Volkswagen Derby

The Volkswagen Derby is a saloon or booted or three-box version of the Volkswagen Polo supermini, produced by the German automaker Volkswagen, between 1977 and 1981.

During 1981, Volkswagen introduced the second generation Polo and the second generation Derby; in 1984 the Derby name was dropped and the saloon version of the Polo became the Polo Classic.

Most parts of the Derby are interchangeable with the Mk1 Polo, and many drivetrain components are compatible with the Mk2 models. Body parts at the rear and also the rear window are different and are directly attributable to the original design version of this vehicle, which was intended to be marketed as the Audi 60. Lights of the early version are the same as the Mk1 Polo and the car which began this design: the Audi 50, which dates to just before the full merger of Audi and Volkswagen.

Versions available

In Europe, the Derby was available with 0.9-litre (895 cc), 1.1-litre (1093 cc) and 1.3-litre (1272 cc) 4-cylinder engines, with 40, 50 and 60 bhp respectively. The Derby Formel E ("Formula E"), offered in 1981 only, was an economy-optimised Derby featuring, among other things, a longer ratio gearbox, automatic engine turn-off when idling and a high compression version on the 1100 engine that demanded super instead of regular petrol. The Formel E concept was also available on other contemporary VW and Audi models.

The following versions were available:

• 900 L
• 1100 LS
• 1100 LX
• 1100 CLS
• 1300 LS
• 1300 GL
• 1300 GLS
• 1100 Formel E

In 1980, the Derby underwent a face lift together with the Polo. The restyle attempted to separate the styling of the Polo and the Derby more significantly, which also brought the styling of the Derby into line with its bigger counterpart the Volkswagen Jetta. These revisions included rectangular headlamps, a restyled grille and plastic bumpers, together with some interior changes including a new dashboard and instrumentation taken from the Mk1 Golf.

In 1984, the Derby was re-badged as the Polo Classic in Europe, and the Derby's unique squared headlamp front end, which had been carried over from the Mk1, was replaced with standard Polo equipment.

In the UK, the Derby name was dropped with the Mk1, and the Polo Classic name was used from the Mk2's inception. However, early Polo Classics still retained the Derby styling. In turn, the "Classic" branding for the saloon was dropped in 1987 which meant that the Polo and Derby integration was complete.

In 1991, the Polo saloon was withdrawn and would not return until 1996, when a version based on a badge-engineered SEAT Ibiza/Cordoba platform was launched. This version was known as the VW Derby in Mexico.

Marketing

This model was not sold outside Europe, although some parts of Eurasia did get the Derby — Turkey, Cyprus and Malta were the main export markets within Eurasia, also some parts of Eastern Europe bordering on Asia had this car. The name was used on a re-badged SEAT Cordoba in Mexico (see section below): but marketed as the Volkswagen Polo Classic saloon in Eurasia.

South American Polo Classic

In Argentina Volkswagen marketed a face-lifted version of the 1999-2001 Polo Classic which as the Derby in Mexico and a Volkswagen Caddy the SEAT Inca derived van which shares the same platform and front end styling as the South American Type 6K.

VW Derby in Mexico (1995-2009) and VW Derby Van (2004-2009)

The VW Derby arrived to Mexico in late 1994 as a 95 model and was imported from Europe until the 2001 model year due because the Derby had a strong popularity in the country. In the early 2000s the Derby began coming from Argentina because production had already being stopped in Europe at the time and in the 2005 model year was refreshed and was a resemblance of the facelift of the first generation Seat Cordoba but soon after as the competition in that segment grew the Derby began losing sales so bad that in the 2008 model year only 2,987 units were sold when in the early 2000s were sold in the worst years around 10,000 units and part of this was because the car aged very fast and couldn't compete with the other maker also it was always only offered in a 5-speed manual transmission. Quality was another issue so VW Mexico decided to stop importing the Derby to Mexico in February 2009 along with the Brazilian made Pointer and the VW Lupo also imported from Brazil. The Derby Van was the same as the Derby only that had two doors and was sold only for fleet use and arrived in 2004; in 2005 received the same facelift as the Derby and also was a poor seller so at the same time the Derby sedan was discontinued VW Mexico decided to drop it, too. In Argentina the Polo classic will survive until the end of 2010 because sales there have been always better than in Mexico.

The 6K Polo Classic and 9K Caddy have been produced since 2000, although saloon versions of the Polo have not been sold in Europe since 2002. All face-lifted Type 6K/9K models are built in Argentina.

This model had a 1.8-litre engine, which was exclusive to South America, and not offered on the European Volkswagen Polo saloon / estate.

See also

• Volkswagen Polo

Sources and further reading

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Test: VW Derby. Unterstufe: Neue Stufenheck-Limousine mit 40, 50 und 60 PS". Auto Motor u. Sport Heft 9 1977: Seite 38•46. date 27 April 1977.

External links

Categories: Volkswagen vehicles | Sedans | Vehicles introduced in 1977 | 1970s automobiles | 1980s automobiles | Front wheel drive vehicles