Skoda sees opportunity for latest small car on a platform VW’s distributor says it too expensive to keep on with.

SIBLING rivalry between two all-but-twinned small performance hatches on New Zealand turf will no longer continue, with announcement the arrival of Skoda’s Fabia Monte Carlo will likely time with departure for good of the Polo GTi.

 Today’s confirmation of the sporty Skoda being the sole choice of Fabia, for $39,990, from now on came less than 48 hours after Volkswagen NZ said it would be divesting the Polo equivalent, presently a $40,990 offer, due to new generation of GTi being too expensive to sell here.

 Instead, the German marque’s small passenger product push will be taken over by the T-Roc compact crossover. Supply of the current Polo is expected to be exhausted within two months.

 The new Fabia will be here in June. Skoda has previously sought to sell Fabia in three trim formats, including a Monte Carlo as the flagship.

 The new car transfers to VW Group’s new MQB-AO platform that Polo now also adopts.

 The car is 111mm longer, now measuring 4108mm, making it the first Fabia to exceed the four-metre mark. At 2564mm, its wheelbase has gained 94mm, while the width has increased by 48mm to 1780 mm. The boot has also gained 50 litres’ capacity to achieve 380 litres’ stowage, which is claimed to make it the largest in the small car segment.

 The Monte Carlo runs a 110kW four-cylinder 15-litre petrol, with cylinder deactivation to enhance economy. A 0-100kmh time of eight seconds is claimed.

 Polo GTi has been running a 147kW 2.0-litre petrol. VW NZ has also been selling Polo in TSI and TSI R-Line, with a three-cylinder one litre petrol making 70/85kW and these are also leaving the market.