What brand of car is the 'Pineapple'?
2 Answers
The 'Pineapple' is a nickname for the Volkswagen Polo, a car brand under SAIC Volkswagen Automotive Co., Ltd. The Volkswagen Polo was born in 1975 and has undergone five generations of product evolution over the subsequent 30 years, with total production exceeding 7 million units. It has long held the top spot in sales of economical small cars in Germany. The Polo has also been regarded as a benchmark for reliability, comfort, and safety in the economical small car segment. The dimensions of the new Volkswagen Polo are 4053 mm in length, 1740 mm in width, and 1449 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2564 mm. In terms of power, the Volkswagen Polo is equipped with a 1.5L naturally aspirated engine, which delivers a maximum power of 83 kW and a maximum torque of 145 Nm. In addition to the Volkswagen Polo, common models under SAIC Volkswagen include the New Santana family, Lavida family, Lamando, New Passat, PHIDEON, and the new Tiguan L. Development History: First-generation Polo: Originating from the Audi 50 body, the first-generation Polo was born in Germany with a 0.9L engine producing 40 horsepower. Second-generation Polo: Launched in August 1981, it remained unchanged from the first generation and offered three engine options: two 1.1L engines producing 40 and 50 horsepower, and a 1.3L engine producing 60 horsepower. Third-generation Polo: Slightly smaller in size than the previous generation, it featured engines ranging from a 1.0L 45 horsepower to a 1.3L 55 horsepower, and introduced a 1.6L gasoline engine with 75 horsepower as the top configuration. Fourth-generation Polo: Successfully introduced to China for production on a shared platform, it was equipped with a 1.4L FSI direct-injection gasoline engine. Features like ABS, power steering, and front dual airbags became standard. Fifth-generation Polo: Offered a choice of seven engines, including the 1.2L TSI and 1.6L TDI turbocharged engines, as well as 1.2L and 1.4L naturally aspirated gasoline engines. All were paired with a 5-speed or 6-speed manual transmission, with some models offering an optional 7-speed DSG dual-clutch transmission.
I've driven a Polo in Shanghai for ten years, and this car is truly sturdy and durable. People call it 'Pineapple' because its rounded body shape and the transliteration of 'Polo' sound very similar. Almost every young person I meet on the road refers to it this way. The car is now in its sixth generation, built on Volkswagen's latest MQB platform, with significantly more rear legroom than the older models. The key advantage is its fuel efficiency—commuting in the city costs just over 40 cents per kilometer, and it's easy to park. It's also very popular in the modification scene; simply swapping in shorter springs and new wheels can make it look great. I recommend picking up a third-generation model from the used car market as a perfect practice car.
