Volkswagen teases all-new Polo GTI

We certainly hope they are going to carry on with the red accents – a GTI signature for decades – even though this teaser image of the 2021 Polo GTI doesn’t show them; all you can make out is a red GTI badge on the side. It will surely need something more to set it apart as king of all the Polos.

What clearly it’s not going to get are a front splitter, massively flared guards and giant rear wing – VW’s perfectly-honed but ever-conservative GTI formula has always been content to leave extrovert styling makeovers to others. Here is another GTI for the more mature kind of boy racer. The image released today still promises a small car with plentiful purpose and a hint of menace with its honeycomb lower intake and stacked LED running lights, Golf style.

Nothing is confirmed so far about makes it go, but don’t expect a radical departure from what the last Polo GTI offered: 200PS (150kW) four-cylinder turbo petrol power, front-drive, seven-speed DSG ‘box (and no manual option), 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds and a price from £24,000.

That previous Polo GTI was much praised and the new one will be out to seal the Polo’s place in the GTI hall of fame. “Once a GTI, always a GTI” is the encouraging official line from Wolfsburg.

We’ll know more at the end of June when this freshly-minted Polo has its unveiling.