PoloDriver

Following on from the 50 years of Polo display that formed part of the 2025 Simply VW event at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu in May, the long-running Tatton Park VW Show is also staging a Polo anniversary celebration when the gates open on 3 August.

The show, which has been staged for over three decades, is run by the Cheshire VAG Society. There are plans to have all six generations of Polo on display, and it says that it will mark the model’s 50 years, ‘with a full day of vintage vibes, community spirit, and unforgettable cars.’ A range of cars are set to be showcased, from entry-level models, to GTIs, from stock to modified Polos, as well as limited and special edition models. In keeping with the anniversary, special preference will be given to older models.

50 years of Polo display
In addition to the special 50 years of Polo display, all the usual Tatton Park VW Show attractions will be present, including a show car competition for water-cooled Volkswagens – in which the Polos displayed are automatically entered – club stands, trade stalls, an autojumble, and free children’s entertainment.

We spoke to Julieanne, who has been involved with the organisation of the Tatton Park VW Show event for more years than she cares to remember… ‘This summer, we’re honouring half a century of VW Polo excellence, from its 1975 debut to today. Whether you drive one, admire one, or simply love the VW legacy, join us for a day of nostalgia, innovation and community,’ she told us.

If you’d like to help celebrate the Polo’s big 2025 milestone, you can find tickets here, and for more information about the event itself, visit the Tatton Park VW Show website. We might see you there!

Volkswagen has launched a special limited edition of the Polo to mark the model’s 50th anniversary. The Polo Edition 50 comes with extra equipment, and slots in between the R-Line and Black Edition in the UK. Similar in concept to the Golf Edition 50 that marked the Golf’s 50th birthday in 2024, the Volkswagen Polo Edition 50 is on sale today, 19 June, priced from £26,350 (OTR RRP including VAT).

Limited or special editions of the Polo in the past – of which there have been many, but here we’re thinking early Nineties – have used an array of eye-catching stickers to very good effect to differentiate them from their standard siblings, but the Polo Edition 50 is more upmarket with ‘50’ badges on the B-pillar trim and steering wheel, with ‘EDITION 50’ branding on the aluminium door sill protectors and gloss black dashboard insert panel.

Unique paint colour
There is one extra feature, too: its unique Crystal Blue paint isn’t available on any other Polo model. Harlequin aside, we can’t think of another time since a special edition Polo has had unique paintwork since the run-out Polo 2F Parade of 1994, which could be had in Cerise, Light Blue, Aqua Blue Metallic or Green Metallic. (The special edition Polo Original of 2015 that celebrated 40 years of the Polo could be had in Honey Orange, but that colour was available as standard on its CrossPolo sibling.) Other Polo Edition 50 colours include Deep Black Pearl, Kings Red Metallic, Reef Blue Metallic, Reflex Silver Metallic, and Smokey Grey Metallic.

Buyers in the UK get many features as standard that are available as part of the extra-cost ‘Plus’ package on Polo Edition 50s sold in Germany, which is based on the Style model. Among them are 17-inch ‘Tortosa’ alloy wheels, a tilt and slide panoramic glass sunroof, keyless entry and start, and two-zone Air Care Climatronic air conditioning. Inside, regardless of market, all Polo Edition 50s receive gloss black decorative cabin inserts – similar to the Polo GTI Edition 25 of 2023 – rear privacy glass, and a rear-view camera.

There is only one drivetrain option in the UK, a 93bhp 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. In Germany, where the Polo Edition 50 opened for ordering on 12 June, buyers can choose an additional 114bhp TSI petrol engine. Both this and the 93bhp unit can be chosen in combination with a seven-speed direct shift DSG gearbox. The 93bhp manual model is priced from 28,200 euros in Germany.

UK’s most popular supermini
As it has been throughout its five decades and six generations, the Polo remains a popular choice for British car buyers. It was the UK’s most popular supermini last year (source: SMMT) and in May 2025, it was the seventh most popular car in the UK, with 2295 units finding new homes.

Of all the publicity materials created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Volkswagen Polo, this one has to be one of our favourites so far. The Miniatur Wunderland model railway tourist attraction in Hamburg currently has a special Polo train running on its tracks.

Since 2000, Miniatur Wunderland in the ‘Speicherstadt’ (former warehouse district) of Hamburg has been one of the most popular attractions in Germany. Its many themed worlds are grouped around a very special model railway, and to celebrate the fiftieth birthday of the Polo, there is an equally special car transport train loaded with miniature versions of the small Volkswagen.

A (ahem) small part of Volkswagen’s anniversary campaign to mark the half-century birthday of the Polo, more than 70 1:87-scale Polos travel around the miniature area of the ‘City of Hamburg’ on a car transporter train – past sights such as the Elbphilharmonie, Elbe bridges and the harbour – on 12 carriages.

Most of the dinky Polos – Wiking 1:87s we think – seem to be the fifth-generation 6R cars, but there is the odd first-generation Polo dotted among them. The attention to detail is truly superb. Each car wears VW’s special ‘50 Years of Polo’ branding, and even the stations are decorated with billboards with the same logo!

Volkswagen doesn’t state exactly how long the Polo train will be travelling around Minatur Wunderland, but we imagine it would be for the rest of the anniversary year. And with new landscapes including Italy, Provence, and Monaco – complete with a Formula One Grand Prix layout! – a visit to the small-scale attraction is enticing enough in these quarters as it is…

One of the past marketing lines for the Polo was ‘How can a small car be so big’, and that resonates more than ever during 2025, as we celebrate the Polo’s big milestone birthday. It’s also pulled sharply – and fantastically – into focus in the promotional campaign at Minatur Wunderland. Bravo!

