THINKING INSIDE THE 'BOX

Volkswagen has introduced a new torque converter automatic to replace the DSG, and it’s brilliant

- KARAN SINGH

IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT THE POLO GT TSI has been our favourite warm hatchback for a long time now. Earlier, it had a punchy 1.2-litre TSI engine and the sportiest of all automatic gearboxes — the acclaimed DSG. The new Polo GT TSI retains neither the engine nor the ’box, yet it still tops our list of enthusiast cars on a budget. Last month, we dug deep into the engineering behind the new 1.0 TSI EA211 engine, and now we’re focusing on the second bit of the drivetrain — the transmission. We’re talking about the six-speed torque converter from the Polo GT TSI that has replaced the DQ200 DSG unit, a transmission with a strong fan following in the outgoing GT TSI. This powertrain also resides under the hood of the new Vento, for enthusiasts looking for a bit more space.

Wait.. what is a torque converter?