Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) has reached another major production milestone with the production of one millionth current generation Polo at its Kariega Plant.
The milestone vehicle is a smoky grey, right-hand-drive Polo GTI destined for the South African market.
VWGA’s Plant Kariega started manufacturing the current generation Polo in 2017.
About 86% of these vehicles were exported to international markets such as Germany, UK, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, whilst 14% of these Polos were for the local market.
The current generation Polo accounts for nearly 21% of the 4 803 424 vehicles built at the Kariega plant over the past 75 years.
Meanwhile, the current generation Polo accounts for 48% of all Polo models ever manufactured at Plant Kariega, signifying the importance of the model to VWGA.
VWGA has been manufacturing the Polo since 1996 and has produced four generations of the model.
Plant Kariega is currently the sole global manufacturer and exporter of the Polo to 38 countries, including markets in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Germany and the United Kingdom are the biggest export destinations for the locally-built Polo.
This achievement comes as VWGA celebrates 75 years of vehicle manufacturing in South Africa and 30 years of Polo production at the Kariega Plant.
“This milestone is a proud moment for all of us at Volkswagen Group Africa and reflects the dedication and passion of our employees over many years,” said Urich Schwabe, Production Director of VWGA. “Producing one million Polos in Kariega highlights the trust that global markets place in the quality of vehicles built in South Africa. It also reinforces the Polo’s legacy as one of the most loved and successful models produced at our plant.”