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Last week I took the VW Polo out for a test drive, and if you read that review you’ll know I don’t hold a particularly high opinion of VW’s supposed ‘premium’ supermini.
Thankfully, however, it won’t be around for too much longer, as the fifth incarnation is released at The Geneva Motor Show. The forthcoming Polo takes many of its styling cues from both the new MK6 Golf and the devastatingly beautiful Scirocco, especially at its nose and side profile.
As always, its ability to attract attention without the glitz and glamour is flawless. In all, it’s a handsome chap. More importantly, it now has the looks as well as VW’s infamous build quality to compete with the likes of Mini and Ford.
At the Fiat stand, the supermodels weren’t the only ones showing off what was beneath their tops. However, unlike the Fiat girls, the 500 was happy to take its top off, with an all new cabriolet version.
Fiat’s naming this model a ‘cabriolet’, which isn’t strictly true; it’s more like an extended sunroof. This is a good thing though. With the roof pillars still in one piece, the 500 remains rigid and should remain a genuine, small, fun car to drive.
We already know the 500 is a very popular, small, chic euro car. But, put the top down and you’ll find Fiat’s little city car will be as cool as the wind going through your hair, especially with the ladies.
Renault has given the current Clio a quick nip and tuck. Many of its new features have been taken from the recently released Megane. Happily, I can report that with a fresh face, Renault’s supermini has been given a new lease of life and makes a dramatic improvement from the outgoing model.
Some of the most obvious changes have been made to the front and rear lights, as well as a new wider air intake upfront.
Interestingly, Renault has also decided to fit its new model with a built-in TomTom system, which is available for just under £500 and is the cheapest of any factory fitted Sat-Nav system.
The Indian company, Tata, plans to change the way we buy cars with its super cheap, ultra economical Nano. Previewed at Geneva, Tata released its road going European version called the Europa.
With a price tag around £1,300, there’s going to be huge interest, especially in these cash stricken times. This could also be a serious choice for us students especially if you’re in the market for a cheap run-a-round without having to look in the classifieds.
Mini’s team of crack performance tuners have revealed the ‘drop top’ version of the awesome Cooper S JCW. With many of the technical specifications remaining the same, this will still be a great drive. Without the roof though, performance figures have changed slightly, but should be barely noticeable.
Currently (and this is a bit of a mouthful), this is the only high-performance supermini cabriolet available. However, with the arrival of the 500 Cabriolet it might not be too long till the mad scientists at Abarth decide to rock up with their own roofless version of 500 to compete with the new Mini on the block.
This article makes me sad that I don't own a car or even have a driving licence! Interesting read nonetheless.
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