If we’re honest, this is one we weren’t expecting. As part of Volkswagen’s push – and it is a push, going on the sizable amount of social media content generated so far – to celebrate 50 years of the Polo, a special livery has been unveiled at the Bicester Scramble event in the UK. A birthday suit – no, not that kind – if you like.

Chosen by social media poll on Instagram, fans could pick from four different blue, green, red, and yellow liveries referencing… yep, you’re already there aren’t you, the Polo Harlequin from 1996. But the car the winning livery would be adorning wasn’t a standard Polo. A show car replica of the 2018 Polo R WRX World Rallycross car driven to victory by Johan Kristoffersson was the chosen recipient, itself appearing nearly identical to the Polo R WRCs that enjoyed rally success in the World Rally Championship from 2013-2016. (In actual fact, some of the Polo WRXs were repurposed Polo R WRCs, repurposed after their competition careers had ended.)

Pop art-inspired
What’s particularly notable about the Harlequin WRX reveal was that it was at a UK event. We were there to see the car in the metal, and it looked stunning, placed at the top of the main drive at the Bicester Motion campus, ensuring a full and steady flow of car fans to pass by it all day. Parked on a low-rise pedestal, the car was, as you might expect, fantastically eye-catching, its pop art-inspired livery using the original Harlequin colours of Chagallblau (Chagall Blue, Pantone code LD5D), Flashrot (Flash Red, LP3G), Ginstergelb (Ginster Yellow, LR132) and Pistazie (Pistachio, LD6D).

In addition to the liveried car, Volkswagen UK displayed a 1980 first-generation Polo GLS in Inari Silver and a second-generation Cherry Red 1990 Polo CL – both mainstays of its heritage press fleet – to make it a real family affair. Sixth-generation Black Edition and GTI models reminded showgoers of the current Polo family, and helped highlight the Polo’s continued evolution and celebrate its 20 million – and counting – sales worldwide.

‘Special and enduring model’
Mike Orford, head of PR and communications at Volkswagen UK, said, ‘The Polo is a model that resonates with so many people for different reasons. They might have been fans of the Polo rally cars as they dominated world championships, their parents might have owned a Mk 1 or Mk 2 Polo, or it might have been the car in which they learned to drive. Whatever the reason is, the Polo is a special and enduring model for Volkswagen and that’s why it is great when we get to celebrate these milestone moments in such a colourful way.

‘We’re really looking forward to seeing this one-off livery in action later in the year as the birthday celebrations really ramp up,’ Orford continued. Yes, the next time the livery will be seen isn’t likely to be stationary, on a pedestal; other championship-winning Polo rally cars are set to wear it for ‘thrilling’ birthday-related activities later this year. Catch them if you can!

The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu will celebrate 50 years of the Volkswagen Polo at its popular Simply VW event on 25 May 2025, with a special anniversary display, and there is still time to make your Polo part of the festivities.

All Polo owners are invited to take part in the special anniversary display on the arena, whether cars are 50-year-old original models, or one of the next five generations – all are welcome.

To take part, you’ll need to buy your participant tickets and email events@beaulieu.co.uk with the following information to book your space in the line-up:

• Vehicle make: VW
• Vehicle model: Polo – please indicate which generation
• Name
• Contact details – telephone number and email address
• Any special vehicle details or requirements.

Participant ticket prices are only valid if arriving in a Volkswagen and displaying a vehicle within the event. They are not valid for those arriving on foot and must be for persons arriving in the display vehicle, which requires one participant ticket per person. Enough tickets must be bought to cover all the occupants of that vehicle.

Please note that participant tickets are not valid for additional persons not arriving in a relevant vehicle. Up to 9 May, advance ticket prices are £16.80 for adults, and £8.50 for children. After this date, entry costs £18.50 and £9.00 respectively.

Notable event
The Simply VW event is held on 25 May 2025, from 10am-5pm, and entry includes admission to all the Beaulieu attractions, which includes The National Motor Museum. With around 600 VWs of all types in attendance at previous shows, it promises to be a notable event in the VW show calendar.

In addition to seeing the cars on display, participants have the opportunity to be chosen as the winner of the People’s Choice Awards, selected by public vote. Prizes are awarded to the winner and two runners-up. Club displays are also welcome, and if you would like to reserve an area for your club to park together within the event, email events@beaulieu.co.uk. At least 10 cars are needed to qualify.

Find out all the details about the Polo 50th anniversary display and the Simply VW event itself at beaulieu.co.uk/events/simply-vw. We will be there, and it would be great to see as many Polos in attendance as possible, to celebrate the car’s milestone birthday in style!

The Simply single-marque shows form just part of Beaulieu’s busy events programme. Alongside the Simply VW show, there are similar events for owners of Aston Martins, Audis, BMWs, Fords, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benzes, Porsches, Smarts, as well as French, Italian and Japanese cars.

There are also the famous autojumble events, this year held on 17-18 May and 6-7 September, where hundreds of stalls offer the chance to pick-up all sorts of motoring bargains, curiosities, and memorabilia. Head to beaulieu.co.uk/events to see Beaulieu’s comprehensive 2025 events programme.

All images: Our Tim YouTube channel.