From the multiple carmakers in India, Volkswagen is among those that do not hesitate in experimenting with various things. One such experiment is to launch one of the first turbo petrol engines and a DCT automatic gearbox. Which Volkswagen calls the DSG. That said, with the 1.2-litre TSI motor, the German car maker also launched one of the first hot hatches in the country, the Polo GT TSI. So, let us have a look at Polo, Vento, TSI, engine and what makes it EPIC!
Volkswagen 1.2 TSI engine | The Launch
The German car maker Volkswagen launched this turbo petrol engine in India back in 2013. And the vehicle to debut this enthusiastic motor was Volkswagen Polo. The hatchback, Polo, was pampered with this engine along with an option of a 7-speed DSG and a 6-speed manual transmission. Also, this motor replaced the 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol in the Polo GT. With this engine, the Volkswagen also slapped on the TSI badge on the Polo.
later, after the launch of the Polo GT TSI, the company gave the same treatment to its sedan, the Vento the same year. But instead of ditching the 1.6-litre motor, the company sold the vehicle along with the TSI engine. Like the Polo, Vento too got the same transmission combo.
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1.2-Litre TSI | Engine Specifications
Engine Specification
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| Capacity | 1197CC |
| Power | 105bhp |
| Torque | 175Nm |
| Transmission | 6-Speed MT / 7-Speed DSG |
On paper, the motor did not shout performance or enthusiasm. But to experience, the EPIC quotient one had to get being the wheel. Still, talking about the specification, the engine had a capacity of 1197CC which was capable of generating peak power of 105bhp and 175Nm of peak torque.
From witnessing the engine from behind the wheel, it is super energetic and has a free-revving motor. Because of forced induction, the engine doesn’t hesitate and the revs climb up in no time. That’s not all, being powerful is one thing, but the engine was also frugal. ARAI claims the efficiency figures to be around 16kmpl combined, which is more than decent considering the kick you get from driving a car with this engine.
That’s not all, the engine was also very popular among the car tuning community in India. There are people that have extracted more out of this small 1.2-litre TSI engine. For instance, there was the Polo GT TSI that came to our workshop.
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And that was nowhere sane. This GT TSI generated a max power of 140bhp and 240Nm of peak torque. Now that is bonkers. Because of the mechanical upgrades, many Polos and Ventos have also made it to motorsports, in the form of rally racing, and also TSI CUP in India.
What happened to this motor?
Volkswagen Polo and Volkswagen Vento were the cars that came with this epic motor. And both the cars were available with the 1.2-litre TSI until the beginning of 2020. But what killed it? one word answer BS6. After the implementation of the BS6 emission norms, the 1.2-litre TSI was replaced by a smaller 1.0-litre TSI motor. This engine generated similar power and torque figures and got the same 6-speed MT with different gear ratios of course. What changed was the automatic transmission, which was a 6-speed torque converter instead of a 7-speed DSG and has 3 cylinders.
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So, this was all about the 1.2-litre TSI motor that had a great impact on the Indian automotive culture as well as the market. Let us know in the comment section, have you ever driven a vehicle with this engine, and how was your experience?
