…2026 dual milestone year, celebrating 75 years of VWGA in SA and 3 decades of building an export icon
Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) is celebrating a landmark year in 2026, marking both its 75th anniversary in South Africa and 30 years of Polo production at its Kariega manufacturing plant.
The latter significant feat has seen more than two million vehicles roll off the production line for both domestic and international markets.
The Polo story began in 1996 with the launch of the Polo Classic, a four-door sedan positioned between the Citi Golf and Jetta/Golf ranges.
In its debut year, 5,460 units were produced and the model quickly gained local favour, paving the way for a hatchback variant introduced in 1998.
An updated Polo Classic won the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists (SAGMJ) “Car of the Year” award in 2003, with the Polo claiming joint honours in the same competition in 2011.
To date, the Kariega plant has manufactured four generations of the Polo, with the current model in production since 2021.
In 2024, the facility became the sole global manufacturer and exporter of the Polo for Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, supplying 38 countries while retaining a strong domestic footprint.
That same year, VWGA achieved its highest-ever annual production volume: 167,084 vehicles. Of these, 131,485 Polos were exported, and 35,599 Polos and Polo Vivos were sold locally.
By the close of 2025, cumulative production of the Polo in Kariega had surpassed two million units. Of this total, 595,043 were sold in South Africa, while 1,421,960 were exported to 38 countries, the United Kingdom (UK) representing the largest export destination.
Each Polo requires an average of three days to build, with approximately 1,400 individual parts assembled by nearly 2,000 skilled hands.
VWGA Production Director, Ulrich Schwabe, said, “2026 is a year of celebration for Volkswagen Group Africa. Reaching 75 years in South Africa and 30 years of Polo production is not only a proud milestone for our company, but also for our Kariega plant and our employees.”
He added that the milestone is a testament to the dedication, skill and passion of the employees, whose commitment has made the Polo a success story both locally and internationally. “Their contribution has been the driving force behind the Polo’s success,” he added.
Volkswagen Group Africa is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft (VWAG), Germany. Based in Kariega, near Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape, the company is a significant contributor to foreign direct investment, technology transfer, and skills development in the region.
Originally established in 1946 as South African Motor Assemblers and Distributors (SAMAD) for the assembly of Studebaker vehicles, the plant produced its first Volkswagen Beetle in 1951, marking the beginning of the largest German investment in Southern Africa.
Volkswagen Group Africa’s four brands -Volkswagen, Audi, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, and Ducati- maintain a strong position in the South African passenger vehicle market.
Beyond South Africa, VWGA oversees operations in Sub-Saharan Africa and maintains assembly facilities in Kenya, Rwanda, and Ghana.
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