Motoring with Bob Roco ROMEO: Kariega builds half a million units in a year as new “Home of Polo” cars

Just over a year since it became the official “Home of Polo” car production, the Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) plant in Kariega, South Africa, has built 500,000 units of the latest iteration of this popular vehicle.

In July 2024, Plant Kariega was announced as the sole producer and exporter of the Polo for the Europe and Asia-Pacific markets, exporting this vehicle to over 30 countries in addition to its strong presence in the South African market.

Volkswagen has been building Polos in Kariega since 1996, and the current facelift version since August 2021. The half-millionth facelift Polo, a Kings Red Polo bound for the brand’s home country of Germany, rolled off the production line in Kariega earlier this month.

At the point of achieving this milestone, a total of 452,207 current Polos had been built for export and the remaining 47,793 vehicles were for South Africa. A total of 1,992,464 Polos have been built in Kariega in the past 29 years.

The Polo was also South Africa’s most exported car in 2024, and was recently named as both the Vehicle of the Year: Top Local Manufacturer and the Top Exported Vehicle of the Year at the Naamsa Accelerator Awards.

“The role of the Polo in the Volkswagen Group Africa success story has been a strong one, and the same can be said of its contribution to this country’s automotive exports,” said Ulrich Schwabe, Production Director at VWGA.

“I am proud to share in this milestone with the colleagues who build, sell and export this high-quality car to the world,” the director added.

In Ghana, the Volkswagen Polo has become a popular choice among ride-hailing drivers, especially those working with Uber and Bolt, thanks to its affordability, fuel efficiency, and local availability.

The current facelift version of the Polo quickly stood out as a compact, fuel-efficient, and affordable option, ideal for urban commuting and ride-hailing services. Ride-hailing platforms like Uber and Bolt have transformed transportation in Ghana, especially in cities like Accra and Kumasi.

It became the preferred choice due to its modern features and reliability, appealing to both drivers and passengers, in addition to its low fuel consumption, which helps drivers maximise profits.

The post Motoring with Bob Roco ROMEO: Kariega builds half a million units in a year as new “Home of Polo” cars appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.

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