Volkswagen has unveiled the sedan derivative of the
sixth generation MQB-based Polo called VW Virtus. The world premiere of the new
compact sedan Virtus in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
In terms of looks, the Virtus is identical to the
Polo until the B-pillar. Much like its predecessor, VW Vento, the boot has been
integrated rather neatly giving it a well-proportioned look. The Volkswagen
Virtus has a wheelbase of 2.65 m and at 4.84 m, it is considerably longer than
the hatchback. In fact, it is 450 mm longer than the Vento sedan. The boot can
hold up to 521 L of luggage.
The dashboard has been lifted
straight from the Polo. It features Volkswagen’s Active Info Display – a 10.25
inch screen that replaces analogue dials. The centre console houses an 8-inch
screen for the infotainment system that supports MirroLink, Apple CarPlay, and
Android Auto.
The show car bears 200 TSI badging, which means that
under the hood there is a 1.0 L TSI turbocharged petrol engine. It produces 128
hp running on ethanol and 115 hp running on gasoline. Peak torque output is
rated at 200 Nm. There will also be a 1.6 L petrol on offer delivering 117 hp
and 162 Nm of torque. It will be mated to a 5-speed automatic while the more
powerful 200 TSI variant gets a 6-speed automatic transmission.
The launch of the MQB based VW Polo and VW Virtus in
India is shrouded in uncertainty. It is reported that VW owned Skoda is working
towards developing a new low-cost ‘Eco’ platform, which could underpin new
generation variants of both models in India.
