Ever since the all-electric ID Polo’s 2026 arrival was announced back in September, we’ve had confirmation of its technical make-up, undisguised images of the interior, but no official photos of the car without its Polo Harlequin-inspired livery that has shrouded the fleet of pre-production prototypes used for dynamic testing and various motor show appearances.

However, that’s set to change on 29 April at midday (Central European Time), when the full production car’s appearance is finally unwrapped. Just this week, Volkswagen has begun to tease images of the latest member of the Polo family sans camouflage.

What we do know already, is that in Europe at least, trim levels will start with the 37kWh Trend model, and rise through Life, topping out with Style (both with 37 and 52kWh battery choices). According to the Volkswagen France website, the bigger battery cars look set to arrive first, from September 2026; the smaller-capacity models from November.

Priced from €24,990
As per Volkswagen’s aim, the entry level ID Polo Trend will be priced from €24,990, even though initial reports suggested that the cheaper models wouldn’t be available initially due to shortages of materials for the lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. The sportier ID Polo GTI is confirmed to arrive in March 2027, if the configurator on the Volkswagen France website is correct.

Speaking of batteries, production of the battery systems is already up and running at the SEAT and Cupra factory in Martorell, Spain, where the ID Polo and its Cupra Raval cousin will be manufactured. There is precedent for Spanish-built Polos of course – the combustion-engined Polo was built at the Volkswagen Navarra facility at Pamplona for 40 years.

Following the December prototype drive of ‘covered’, lightly camouflaged models, more overtly stripped cars have been seen undergoing winter testing in colder climes, and also pounding the Nürburgring, to hone the dynamics of the GTI model, which is the first all-electric Volkswagen GTI. The timing of the newcomer’s arrival is no coincidence: the GTI nameplate celebrates its 50th birthday in 2026.

As for the looks, images of the undisguised production car seemingly leaked from the recent ‘True Volkswagen’ event, held in Hamburg at the end of March. On 26 March, websites were awash with the same three images depicting two mid or high-spec ID Polos, and a sole ID Polo GTI.

Seven colours, three wheel sizes
Confirmation came that at least three colours as listed in the covered drive workshop press release of December 2025 were correct: Python Yellow, Tornado Red, and Dolomit Silver. The other available shades being Candy White, Grenadil Black, Magnetic Tech (which looks like a very dark blue) and Celestial Blue.

The ID Polos in the leaked images also wore two different sizes of wheels, and we do know that 17, 18 and 19-inch alloy wheels will be available, presumably growing in size as the trim levels ascend. Overall, the images reveal that the production ID Polo will closely resemble the ID 2all concept car initially shown in 2023.

ID 3 Neo previews ID Polo ‘face’
This is further reinforced when you compare the leaked pictures with the official pictures of the recently unveiled ID 3 Neo. The larger car definitely previews the ‘face’ of the new ID Polo, and seems to share its interior style, too, with a fabric-covered dashboard and the return of physical buttons. This latest refresh is the second update for the ID 3 in just six years, and it’s interesting to note that VW management has admitted that it made mistakes with the launch of the original model in 2020.

And before it has even been launched, the ID Polo is winning awards, the recipient of the ‘One to Watch’ prize from News UK. ‘The mere fact the Polo name lives on into the electric era is enough to get excited about,’ said Will Dron, digital driving editor at The Times and Sunday Times. ‘But there’s more to look forward to than that: a choice of batteries offering up to 280 miles of range, the potential for very attractive pricing, and the use of more sustainable materials and construction processes have certainly whetted our appetites. The confirmation that we’ll also get an ID Polo GTI is the icing on the cake. Without doubt, ID Polo is our One to Watch.’

We’d, quite obviously, agree. With just five days until the final production version of the ID Polo is revealed, it’s an exciting time to be a Polo fan, and we’ll bring you full details of this new chapter in the Polo story when they are released. Stay tuned!

The post Volkswagen ID Polo: world premiere set for 29 April appeared first on PoloDriver.

