Just over a year since it became the official “Home of Polo”, the Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) plant in Kariega has built 500 000 units of the latest iteration of this popular vehicle.
The half-millionth facelift Polo, a Kings Red Polo bound for the brand’s home country of Germany, rolled off the production line in Kariega earlier this month.
Plant Kariega has been building Polos steadily since 1996, and the current facelift version since August 2021. Since July 2024, this plant is also the sole exporter of the Polo for the Europe and Asia-Pacific markets, exporting this vehicle to over 30 countries in addition to its strong presence in the South African market.
At the point of achieving this milestone, a total of 452 207 current Polos had been built for export and the remaining 47 793 vehicles for South Africa. A total of 1 992 464 Polos have been built in Kariega over the past 29 years.
The Polo was also South Africa’s most exported car in 2024 and was recently named as both the Vehicle of the Year: Top Local Manufacturer and the Top Exported Vehicle of the Year at the Naamsa Accelerator Awards.
“The role of the Polo in the Volkswagen Group Africa’s success story has been a strong one, and the same can be said of its contribution to this country’s automotive exports,” says Ulrich Schwabe, Production Director at VWGA. “I am proud to share in this milestone with the colleagues who build, sell and export this high-quality car to the world.”
Leapmotor at Stellantis South Africa announced a partnership agreement with boutique car rental company, Drive Electric, to make premium electric mobility more accessible to local driving consumers.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are still expected to dominate the European Union’s (EU) car market from 2035, yet their eventual share could vary considerably depending on the strength of upcoming emissions rules, according to new findings from the transport campaign group Transport & Environment (T&E).
The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) in the United States (US) has renewed its backing for policies aimed at preventing Chinese vehicle manufacturers from establishing a foothold in the US, despite growing expectations that their entry may be inevitable.
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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
The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) in the United States (US) has renewed its backing for policies aimed at preventing Chinese vehicle manufacturers from establishing a foothold in the US, despite growing expectations that their entry may be inevitable.
Japanese carmakers are scaling back operations in Southeast Asia and Africa as competition from rapidly expanding Chinese manufacturers reshapes the global automotive landscape.
Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) Minister Parks Tau has welcomed the approval of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Extension Bill by the United States (US) House of Representatives.
