Last month, we reported that Volkswagen South Africa planned to leverage the famous Citi Golf nameplate by launching a Citi-badged version of its entry-level Polo Vivo. And now it has arrived, albeit in limited numbers.
According to VW SA, the Citi Vivo will be sold as a special edition, “with about 2 000 units planned”. The price of each? R177 300.
The newcomer pays homage to the iconic Citi Golf, reviving the famous red, yellow and blue of the original launched back in 1984.
Production of the Citi Golf in Uitenhage ended in 2009 after some 25 years, with more than 377 000 units built. The following year, VW launched the Polo Vivo to essentially replace Citi Golf, and has since sold some 229 300 units.
“There is no better way to celebrate the success of the Polo Vivo as the best-selling passenger car in South Africa than to pay homage to its iconic predecessor, Citi Golf. The three colours of red, yellow and blue are synonymous with the classic Citi Golf and it was fitting for us to use them as the only colours for Citi Vivo,” said Stefan Mecha, director for sales and marketing at Volkswagen Group SA.
“Polo Vivo is a proudly South African car with German engineering ingenuity. About 70% of its parts are sourced locally, which has helped local suppliers to create jobs. Polo Vivo has the best resale value in its class,” added Mecha.
As we reported earlier, the Citi Vivo is based on the 1,4-litre Conceptline derivative, which has a power output of 55kW. In addition to the standard features of this trim level, the Citi Vivo gains white 15-inch alloy wheels, white side mirror-caps, door and tailgate handles in white, and Citi decals.
Optional features include cruise control, an ultrasonic alarm system, front electric windows and front foglamps.
