Volkswagen fleet boss Vince Kinner is promising a major impact from the new Polo when it launches in October.
“There is appeal right across the range,” Kinner told BusinessCar. “The way we’ve planned the pricing is outstanding value for money and that’s not always been the case when we’ve launched a new Polo.”
Kinner said the firm’s supermini has never had a big impact in the fleet sector, but claims there is “already a lot of interest from bodyshop and rental, but the big push will be into the public sector and more specialist fleets where a car Polo-styled will be the type of car to appeal to them”. In particular, he said VW is looking to “certain household names – cosmetic companies or estate agents.”
Kinner is promising “high quality, low running costs and a relatively low initial cost.”
“The biggest change is the finish and spec, which is outstanding – it’s up to the quality of more expensive VWs,” he said. “This time we’ll put to market with the right pricing from launch. It’s a timeless design, not quirky or unusually designed to appeal to certain sectors.”
The German firm is also looking to encroach on territory cultivated by Ford and Vauxhall. “Polo has historically tended to have an older buyer. This time it will attract younger drivers as well, which is where Fiesta and Corsa have succeeded,” said Kinner.