After a 28-year run, production of the Polo GTI has been brought to a halt. The model has been discontinued to give way to the all-electric ID Polo GTI, which is set to debut later in 2026.

Rumours began to surface in November, with website speedme.ru stating the hot Polo was beginning to disappear from global Volkswagen website configurators. We can confirm this is the case, and the Volkswagen UK website configurator only lists used models for sale. We asked Volkswagen UK directly if the car had been discontinued, and a spokesperson told us, ‘As we celebrate 50 years of the iconic GTI badge, the Polo GTI is making way for our first ever all-electric GTI model, the ID Polo GTI. The ID Polo GTI is set to make its world premiere later this year, with UK sales commencing in 2026.

‘Thrilling future’
The spokesperson continued, ‘This new model promises to move the hot hatchback game on significantly in terms of design, excitement, and performance, ensuring a thrilling future for GTI enthusiasts. The current Polo GTI is still available through our UK Retailer network, while stocks last. We encourage interested customers to reach out to their nearest Volkswagen Retailer for more information.’

Even though the ID Polo GTI will arrive in showrooms after a debut later this year, we can only assume that the discontinuation of the petrol-powered Polo GTI is to give its new zero-emissions counterpart some breathing space ahead of its arrival. The first electric Volkswagen GTI will have 223bhp from its front-mounted motor, with a driving range, we would imagine, of around 250 miles. Volkswagen states that the less powerful 208bhp ID Polo with the same motor and 52kWh battery as the ID Polo GTI has an official range of up to 280 miles.

There’s also no escaping the fact that basing an iconic badge’s new chapter on a less important model – the Golf GTI has been the halo GTI model for the past 50 years and remains so – is less risky for Volkswagen, too. But whatever the motivation, the ID Polo GTI has a great deal resting on its ‘Pure Positive’-designed and shapely shoulders.

Final cars
speedme.ru reports the final combustion-engined Polo GTIs are now being built at Volkswagen Group South Africa’s Kariega plant – the only factory to produce Polos destined for European and Asia-Pacific markets. According to the website, final cars will roll off the line in week 12, 16-22 March 2026, presumably the fulfilment of the last order allocations.

It brings to an end the availability of the second-longest Volkswagen model to wear the GTI badge after the Golf. In 2026, both that car and the badge itself celebrate 50 years since either first appeared, with the special edition Golf GTI Edition 50 marking the golden anniversary.

Polo GTI Edition 20
The hot petrol-powered Polo’s exit after 28 years will be marked by a special edition, in South Africa, at least. Volkswagen Group Africa began production of the Polo GTI in 2006, and so is releasing the Polo GTI Edition 20. In the same vein as the Polo GTI Edition 25 released in 2023 to celebrate 25 years of the Polo GTI globally, the GTI Edition 20 is largely a cosmetic revamp. The most noticeable feature is the Crystal Ice Blue exterior colour choice, the same shade as offered on the regular Polo Edition 50 special model, first introduced in 2025 to commemorate the Polo’s 50th anniversary.

In addition, the Polo GTI Edition 20 gets a black contrast roof and wing mirror caps, a special ‘20’ decal stripe on each side of the car, all of those almost identical in idea to the Polo GTI Edition 25. A set of 18-inch ‘Faro’ alloy wheels – previously a cost-option upgrade – are also thrown in. Set to be introduced in March 2026, the price of the last Polo GTI special edition hasn’t yet been announced.

It’s perhaps a whimper rather than a bang – which some would cruelly say sums up the Polo GTI’s life – but it’s nice to see the second-longest running combustion-engined GTI model go out with at least a little sense of occasion. Yes, it’s with a tear in our eye that we wave the regular Polo GTI into the sunset, but we’re also looking forward to the new chapter in the hot Polo’s story the ID Polo GTI will begin. We hope the promise is delivered upon; we shouldn’t have too long to wait.

The post Volkswagen Polo GTI discontinued; Polo GTI Edition 20 special for South Africa appeared first on PoloDriver.

