Polo Vivo ‘entrenched as South Africa’s favourite passenger car brand’
The latest NAAMSA figures have been released. During November 2010 a total of 29,530 new passenger cars were sold in South Africa, an increase of 28.9% when compared to November 2009, bringing the year-to-date November market in 2010 to a level 30% above the same period for last year. The Polo Vivo and fifth-generation Polo have contributed to Volkswagen South Africa’s strong finish to 2010, selling 1939 and 1265 units respectively.
‘As a result of record offline production from our plant in Uitenhage in October and November, we are finishing 2010 strongly,’ commented Mike Glendinning, Director of Sales and Marketing, Volkswagen Group South Africa. ‘Polo Vivo has now become firmly entrenched as South Africa’s favourite passenger car brand, while the Polo sold 1265 units in November, rounding off a very successful performance for the two brands built in South Africa,’ Glendinning continued.
The Polo Vivo was launched in March 2010 as an entry-level model for the South African market, replacing the Series 1 Golf-based CitiGolf. Available as both a three or five-door hatchback and four-door saloon with 74bhp/84bhp 1.4-litre and 103bhp 1.6-litre petrol engines, two trim levels are available: base and Trendline. Costing from R104,065 for the most basic 1.4 hatchback to R156,220 for the 1.6 Trendline Sedan, the Polo Vivo is based on the facelifted version of the Series 4 Polo, built from 2005 to 2009. Changes include reprofiled front and rear bumpers, as well as a revised front grille and other minor bodywork-based alterations.