Volkswagen South Africa hit a production milestone on Monday when the 400 000th unit of the current-generation Polo reached the end of the assembly line in the Eastern Cape. This was achieved in less than four years, since the latest Volkswagen Polo commenced production at the factory in Kariega, formerly known as Uitenhage, in September 2017.
This also comes as the factory is gearing up to produce the facelifted Polo model, which was revealed back in April. Featuring a revised front end as well as a redesigned back end inspired by the Golf 8, the revised Volkswagen Polo is expected to go on sale locally during the first quarter of 2022.
Most local Polos are exported
Although the Volkswagen Polo often features in South Africa’s Top 3 vehicle sales list, VWSA still exports far more of them than it sells locally. Of the 400 000 current-generation Polos produced so far, 326 214 have been exported while 73 786 have found local homes.
South Africa is the sole producer of right-hand drive Polos globally and the hatchback is also built in left-hand drive configuration for some markets. VWSA exported 9 099 vehicles last month, 6 783 in April and 8 122 units in March.
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“This is a proud moment for our team, who have proven their dedication to delivering for our customers abroad and in South Africa,” said Production Director Ulrich Schwabe, on the completion of the 400 000th unit. “I would like to thank every employee, whether on the production line, in the office or working from home, for continuously striving for excellence. This milestone could not have happened without their contributions.”
