Latest news with #PoloVivo
TimesLIVE
4 days ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
VW's Kariega plant celebrates a strong year as the ‘Home of Polo'
Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) has celebrated one year since it became the German brand's sole exporter of the Polo for left- and right-hand drive European and Asia-Pacific markets. The hatchback has been built at the Kariega plant since 1996 and the Polo Vivo since 2010, but the Eastern Cape factory only became the self-proclaimed 'home of Polo' on July 1 2024, said Ulrich Schwabe, production director at VWGA. 'The Polo is unquestionably an icon, and we are proud to call Plant Kariega its home,' said Schwabe. 'Our first year as the sole exporter of the Polo was certainly strong, and we plan to build on the foundation of the success continuously and consistently with the Polo, Vivo and our upcoming third model, the Tengo.' The Polo was South Africa's most exported vehicle in 2024 and accounts for 88% of exported vehicles through the Gqeberha port, said VW. Between July 2024 and June 2025, 119,336 Polos were exported from Kariega to Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Of these, the biggest receivers of Polos are Germany, France and the UK. A record 167,084 vehicles were built in Kariega in 2024, of which 131,485 units were Polos for export, and 35,599 vehicles were Polos and Polo Vivos for the local market. A record-breaking 13,930 Polos were built in October 2024 alone. The Polo was the seventh best-selling passenger car in the local market last year, with 12,253 units. In April-May, VWGA shut the Kariega plant for four weeks in preparation for the Tengo model that will be assembled and sold in SA from 2027. Volkswagen announced in early 2024 it would build the small SUV as a third model at the factory alongside the Polo and Polo Vivo in a R4bn investment.
TimesLIVE
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Volkswagen welcomes 540 young trainees through YES programme
Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) has announced an intake of 540 young unemployed graduates for its 2025 Youth Unemployment Services (YES) programme. The YES programme was initiated by the government in 2019 to alleviate youth unemployment. The company said 296 trainees will work for VWGA: 232 at will be stationed at Kariega in Gqeberha, where the company assembles the VW Polo and Polo Vivo models; 62 are headed to its Gauteng headquarters in Sandton; and two will be absorbed at the company's satellite parts warehouse in the Western Cape. Another 244 trainees will be deployed with external partners in October. This intake brings the total of YES trainees who have benefited from VWGA's involvement in the programme to 3,650. 'We know today's youth will be tomorrow's leaders, but we also believe in playing an active role in developing those leaders and innovators,' said Nonkqubela Maliza, VWGA's corporate and government affairs director. 'Through our participation in the YES programme, we want to offer youth the space to become economically active and gain invaluable skills on which they can build successful and fulfilling careers.' Since its inception, VWGA has supported the initiative by providing employment opportunities and work experience for youth at its sites, in addition to opportunities in the dealer network and SME partners.
The Citizen
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Voting over: South Africa's Volkswagen Tera will be called Tengo
Production will, seemingly, commence next year before the official kicking-off of sales in 2027. After a comparatively short public voting session, Volkswagen has announced Tengo as the moniker it will use for the locally assembled version of the Tera from 2027. Though it didn't state as to how many votes were received, the moniker it says denotes a 'rich cultural significance in African language and describes qualities like strength, resilience and purpose' beat-out Tavi, Tiva and Tion to become the public's choice for the newcomer. Until now known as the 'MQB A0 Entry SUV', the Tengo will be built alongside the Polo and Polo Vivo at the Kariega Plant in Eastern Ca pe from 2027 as the so-called third model announc reed back in 2023 for developing markets. A joint venture with Skoda India and Volkswagen do Brasil, with South Africa being been appointed project development lead, the Tengo will likely differ suitably from the Tera, though at present, this remains nothing but speculation. The result of a R4-billion investment into the facility located in the town previously known as Uitenhage, the Tengo will, as its internal name states, will ride on the MQB A0 platform shared with the Polo and Polo Vivo, and reportedly derivative from the 1.0 TSI engine only. Set to become Volkswagen's smallest SUV once production of the T-Cross wraps-up in Europe next year, the Tengo will make its first public showing at the brand's annual product Indaba in 2026 either as an early pre-production right-hand-drive example, or as the Tera to provide a feel of what lies ahead. As such, expectations point to production starting sometime in 2026 before the commencing of sales in 2027. This after the brand confirmed in May that had finished the first rounds of upgrades to the Kariega factory that saw production being suspended between mid-March and April for the installation of 100 robots, new conveyor belts in the final assembly area, and upgrades to the body paint shops. Its name now officially revealed, expectations are that more details about the Tengo will emerge throughout the coming months, possibly alluding to engine options and spec.
