PoloDriver

Volkswagen Group South Africa has started 2013 as it ended 2012, with the Polo Vivo sitting at the top of the new passenger car sales charts. Out of the 10,511 Volkswagen Group South Africa products sold, 4047 of these were Polo Vivos, while once again, the Polo 6R was in second place, shifting 2790 units. The achievements helped give Volkswagen Group South Africa market leadership in both the total and passenger car markets in January 2013 with a market share of 19.1 per cent. Last month, 39 738 new passenger cars were sold in South Africa, an increase of 20.2 per cent when compared to December 2012.

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, and is available as a three or five-door hatchback and four-door booted saloon with 74bhp/84bhp 1.4-litre and 103bhp 1.6-litre petrol engines. Costing from R110,500 for the base-model 1.4 hatchback to R157,700 for the top 1.6 Trendline Sedan, the 2013 Polo Vivo is based on the revised version of the Series 4 Polo (9N3), built from 2005 to 2009. The fifth-generation Polo (6R) is available as both a three and five-door hatchback, in addition to the more traditionally-styled four-door Polo Sedan.

In related news, Volkswagen Group South Africa released a revised price list on 25 January. There are modest rises across the board, with the Polo Vivo and Polo 6R ranges also being affected. The new revised prices for both model ranges are as follows:

2013 VOLKSWAGEN POLO VIVO HATCH
(model: kW rating/CO2, g/km/retail price)
1.4 Base 3dr: 55/147/R110,500
1.4 Base 5dr: 55/147/R123,100
1.4 Zest 5dr: 55/147/R126,800
1.4 BlueLine 5dr: 55/128/R128,900
1.4 Trendline 5dr: 63/147/R135,300
1.4 Trendline auto 5dr: 63/156/R149,400
1.6 Base 5dr: 77/157/R143,400
1.6 Trendline 5dr: 77/157/R151,800
1.6 GT 3dr: 77/157/R157,000
1.6 Maxx 5dr: 77/157/R160,300

2013 VOLKSWAGEN POLO VIVO SEDAN
(model: kW rating/CO2, g/km/retail price)
1.4 Base 4dr: 55/147/R129,000
1.4 BlueLine 4dr: 55/128/R134,800
1.4 Trendline 4dr: 63/147/R141,200
1.4 Trendline auto 4dr: 63/156/R155,300
1.6 Base 4dr: 77/157/R149,300
1.6 Trendline 4dr: 77/157/R157,700

2013 VOLKSWAGEN POLO HATCH (6R)
(model: kW rating/CO2, g/km/retail price)
1.4 Trendline 5dr: 63/144/R160,100
1.6 Trendline 5dr: 77/153/R179,600
1.4 Comfortline 5dr: 63/153/R184,100
1.6 Comfortline 5dr: 77/153/R203,600
1.6 Comfortline auto 5dr: 77/153/R217,600
1.6 TDI Comfortline 5dr: 77/120/R228,400
1.2 TDI BlueMotion 5dr: 55/89/R192,800
1.4 TSI GTI DSG 5dr: 132/139/280,400

2013 VOLKSWAGEN POLO SEDAN (6R)
(model: kW rating/CO2, g/km/retail price)
1.4 Trendline 4dr: 63/139/R167,500
1.4 Comfortline 4dr: 63/139/R182,400
1.6 Trendline 4dr: 77/143/R187,700
1.6 Comfortline 4dr: 77/143/R200,900
1.6 Comfortline auto 5dr: 77/154/R214,900
1.6 TDI Comfortline 5dr: 77/120/R224,600

2013 VOLKSWAGEN CROSSPOLO (6R)
(model: kW rating/CO2, g/km/retail price)
1.6 CrossPolo 5dr: 77/154/R218,200
1.6 TDI CrossPolo 5dr: 77/154/R243,000

Visit www.volkswagen.co.za for the latest information and updates on the award-winning Polo Vivo, Polo and CrossPolo ranges.

It won’t come as a surprise to regular readers, but the Polo Vivo and Polo 6R were announced as 2012’s top-selling cars in South Africa today. Both locally produced, the Polo Vivo topped the sales charts, with 34,873 units sold, while 28,667 fifth-generation (current) Polos found new owners. The pair accounted for a staggering 14.4 per cent of the total South African passenger car market. Volkswagen Group South Africa ended 2012 as the market leader of the passenger car segment in the country for the fourth consecutive year with the total sales of 99,106 units (Volkswagen: 82,363, Audi: 16,743) and overall market share of 22.3 per cent. Continuing its massive success story, the Polo Vivo was once again the best-selling car in South Africa for last month, with 2307 units sold.

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, and is available as a three or five-door hatchback and four-door booted saloon with 74bhp/84bhp 1.4-litre and 103bhp 1.6-litre petrol engines. Costing from R108,300 for the base-model 1.4 hatchback to R154,700 for the top 1.6 Trendline Sedan, the 2012 Polo Vivo is based on the revised version of the Series 4 Polo (9N3). The fifth-generation Polo (6R) is available as a three and five-door hatchback, plus the more traditionally-styled four-door Polo Sedan.

Similarly to 2011, the most exciting Polo news of 2012 was the unveiling of the Polo R WRC in final competition trim. Other motorsport series also continued around the world, with the Polo competing as both a rally and track car. As far as the road car was concerned, it still continued to win awards and post strong sales figures in the UK and further afield. A number of special editions were launched in various markets, while the 218bhp Polo R WRC ‘Street’ – the most powerful production and the most expensive Polo ever – was announced. (Bold entries are illustrated by the picture above that particular month.)

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It’s a story of continuing success for the South African-only Polo Vivo. Once again Volkswagen Group South Africa’s entry-level model sat atop the passenger car sales charts during November 2012, with 2697 units sold. Nestling alongside its lower-priced sibling, the Polo 6R was again a top-seller, too, coming in second with 2376 cars finding homes. Overall, Volkswagen Group South Africa delivered a total of 8300 units to its customers and achieved a passenger car market share of 22.6 per cent, making it the top-selling manufacturer.

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, and is available as a three or five-door hatchback and four-door booted saloon with 74bhp/84bhp 1.4-litre and 103bhp 1.6-litre petrol engines. Costing from R108,300 for the base-model 1.4 hatchback to R154,700 for the top 1.6 Trendline Sedan, the 2012 Polo Vivo is based on the revised version of the Series 4 Polo (9N3), built from 2005 to 2009. The fifth-generation Polo (6R) is available as both a three and five-door hatchback, in addition to the more traditionally-styled four-door Polo Sedan.

The entry-level Polo Vivo and its more upmarket Polo 6R cousin have helped Volkswagen Group South Africa keep its top position in the passenger car sales market in October 2012. The Polo Vivo took a third of the company’s total sales, with 3341 cars sold, while the latest generation Polo 6R managed to find 2883 homes. Volkswagen Group South Africa sold 9426 units in total, giving it a market share of 22.6 per cent.

‘In October, the South African new car market surged to the third highest level on record despite widespread and ongoing socio-political uncertainties,’ said Mike Glendinning, Director, Sales and Marketing at Volkswagen Group South Africa. ‘The demand for new passenger cars has reached levels comparable with the peak of the previous growth cycle in the third quarter of 2006 and continues to be driven by powerful factors.’