Turn up the volume: here come the New Polo and Virtus equipped with the Beats premium sound system

It sounds better than good: Volkswagen shows its musical side. Beginning this month, the New Polo and the Virtus can be equipped with the Beats premium sound system. The novelty, which is already arriving at the dealerships for the Comfortline and Highline versions, carries all the technology of one of the most reputable brands of the professional audio market, as well as exclusive visual items.

The Beats package was developed jointly with the BeatsAudio sound specialists. Its premium sound system has 300 watts and 8-channel digital amplifier. The high-fidelity sound is provided by four loudspeakers, two tweeters and one subwoofer with special adjusts.

The New Polo Beats and Virtus Beats arrive as part of the 2019 lineup, aligned with the Beats brand proposition, targeting the public of aspirational customers, mostly young, who does not give up status and look always for products that are a reference in the technology market. These are the first Volkswagen models to offer the sound premium brand in the national market.

Both are equipped exclusively with the 200TSI engine, with up to 128 cv and automatic six-speed transmission. The Beats lineup will be available in four different body colors (Sirius Silver, Platinum Gray, Crystal White and Ninja Black) with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty.

Sound and visual exclusivity

The Beats lineup adds up a series of exclusive items for the Comfortline and Highline versions of the New Polo and Virtus. Externally, the New Polo equipped with the Beats sound system shows the version badge on the front fenders and has the mirrors painted in Tornado Red - in all body colors.

Internally, the highlight is the New Polo Beats dashboard finish, with the same color (Tornado Red) of the external rear view mirrors. Also red are the seats stitches and the front floor mats. The exclusive door sills complete the set. The Virtus and New Polo equipped with the Beats package exhibit the sound brand logo in the A pillar (close to the windscreen), right over the tweeters.

Global success

The New Polo and Virtus are global products that arrived in the national market offering new references in style, technology and handling. The New Polo, for instance, has an exclusive design, different from other markets, inspired in polls consulting Brazilian customers and focusing on the regionalization of Volkswagen products. The result is an exclusive style, with strong character lines. The Virtus, by its side, had its world debut in Brazil, and is already obtaining success in other markets.

The Comfortline and Highline versions of the New Polo and the Virtus are offered exclusively with the 200 TSI engine, with a 6-speed automatic transmission. This transmission allows manual Tiptronic sequential changes, operated through the gear level or the shift paddles at the steering wheel. The driver counts also with the sport mode option (position 'S'), which changes the gear change moment to higher engine speeds, providing a faster acceleration, for an even more dynamic vehicle behavior.

With three cylinders and displacement of 999 cm³, the 200 TSI is part of the EA211 family - which is characterized also by the modularity. A Total Flex, this engine is able to ride on gasoline, ethanol or a mix of both fuels in any proportion. This engines maximum output is 128 cv (94 kW) using ethanol and 115 cv (85 kW) with gasoline at 5,500 rpm, with a 200 Nm maximum torque from 2,000 to 3,500 rpm, both with gasoline or ethanol.

Excellent cost-benefit ratio

All New Polo and Virtus versions carry standard electric-assisted steering, air-conditioned, power windows in the four doors (the front windows with 'one touch' function for closing and opening), electric lock, dual parabolic headlights and folding key with remote control.

The Comfortline version is equipped with split folding rear seat, adjustable steering column (height and distance), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), fog lights with 'cornering lights', Composition Touch infotainment system with 6.5" touch screen, 15" light alloy wheels, rear parking sensors, power external mirrors, front arm rest with object holder, darkened rear lights and multifunctional steering wheel, among other items.

The Highline version adds to the Comfortline option the "Kessy" keyless door-opening system and engine starting through a button in the central console, cruise control, 'Climatronic' air-conditioning, folding front-passenger seat and two USB ports for charging, cooled glove compartment, fog lights with static 'cornering lights', LED daylight running lights (DRL), 16" light alloy wheels, floor mats and leather covered multifunctional steering wheel with shift paddles and glossy black fittings in the cabin.

Among the benefits of the MQB Modular Strategy is the possibility of adopting luxury-class technologies in large-scale models. Thus, the New Polo and the Virtus can offer in the Highline version the second generation of the Active Info Display, the Discover Media system with 8-inch touchscreen and smartphone appearance, as well as two 2-ampere USB ports, among other items. Only the lights/icons in the display’s lower edge are installed as hardware. Navigation information can be displayed in 2D or 3D on a 10.25-inch screen, the size of a tablet. Its 1,440 x 540 pixels resolution allows showing extremely precise and high-quality graphics. The navigation mode, for instance: in this case, the speedometer and tachometer are displaced to the sides to create more space for the map.

Maximum gradings in security

All New Polo and Virtus versions are equipped with four airbags - two frontal and two lateral. Also part of the standard items list, the ISOFIX ® and top-tether systems provide more safety and easy-fixing for child seats.

The Volkswagen New Polo and the Virtus achieved the maximum classification in the tests performed by Latin NCAP, which evaluates new cars sold in Latin America and Caribbean. This way, both models figure among the safest automobiles sold in Brazil, with five stars for adult and child protection. The Latin NCAP tests include an analysis of frontal impact - at 64 km/h against a deformable small overlap barrier (40%) -, side impact (against a deformable barrier mounted on a trolley crashing at 50 km/h against the vehicle) and side impact against a pole - the vehicle is launched sideways at 29 km/h into a pole. The child's protection classification is performed through the evaluation of the dynamic behavior of the children retention systems (child seats) in frontal and side tests, as well as the safety and practicability of installation for these dispositives.

The Latin NCAP has also granted the New Polo and Virtus the Advanced Award, conceded to vehicles that comply with pedestrian protection criteria - the Volkswagen's models were the first vehicles sold in Brazil to receive this prize. The evaluation is based on tests simulating accident situations involving pedestrians, according to standards established by European legislation.

Lowest repairability indexes

Volkswagen is the brand with the best repairability indexes in the country, according to the Car Group 2018 ranking of CESVI Brasil (Centro de Experimentação e Segurança Viária - Experimentation and Road Safety Center). The New Polo and Virtus show this: both have the best repairability index among all participating vehicles, with grade 10, the same obtained by the up! and cross up!.

The lower the grade (in a scale going from 10 to 60), the better will be the vehicle's repair time and cost. Therefore, the New Polo keeps not only the best classification in its category, but also among all vehicles from different segments evaluated by CESVI Brasil (as at June 2018).