IOL News
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Originally an Audi? Interesting facts you might not have known about VW's Polo as it turns 50
The first-generation Polo was based on the Audi 50 (left), itself an NSU product. Image: Jason Woosey The Volkswagen Polo is something of a legend in South Africa. Despite the surging popularity of SUVs, the Polo Vivo was still Mzansi's most popular passenger car in 2024, while the more expensive latest-generation Polo remains among the country's most sought-after hatchbacks. The Polo nameplate has only existed in South Africa for 29 years, and even that original model wasn't actually a Polo, which we'll get to later. But in Europe the Polo recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, meaning it has been around for almost as long as the Golf. In fact, the Polo was never originally meant to be a Volkswagen at all. The first-generation Polo was designed by a German car company called NSU Motorenwerke, which was a specialist in motorcycles, small cars and, interestingly enough, was the original creator of the rotary engine. However, the latter's unreliability and the resultant warranty claims nearly drove the company under, and in 1969, NSU was acquired by the Volkswagen Audi Group. While NSU's experience in creating front-wheel drive cars was instrumental to Volkswagen, which was transitioning from rear-engined cars like the Type 3 and Beetle to its modern line-up. But with the Golf having become a key focus for the Wolfsburg-based brand, the small NSU-developed hatchback was passed on to Audi, which turned it into the Audi 50. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Volkswagen Polo MK1 Image: Supplied Yet with the oil crisis in full swing in the early 1970s, Volkswagen couldn't resist the prospect of having another small hatchback in its portfolio, and soon the Audi 50 was stripped down and rebadged as the Volkswagen Polo. Before settling on its name, VW had toyed with other strange names such as Bonito and Mini Golf, Big Car reports. Can you imagine trying to dice a Bonito GTI on Winnie Mandela Drive? The Polo soldiered on in Europe through two generations, and strangely it was never offered in five-door guise until the third-gen arrived in 1994, although a sedan and three-door estate had been offered, the latter arriving with the second generation. From left to right: the six generations of Volkswagen Polo. Image: Supplied South Africa only got its first taste of the Polo in 1996, with a variation of the third-generation model that was actually based on the VW-owned Spanish brand Seat's Cordoba saloon. In fairness, the Seat-based Polo Classic was also offered in Europe, as a saloon version directly based on the Polo hatch was not deemed a worthwhile investment. While the Polo Classic was earmarked for South Africa, as we were still very much a saloon-heavy market, VWSA soon realised it wanted a hatchback to slot between the ageing Citi Golf and the somewhat expensive Golf 3 of the time. Volkswagen Polo Playa: a local creation. Image: Supplied In 1998, a locally flavoured icon was born, in the form of the Polo Playa. Given that they'd already invested in the Polo Classic, which was also readily compatible with the locally produced Golf and Jetta engines, VWSA decided to create its own version of the Seat Cordoba's hatchback sibling, the Ibiza. To do this they transplanted the front end of the Polo Classic onto the Ibiza's shell and adapted the rear tailgate to resemble the upcoming Golf 4. This entailed moving the number plate to the rear bumper. The taillight lenses were also a local design. From 2002 onwards, South Africans got their first taste of the 'real' Volkswagen Polo. This is because VWSA was awarded a major export contract for the fourth-generation model. This export success story still exists with the sixth-generation Polo, which has helped drive the Kariega-based manufacturer's annual volumes well beyond the 100,000 mark. Although the Polo lost any form of South African uniqueness in its transition into an export product, the local flavour returned with the introduction of the Polo Vivo, which replaced the Citi Golf in 2010. Introduced shortly after the fifth-generation entered production, the Polo Vivo was based on the recently discontinued fourth-generation model, allowing the company to create a more budget oriented product using tooling that had already been paid for and amortised. The first-generation Polo Vivo was based on the MK4 Polo. Image: Supplied
TimesLIVE
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
How South Africans are adapting to the rising price of car ownership
Car ownership remains an important goal for many South Africans, even as the landscape continues to evolve. According to WesBank, the cost of owning a vehicle in South Africa has increased by 50.6% since 2021, placing further strain on consumers. While new vehicle prices continue to rise — for example, the starting price of a Polo Vivo now stands at R271,900 — drivers still have a range of options, even as factors such as fuel costs, interest rates and insurance premiums fluctuate. For those seeking more accessible options, there are still paths to vehicle ownership, including pre-owned choices, flexible financing and innovative subscription models. According to AutoTrader research, about 60% of financed vehicles in South Africa are used cars, indicating consumers are seeking more cost-effective solutions. 'The South African automotive landscape is undergoing a significant evolution driven by affordability,' said AutoTrader CEO George Mienie. 'Our data reveals a clear consumer shift towards the used car market, highlighting the resilience and adaptability of local buyers in the face of economic challenges. This trend underscores the industry's responsibility to provide accessible and reliable mobile solutions for South African consumers.' This is reflected in the finance application data from Standard Bank, which shows that though new car finance applications dropped by 30% in February 2025, used car applications remained stable. 'While this might not seem like a sharp decline, it's staggering when you consider 35% to 40% of cars we financed a decade ago were new,' said Derick de Vries, head of automotive retail at Standard Bank Vehicle and Asset Finance. Used vehicles have become increasingly attractive to South African buyers, with used car price inflation easing to 1.7% in 2025, down from 5.6% two years earlier. This shift positions used vehicles as a more value-driven option, particularly as AutoTrader reports a growing interest in older models, specifically those with an average registration age of six years. Which vehicles are they buying? While the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux continue to dominate the used vehicle sales chart, notable shifts show consumers are increasingly looking at more affordable vehicles. There has been a noteworthy decline in the sales of premium vehicles, with used cars such as the Suzuki Swift, Toyota Starlet and Nissan NP200 seeing an increase in recent months. Last month, AutoTrader data showed these models were in the top 10 best-selling used cars, while premium vehicles such as the BMW 3 Series have dropped off. Aside from the cost benefits of buying more affordable, fuel-efficient vehicles, several other reasons exist for this shift in buying behaviour. While used cars offer immediate cost savings compared with their new counterparts, buyers must weigh this against the costs of servicing and potential maintenance, especially for models that have passed their warranty period. Smaller cars, such as the Swift and Polo Vivo, typically offer lower running costs compared with used luxury and premium cars. Image: Supplied AutoTrader offers several resources to help prospective buyers make informed decisions. The online automotive marketplace features price ratings to help consumers compare the prices of used vehicles with those of similar cars available. Additionally, they offer tools such as an affordability calculator, which enables customers to determine suitable vehicle options based on their monthly budgets. However, when it comes to new cars, affordability constraints have forced consumers to enter new vehicle finance agreements with longer loan terms (72-96 months) and opt for balloon payments, which lead to higher overall costs and an increased risk of repossession.
