Volkswagen Polo R Ruled Out Because Demand Would Be Low

The VW R Chief has spoken.

VW Polo R render

Jacob Oliva

By: Jacob Oliva

Mar 20, 2020 at 9:58pm ET

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From the Audi A1 to the Q8 (and more likely the Q9), there's always a performance S equivalent, which is something that the German brand has been known for.

However, its parent company, Volkswagen, isn't taking the same route with its lineup. Sure, the company is ramping up its R range, with the T-Roc R getting released early last year and the Touareg R debuting last month. Even the electric VW ID range will get an R version, which will be the road-going equivalent of the highly-successful ID.R electric race car.

The latest one, the Golf R, is already underway and VW's pretty confident with the go-faster Golf, calling it an ultimate driving machine.

Gallery: VW Golf R New Spy Photos

2021 VW Golf R Spy Photo

But the Golf R will be the smallest of the R Range, according to VW R chief Jost Capito in a recent interview with Car Throttle.

"The Polo would not work - when we see what the clients have in this range, there is an interest but the volume would be too low, and the cost would be too high," he explained.

Demand is the main driving force for a brand to introduce a new model, so if VW doesn't see the Polo R as a high-demand model, it definitely won't spend so much in developing one.

The Golf R Will Always Be The Smallest R:

VW Wanted New Golf R With 5-Cylinder Engine, But Audi Said No: Report

VW Says The New Golf R Will Be A 'Real Driving Machine'

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Rumors about the Polo R has been a volley since 2014 when Volkswagen announced that it won't happen. However, a report in 2017 pointed to a 300-horsepower Polo R that's allegedly already in the testing phase, which kind of gave us enthusiasts a tiny bit of hope for a small hot hatch.

But then again, with Capito's confirmation, it seems like all hopes for a Polo R are lost at this point.

Source: Car Throttle

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