During the night shift on Monday, 19 February, the production team of Volkswagen Group Africa celebrated a milestone when the 1.5-millionth vehicle built for export in Kariega in the Eastern Cape rolled off the line.
The milestone vehicle, a Polo GTI destined for the United Kingdom, also marked the 21 165th vehicle built for export this year alone. The Kariega plant built 101 557 Polos for export last year. The plant’s record for export units in one year was in 2019, when the team built 108 422 vehicles for export markets.
Volkswagen Group Africa has been building vehicles for export since 1992, including models such as the Volkswagen Jetta and Golf. Currently, the Kariega plant is the sole manufacturer of the Volkswagen Polo GTI and exports the Polo to 38 markets worldwide. The plant has been building the current Polo since January 2018 and began production of the facelifted Polo in August 2021; it also produces the popular Polo Vivo for the South African market.
“Celebrating another production milestone this early in the year sets the tone for a successful 2024,” said Ulrich Schwabe, Volkswagen Group Africa Production Director. “Volkswagen Group Africa remains a strong player in the export space, and I am proud of the team achieving milestones such as these.
“As the home of Polo, we intend to continue building and delivering our high-quality vehicles to customers around the world – and hopefully achieve many more milestones along the way,” he said.
With the South African automotive manufacturing sector celebrating its centenary, the latest Automotive Trade Manual released by The Automotive Business Council (naamsa) makes for some interesting reading.
Mercedes-Benz South Africa Passenger Cars celebrated the achievements of its agent network. Despite a challenging economic landscape, the annual Agent of the Year Awards served as a tribute to excellence, resilience and unwavering dedication to the Mercedes-Benz brand.
Shaping how vehicles are distributed and sold - that’s the responsibility of Maritza Kichenbrand - Dealer Network & Channel Development Manager at Jetour South Africa.
Advertisement
Advertisement
I always do like seeing other people dance in their cars. It's one of the things that makes me happy.
Ariel Gore
With the South African automotive manufacturing sector celebrating its centenary, the latest Automotive Trade Manual released by The Automotive Business Council (naamsa) makes for some interesting reading.
Hyundai Automotive South Africa has been recognised and awarded the 2025 Best Distributor of the Year Award at the Hyundai Motor Company Global Service Seminar held in Delhi, India.
The South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC) has appointed Jacques Rikhotso, Managing Director of Bridgestone Southern Africa, as its new chairman. The move is aligned with a renewed focus on defending local manufacturing against the growing influx of imported tyres.
