Volkswagen South Africa has lots to celebrate this year. It is the 75th anniversary of the first car to roll of its assembly plant in Kariega, the 30th year in which the Polo is produced at the facility and also the 20-year anniversary of the first Polo GTI.
To commemorate the first two decades of the baby GTI in Mzansi, VW is introducing a limited-run Polo GTI Edition 20.
Set to be introduced before the end of March, the Edition 20 rides on 18-inch Faro alloy wheels, sports a black roof and mirror housing along with “20 Edition” decals. It will also be offered in a choice of Crystal Ice Blue paintwork.
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Same outputs for Polo GTI 20 Edition
The bad news for petrolheads is that the limited run Polo GTI will get now power bump. It is powered by the 2.0-litre TSI turbo petrol that sends an unchanged 147kW/320Nm to the front wheels via six-speed DSG transmission.
The Polo, already in its third generation at the time, was first introduced to Mzansi in 1996. It started with the Classic, a four-door sedan which bridged the gap between the Citi Golf and the Jetta/Golf ranges. Within two years, a hatchback called the Polo Playa joined the sedan.
Kariega produces two million Polos
After the introduction of the fourth generation, the first Polo GTI was introduced locally in 2006. By the end of 2025, more than two million Polos have rolled off the assembly line in Kariega. The majority of these have been exported to no less than 38 countries.
The Kariega plant produces the Polo, now in its sixth generation, alongside the Polo Vivo, based on the fifth-generation Polo. A third model in the form of the Tengo crossover SUV will also be added to the line next year.
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