Following the first covered prototype drives and technical detail reveal of the new ID Polo in Barcelona during December 2025, Volkswagen has now released images and videos of the production car’s interior. And… there’s not just one but many reasons to be cheerful; proper, click-clack, physical buttons are back!

However, it’s more than just the interior of a new car; the cabin of the ID Polo holds importance as a precursor to the brand-new style of cabin that will feature on all Volkswagen ID models from this point forward. Highlights include the return of high quality materials and the introduction of more widespread recycled content. The company says customer feedback has played a big part in this new shift. And it’s not before time; it’s well-documented how reviewers and some drivers of the first wave of ID-badged Volkswagens didn’t gel with the almost exclusively digital controls. The fingertip sliders – often not backlit at night – noted as the biggest offenders.

‘Intuitive operation’
That’s all set to change, though. A renewed focus on ‘intuitive operation’ leads the way with the ID Polo. Just as the exterior of the car, due to be revealed in the coming weeks, is said to be more ‘classic Volkswagen’, the interior of the ID Polo will, it’s said, reflect ‘familiar VW thinking’. The first evidence of this is the steering wheel – its shape may be an unfamiliar squared-off circle, but there are spaces for a potential 22 (!) buttons, none of them haptic.

Not only that, a bank of toggle-like switches for air conditioning and other heating functions sprout shelf-like from the centre of the dashboard, with a rotary wheel on the centre console to control infotainment media functions. Not only that, a quartet of door panel-mounted electric window switches returns, ousting the pair of buttons that had to operate both the front and rear windows by way of a fiddly separate touch interface. Common sense prevails!

Pair of digital screens
In common with other current all-electric ID and combustion-engined Volkswagens, the ID Polo receives a pair of digital screens, a 10.25-inch driver’s display, and a 13-inch high resolution infotainment touchscreen. Like the combustion-engined Polo, these are arranged along a single line of sight, with the whole cabin taking a horizontal-focused architecture approach. The ‘ID Light’ strip, an interactive feature of electric VWs until now also takes on a new detail, extending into the front door panels for the first time.

One thing the ID Polo doesn’t share with its siblings is its uplift in material quality, another past Volkswagen trait, which has, at times, been diluted in recent years. Fabric covers the ID Polo’s floating shelf-like dashboard, with a dividing ledge made from recycled material, notable from its marbled or textured appearance. Fabric returns to the door panels, too, a very much-missed element missing from the current combustion-engined Polo. There are new pull-up lever-type door handles from the just-released second-generation T-Roc, and lots of knurled finishes to button edges.

Retro-themed displays
A playful touch from the ID 2all concept on which the ID Polo is based, has been carried over; a retro-themed setting that turns the driver’s display into a representation of an early Eighties Volkswagen. (The Golf is most often officially mentioned when referring to this, but the facelifted MkI Polo shared the layout, too.) It’s a brilliant touch we’re here for, along with the matching infotainment display that shows a ‘paper’ map for the navigation function, and a choice of a period ‘cassette player’ – with moving spools! – or a radio tuner. They serve no real purpose aside from being fun, but it’s nice that they’re there.

The ID Polo will also debut a new software generation that will, Volkswagen says, deliver more comfort and functions. This includes the third generation of the Travel Assist suite of driving assistance systems, which will recognise red traffic lights and stop signs. One pedal-driving, is set to feature, too, an oversight that has been missing from ID models up until now.

A big step forward
Encouragingly, the first reviews, such as this video from review channel Autogefühl, are positive. We think it appears to be a big step forward, especially from a practical and quality point of view. The use of more natural and fabric materials in particular gives it an elegant and upmarket look, especially in the lighter trim option, as seen in the images and videos Volkswagen has released so far. (A dark option will also be available.)

The combination of the new interior style, the simpler exterior design, and the €25,000 starting price all points to backing up the ID Polo as one of the most significant Volkswagens of the past few years and possibly since the company’s transition to electrification began in 2019 with the launch of the original ID 3. With the camouflage set to be stripped from the exterior very soon, we’ll have the full picture of what must surely be one of the hotly anticipated new cars of 2026.

