consumption. The interior also features special Popcorn cloth trim, color-keyed to match the exterior. Unfortunately, like many cool things, the Polo BlueMotion will not be sold in North America; although Volkswagen might bring over the next generation Polo to compete against the growing B-Segment subcompact crowd.