Looks kinda cute
Probably a very practical city car esp with the 5 doors (sliding rear seats & all - I reckon it could probably hold about as much as my mkIII, just with a half-sized engine bay). Bet it'll become the new Brasilia/Rio taxi to replace the Sedan/Bug
For the record 186k is 116mph (kmh div by 1.608 = mph) which is pretty damn poor for a 1.6
(similar to what i've heard claimed for a properly run-in 1.3 GT mkIII).. But as stated, it has a large frontal area ... to be more accurate, in the english article it mentions a steeply sloped windscreen (and steep hatch, of course) designed to maximise interior room, the angle of which is probably more of an aerodynamic nightmare than the pure area.
When it comes to city cars with such minimal exterior metal to spare - no space wasted on this one, look at it, the length is basically "bumper+front wheel+2 cramped rows of seats+rear wheel+bumper" - the styling is almost obligated to melt together across different models as there's not much playing room to make it individual. The basic shape will always be a brick with one edge cut off (or not, if you drive a bedford rascal). Personally I do think it looks like a Yaris morphed through a (mk2 with mk1 lights) Punto, and just different enough to be told apart. Just. The badge does most of it.
The Americans think so too - on VWVortex the old "Fox" discussion board (for the 3dr Jetta-like car with longitudinal engine and RWD) lit up with the news of a new model, and they were all highly baffled by this new dinky vehicle that "looks like an Echo!!". (The Toyota Echo - or Yaris, Vitz - is pretty much the only thing that looks similar or even the same size to hit Canada and the States). Most of them still want it imported though, along with the Polo
(see, not all americans are complete petrolheads.. well.. um... tell a lie... they want 'em much the same as many on this board - cheap, efficient, lightweight platforms for making road-hugging, SUV-dodging speed machines out of)
And for five grand with the stated feature list, even given that it would be with the 53hp engine, I'd actually consider dumping my 'always buy used' future plans and having one from new.
PS Vaguely related sidenote.. Someone on my road has recently bought a MkIII Polo Fox-edition coupe. (Don't know who they are - too far up
). Looks pretty sweet. Similar navy colour to mine (so of course it looks good!
), PHAT alloys (14" i think?), has a custom exhaust from the sound of the one time I saw it running, possibly slightly lowered.
Probably still a 1 litre / 4sp with base spec inside, but hey, it's not ricing if you actually make it look *good* rather than tacky
One day, if i had the time, money, expertise... the flying blueberry muffin-van will look that good.
Hell, the whole town has gone to the mk3s this week, they're out in force. Rock and roll!
!!