Volkswagen has started taking preliminary orders for the 2018 Polo GTI in Germany.

Building upon the sixth-gen supermini, the range-topping model has a €23,950 ($28,159) starting price, making it just €600 ($705) more expensive than one of its main rivals, the Renault Clio RS.

The 2018 Volkswagen Polo GTI is a lot of car for the money, as it sports a more aggressive design, rides on 17-inch alloy wheels and comes with specific sports seats that are dressed with the legendary ‘Clark’ plaid pattern, among other.

Optional extras include 18-inch alloy wheels, a first for the hot Polo, LED headlights, adjustable sports running gear, a panoramic sliding sunroof which claims to be the largest in the segment, a 300-watt Beats premium sound system, digital instrument cluster, and numerous driver assistance systems.

However, beneath the new sheet metal is where the action takes place. A 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, sourced from the previous-gen Golf GTI, is delivering 200PS (197hp) and 320Nm (236lb-ft) of torque. Paired to a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the new Polo GTI takes 6.7sec for the classic 0-100km/h (62mph), before maxing out at 237km/h (147mph).

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