The badge and the unmistakable silhouette tells you it's a VW Polo, but what does the fact that it's red reveal?
Price £18,795
MPG 47.9
Top speed 142mph
The car I'm driving this week is red. In fact it's "Flash Red Non-Metallic" as opposed to "Sunset Orange Metallic" – which in the brochure looks almost identical, but there is a world of difference in these subtle variations. Manufacturers don't just plump for a hue they think will capture the eye of a prospective buyer – they use colour to subliminally express themselves, to pass on a hidden message to you, and are advised by trend analysts as to the exact shades their cars should be wearing in the coming season. Futurologists at BASF Coatings, one of the world's biggest paint suppliers, reveal that "earth tones" (brown to you and me) are on the rise, while lighter colours such as beige and dusty pink will "extend the automotive colour palette". Eh? For earth tones you can read brown. But what message is that giving? According to a spokesman, the "earth tones reflect a new ecological awareness, and when used in combination with a reduced sparkle will give the impression of 'green luxury'." And it's not just brown, apparently: "indigo, mint and broken white" will also be arriving on a forecourt near you soon.
A mint car does sound quite refreshing, but beige? Come on… Oh yes, the spokesman assures us: "It'll be beige and greige [a mixture of grey and beige], along with apricot and rosé. There could even be a move to gold, particularly reddish gold." Goddish?
So what message is my flash red car transmitting? Has it got sun burn? Does it support Arsenal? "No, red implies a fascination with uniqueness reinforced by technical excellence." Ah yes, of course…
As well as being red, the car is also a VW Polo GTi – and I think it looks fascinating and uniquely reinforced. The Polo, first introduced 36 years ago, is Volkswagen's bestselling car after the Golf, and last year 45,282 perky Polos joined the 31,142,676 cars already on the UK's congested roads. The sales took the Polo through the 1m barrier in the UK, though worldwide the model is now approaching the 11m milestone. This latest Polo is the fifth generation of the wundercar and was styled by VW's head of design, Walter de Silva. The look Walter has established for all his VWs, from the Golf to the Scirocco, is for clean, uncluttered lines set off by a thin grille framed by a set of sleek lights. In fact the new Polo shares so many of its big sister's features it looks like a Golf that's been put through a boil wash.
This latest Polo is almost unrecognisable from its great, great, great grandfather of 1975, but some things have remained the same: it's still the same tough cookie and it's still reliable, safe, economical and amazing value for money.
The Polo comes with a choice of six engines, which range from the green to the gutsy. At one extreme is the 1.2-litre 75bhp BlueMotion, which can travel a jaw-dropping 80.7 miles on a single gallon thanks to a raft of eco efficient technologies; at the other is the GTi with its twincharged 1.4-litre petrol engine and 180bhp.
In keeping with the throaty engine, the GTi boasts aggressive styling – it has street swagger in spades. It's a hot hatch in a hoodie. The red-edged honeycomb grille, the Monza alloy wheels, the classic Jacara upholstery all add to its sense of purpose. But the highlight is the GTi's phenomenal performance. Having such a large engine in such a small body makes the car feel as if it is throbbing with energy and purpose. At times it seems almost jittery, as if you're riding a Thelwell pony with a taste for Red Bull.
In GTi guise the Polo definitely looks good in "Flash Red". I am not sure it could carry off an earth tone, let alone greige…
Vamp your lamps
False eyelashes may be all the rage on the high street, but it's time you gave your car a shot of glamour, too. Me-mo, who make fun and fabulous car accessories, have just launched a range of stick-on falsies. The tongue-in-cheek lashes come with self-adhesive tape. All you have to do is ensure the paintwork is clean and stick them on. As you drive along the wind lifts the lashes which makes it look as if you are fluttering your eyelids at oncoming traffic. The lashes cost £6.99 and if they don't appeal, me-mo.co.uk offers a vast range of hilarious and innovative accessories to make the serious business of driving round town a lot more fun.
Email Martin at martin.love@observer.co.uk or visit guardian.co.uk/profile/martinlove for all his reviews in one place
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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/jul/24/car-review-vw-polo-gti
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