By: Dave Abrahams
Johannesburg - Entry-level cars are more often than not driven by entry-level drivers, and nobody knows better than Volkswagen that one of the first things young people look for in a car is a decent sound system.
So here, then, is the special-edition Polo Beats, the first VW model in South Africa that comes with a rockin' Beats Audio system already installed - although the facelifted Up will also be available in a Beats version when it gets here later this year.
Beats Electronics was founded in 2008 by rapper Dr Dre and producer Jimmy Lovine to market studio quality headphones, and has since expanded into active speakers and now car sound.
The 300 watt sound system in the Polo has an eight channel amplifier with a digital signal processor, delivering the beats through two broadband speakers in the back of the cabin, a woofer in each front door, tweeters in the A pillars and a subwoofer in the spare wheel well; the Beats Audio engineers reckon you can literally feel the bass tones.
The Composition Media Radio front end is hooked up with a USB port, an auxiliary jack, Bluetooth connectivity and App Connect.
But what about the car?
The Beats has a 1.2-litre TSI turbopetrol four, rated for 66kW at 4800 revs and 160Nm at 1400rpm, driving the front wheels through a five-speed manual 'box.
Dark grey 16 inch alloys, red door mirrors, dark red tail lights, a special door trim panel and badges on the B pillars ensure that everybody knows you've got the Beats, while those lucky enough to ride with you will find sports front seats, special scuff plates, special door panels, colour-coded seatbelts and a leather-trimmed steering wheel.
All of which costs R260 700 including VAT and emissions tax.