Despite international challenges for vehicle manufacturers, the 100 000th facelifted Polo rolled off the assembly line at Volkswagen’s plant in Kariega in the Eastern Cape.
The Kariega plant, which has been building the Polo since 2018, began production of the facelifted Polo on 16 August 2021 – which means the plant manufactured 100 000 Polos in just over 12 years.
The special 100 000th vehicle, a white left-hand-drive Polo GTI destined for Germany, marked the 74 688th Polo built this year. Of the 100 000 vehicles, 88 163 Polos were exported to 38 countries, while 11 837 Polos were delivered to the South African market.
VWSA has already celebrated multiple milestones around the Polo this year, reaching its 1-millionth Polo built for export in May, and the 500 000th Polo (including the facelift and the model launched in 2018) in July.
VWSA currently builds this vehicle for all right-hand-drive markets and supplements production for left-hand-drive markets. It is also the sole manufacturer worldwide of the Polo GTI.
“To reach this milestone under normal circumstances is an achievement; to do so under the difficult circumstances of the last year are an absolute testament to the dedication and perseverance of the VWSA team,” said Ulrich Schwabe, Production Director at VWSA.
“I am proud of every employee who has contributed to this achievement, and I look forward to celebrating many more milestones with the VWSA family,” he concluded.
For decades, buying a car has been as much about emotion as practicality. Shiny brochures, polished showroom floors and persuasive sales talk often overshadowed the cold, hard numbers of ownership. But today, where information is currency, consumers are no longer satisfied with glossy marketing – they want data, and they want it now.
According to a Reuters report, South Africa is engaged in discussions with Chinese automotive manufacturers to encourage local investment, with at least one company showing considerable interest in establishing production facilities in the country, a senior government official revealed on Wednesday.
Nissan says the latest wave of launches from the brand in South Africa supports Nissan’s long-standing commitment to the country, underpinned by more than 60 years of local presence.
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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
For decades, buying a car has been as much about emotion as practicality. Shiny brochures, polished showroom floors and persuasive sales talk often overshadowed the cold, hard numbers of ownership. But today, where information is currency, consumers are no longer satisfied with glossy marketing – they want data, and they want it now.
According to a Reuters report, South Africa is engaged in discussions with Chinese automotive manufacturers to encourage local investment, with at least one company showing considerable interest in establishing production facilities in the country, a senior government official revealed on Wednesday.
Europe’s automotive sector, once a global leader, is facing what McKinsey describes as “the largest transformation in the industry’s history”.
