VW Polo coming to US

Oh, and while I'm on the subject, the VW Polo is slated to come to the US too.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/16/confirmed-vw-polo-coming-to-the-u-s/

Neat. Hope they include a TDI option.

Mazda 2

If VW never brings the Polo to the US, I could be consoled with a Mazda 2.

And with diesel? Sweet!

VW Dieselution

Volkswagen of America, Inc. is launching the Dieselution Tour, a mobile marketing exhibit, to educate the media and the public on advances in clean diesel technology and alternative fuels.

[...]

The Dieselution Tour will also feature the 2009 Jetta TDI, Volkswagen’s new, 50-state clean diesel offering. The vehicle is scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. in spring of 2008. Also on display, a 3.0-liter V6 TDI Touareg, the Polo Blue Motion and the oldest Volkswagen diesel in America, a 1977 Rabbit. (VW Vortex)

What a bunch of teases. They won't sell the Polo in the US but they'll display it? Pffft.

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UPDATE

Oh, since everyone knows I'm into carbon offsets, I suppose I should include this.

Signifying Volkswagen’s environmental concern, the Dieselution Tour will be certified as CarbonFree by Carbonfund.org. Volkswagen and Carbonfund.org recently announced a partnership to offset one year of carbon emission from each new Volkswagen sold in the U.S. from September, 2007 through January 2, 2008. In return, Volkswagen is working with Carbonfund.org to reforest land in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) in northern Louisiana, a wetland ecosystem that had been largely converted to farmland.

Ah well. I guess, whatever one thinks about purchasing carbon offsets, reforesting land is not a bad thing.

No Dodge Polo

Yes, VW will be building a new small car for Dodge to sell in the US. Alas, my Polo hopes have been dashed.

Since the Polo was deemed to small for America's super-sized tastes, Volkswagen is considering other possible platforms, with the last generation Jetta's currently residing at the top of the list. (Autoblog)

Ack, only Dodge/Americans would call the Jetta a small car.

Polo BlueMotion

[Volkswagen] is going to show another world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show: the VW Polo BlueMotion which is titled as the most economical VW Polo ever. The VW Polo BlueMotion has a 1.4 liter diesel engine with a standard-equipped particulate filter, delivering 80 bhp and a torque of 196 Nm and uses less than 4 liters per 100 km. (German Car Blog

That's about 60 miles/gallon (US).

Polo coming to US?

It wasn't too longer ago I was wishing Volkswagen would bring the Polo to the US. Will it happen via Dodge?

Chrysler’s US muscle brand Dodge could get a new entry-level car for North America – based on the Volkswagen Polo.

Chrysler, the North American division of DaimlerChrysler, wants a small-segment car in the US to better react to the trend toward small, fuel-efficient vehicles there. (Autoweek)

It can't hurt that every efficient car sold in America ensures a gas guzzler will also be sold. Gotta strike while the iron is hot if they want to sell a lot of Challengers!

The German press has speculated that a Dodge small car could be built at VW’s Puebla, Mexico plant, alongside a Polo sedan that VW is considering building there for the US market.

Hm? VW is considering the Polo sedan? I'd much rather have the hatchback, but the sedan would be better than nothing. No word on whether either car would be available in diesel.

Smaller cars coming to US

I guess some car companies have finally decided that some Americans want the cool small hatchbacks that are sold everywhere but here.

Japanese automakers have announced plans to bring high-mileage city cars to the U.S. market, once considered inhospitable to such small runabouts. The Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit and Nissan Versa will arrive next year packed with fuel-saving technologies that generate up to 40mpg. (Newsweek)

OK, that's a start. The smart fortwo (recently migrated to Canada) is a bit small, even for me, but how about the Ford Ka and Volkswagen Polo?