The New Polo launched

Get ready for the biggest, most exciting fight of the year. The Frankfurt Motor Show is the venue, and the gloves will be off as Volkswagen's latest Polo meets the all-new Fiesta from rival Ford. The prize? Supremacy in the fiercely competitive supermini sector.

The new Polo, with a distinct Lupo like nose

The Germans have got the first punch in by whipping the covers off their new baby only a week before the Fiesta is revealed, and it looks as though the most important new VW since the Golf will score a direct hit. Bigger, safer and more luxurious than ever, the Polo will reach UK showrooms in April next year. Its smart look combines the cute quad-headlamp face of the Lupo with the grown-up body styling of a Golf. Compared with the previous model, the Polo has increased in length by 154mm to 3,869mm, making it longer than all its competitors except the Skoda Fabia.

The additional millimetres greatly improve interior space, with 54mm being added between the wheels to ensure passenger and luggage room are class-leading. The engine line-up at launch will be a combination of new units and familiar powerplants lifted from the existing range. A new three-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol unit producing 65bhp will power entry-level models. Although performance and fuel consumption figures have still to be announced, VW claims that the engine offers exceptional refinement, thanks to a balancer shaft system which smooths out vibrations caused by the odd number of cylinders. Next in line will be the 1.4-litre four-pot lifted straight from the existing range. It produces 75bhp and is available with either a manual or automatic gearbox. Customers will have to wait until later next year for the other new petrol engines, including a smaller three-cylinder unit producing 55bhp, and a direct-injection FSi four-cylinder said to offer exceptional economy.

Until these petrol engines make an appearance, though, UK customers will have a wider choice of oil-burners, with three units again borrowed from the existing line-up. A 64bhp non-turbo 1.9-litre SDI starts the range, followed by the 75bhp 1.4-litre TDi PD, which offers the best economy. If it's speed you are after, the quickest Polo will be the 1.9 TDi PD with the engine first seen in the Skoda Fabia. A GTi version with petrol and diesel units is due late in 2002.

Engines aren't all the Polo shares with its Czech cousin ; the VW uses the Fabia platform in the same way as the Golf and Octavia share underpinnings. With the Fabia already picking up numerous awards for its dynamics and solid build quality, this bodes well for the Polo. Unlike the Skoda, though, the VW will be offered with a three-door body to increase its sales potential ; pictures of this variant have still to be released, however.

Whichever model you choose, it's sure to be safe. Even the base versions have ABS, front and side airbags and four head restraints as standard, with an electronic stability program and brake assist system as options. As an extra bonus, a built-in child seat will be offered in the rear cabin. So has VW scored with the new Polo? Or will Ford fight back with the new Fiesta? Wait until next week, when we reveal all...

VW Vortex

all Volkswagen Group communications and photos reproduced with permission of Volkswagen UK