Tag Archives: Polo

2026 VW Polo R WRX

In 1975, Volkswagen launched its supermini (B-segment) car, the VW Polo, which was produced in six generations in hatchback, saloon, and estate variants. Half a century later, a special edition of this model, the VW Polo R WRX, was presented at the Bicester Scramble festival.

The Polo R WRX is a rally car and is adorned with the Harlequin livery (Changall Blue, Flash Red, Ginister Yellow and Pistachio), which first appeared on the third generation Polo in 1995.

Over the six generations that have been discovered so far, the Polo has been offered worldwide in hatchback, saloon, and estate variants. Over 18 million units have been produced so far and last year Volkswagen announced that it was ceasing production of this car in Spain, so the only factory that will supply markets with this model remained in South Africa. There are many reasons, and one of them is weak sales, with just over 90,000 units sold in Europe in 2024.

VW hasn’t revealed many details about the Polo R WRX, so more information is expected soon.

Source: VW

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VW shuts down production of Polo in Europe

In 1975, Volkswagen introduced a new car from the B-segment, the VW Polo, which was offered worldwide in hatchback, saloon, and estate variants. Four decades later, the time has come to end production of this car at the Spanish plant.

In recent years, sales of the Polo have been in decline, and in 2024, VW sold just over 90,000 examples of the Polo, making it the eighth best-selling car in Europe. It was to be expected that at some point VW would decide to end the production of this car in Europe, so the only factory that will supply markets with this model remained in South Africa.

Since the mid-1980s, when production of the Polo began in Spain, 8.4 million cars have left the assembly line. However, demand for other models such as the T-Roc has changed that. From now on, VW T-Cross and Taigo, as well as some electric models, will be produced in this plant, so VW started to modify the plant. Also, from 2026, two small electric SUVs (ID.2all SUV and Epiq) will be produced at this location, one will be sold by Volkswagen and the other by Škoda. Both will use a smaller version of the MEB platform and will have FWD. The VW ID.2all SUV will take its place below the ID.3 model in the current range, while a hatchback version of this electric car will also be offered on the market and will be produced alongside the Cupra Raval at the Martorell plant in Spain.

The Škoda Epiq will cost around 25,000 euros, while the price of the VW ID.2all SUV is unknown.

Source: Volkswagen

VW Polo will be manufactured in South Africa

Four decades have passed since Volkswagen started production of its B-segment supermini car, the VW Polo, in Spain. However, from now on this model for the European market will be produced in South Africa.

The VW Polo was introduced in 1975 and over time became one of the German manufacturer’s best-selling cars, with over 8 million cars produced in the Spanish factory. The growing pressure to produce electric cars forced Volkswagen to transfer the production of this model to another contingent. Two new affordable electric cars that Volkswagen plans to launch by 2026 will be produced in Spain. It will be the Volkswagen ID.2 X and Škoda Epiq, based on the MEB Entry platform.

Thus, VW plans to invest more than one billion euros in order to adapt the production plant to new electric models. However, the workers employed in this factory are asking what will happen until the moment when the production of electric cars starts. We are talking about a period of less than two years. Forecasts say that the factory will produce 1/4 million vehicles this year and only 150,000 units in 2025.

The new VW ID.2 will be produced at the Martorello plant and will hit the market at the end of 2025, while its SUV version will be built in Navarre and will have to undergo a transformation to adapt to these new small electric cars.

Source: Volkswagen