In the VW hatchback lineup, the Polo is the awkward middle brother. He's not as usable as a Golf and not as city friendly as an Up!. But it's also the perfect size for rallying.
So that's what VW is doing with it. But they're also adding a rally-inspired road going version, which, of course, isn't on the way to America. Gosh darn it.
The Polo R WRC has 217 galloping horsies and 258 torqulating torques all wrapped in an aggressive yet cute-as-a-button wee hatch exterior. It has a six-speed manual gearbox. If you are unfamiliar, a manual gearbox allows the driver to select any gear at any time without computer intervention. A novel concept.
That combination gets the Polo from none miles per hour to 60ish in just 6.4 seconds. It has 18-inch wheels, because why not, and a fairly aggressive little body kit.
It also makes the Fiesta ST seem a bit boring.
Expect to see the Polo R WRC at your local North American VW dealer approximately never.