The post Buttons, fabric and retro-thinking: 2026 Volkswagen ID Polo interior revealed appeared first on PoloDriver.

Following the announcement in September that the good-looking ID 2all concept will enter production as the ID Polo, Volkswagen has announced full details of the technical specification of its smallest – for now – electric car. Released at a covered prototype design and drive workshop event based in Barcelona, the ID Polo will have an eventual choice of four power outputs and two batteries.

Set to be stripped of its Polo Harlequin-inspired camouflage in April or May 2026, the ID Polo will be available with three power outputs: 113bhp (85kW), 132bhp (99kW), and 208bhp (155kW). The most powerful model of the new all-electric Polo family, the 223bhp (166kW) ID Polo GTI will arrive later in the year. Power for all ID Polos will come from the new latest generation APP290 motor. Here’s what else you need to know.

What batteries will the ID Polo have?
Lower-powered 113 and 132bhp models will be fitted with a 37kWh (net) lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, the first time this chemistry has been used on an electric Volkswagen. Both the 208bhp ID Polo and 223bhp ID Polo GTI will come with a 52kWh (net) battery that uses nickel manganese cobalt chemistry, a more traditional set-up used on electric cars for over a decade.

The LFP battery can be charged at DC rapid-charging points at up to 90kW of power, while the NMC unit can accept up to 130kW. The ultimate range of the 52kWh ID Polo is up to 280 miles, eclipsing the official distances offered by the larger battery models of notable rivals such as the Fiat Grande Panda Electric (44kWh, 199 miles), Renault 5 E-Tech Electric (52kWh, 248 miles), and the Vauxhall Corsa Electric (51kWh, 266 miles).

What about the platform technology?
Not only does the ID Polo set a Volkswagen electric car precedent by using a ‘heritage’ name, but it’s also the first VW EV to use a front-wheel drive platform. Based on a development of the Volkswagen Group’s Modular Electric Drive Matrix named MEB+, the new drivetrain allows for the reduction of both components and weight. This permeates through to cost savings which is essential for the ID Polo to reach its target price of €25,000.

Whichever battery is specified, the PowerCo-produced unified cell unit is integrated into the car’s flat underbody. Using new cell-to-pack technology, as the name suggests, the cells are combined directly into the battery pack itself, rather than via an intermediate step using module housings. This has the double benefits of reducing both weight and price, and increasing energy density and potential range.

The ID Polo has been developed with a collaborative approach within the Brand Group Core of the wider Volkswagen Group. Spanish brands Seat and Cupra led the new ‘Electric Urban Car Family’ project, which also includes the Cupra Raval, Skoda Epiq and forthcoming Volkswagen ID Cross SUV. Key technologies such as the chassis, drive, steering, software, and assistance systems stem from the MEB+ platform. The Spanish connection continues into production, too: the ID Polo will be built at the Seat and Cupra factory in Martorell, just as previous Polos were produced at the Volkswagen Navarra plant in Pamplona until July 2024.

Is the ID Polo the same size as a Polo?
The need for less installation space pays dividends, too. Compared to the current MQB-based internal combustion-engined Polo, passengers have an extra 19mm of interior length, while the boot can hold 435 litres of luggage. This is up by 24 per cent compared with the petrol-powered Polo’s 351 litres, and with the rear seats folded down, the load volume of the ID Polo increases 1,243 litres – over 100 litres more than the combustion Polo. Overall, the ID Polo is comparable in size to the petrol Polo.

*37kWh battery **1.0 TSI 95, 7-speed DSG

Not only is the technology powering the ID Polo the very latest in Volkswagen powertrain innovations, next-generation assistance systems also make their way to the new electric member of the Polo family. The enhanced Travel Assist system offers traffic light and stop sign recognition, assisted lane changes on motorways, as well as lateral and longitudinal guidance.

The design of the ID Polo was carried out at the Volkswagen Design Centre in Wolfsburg, and the car is the first production model to feature VW’s new ‘Pure Positive’ design language. You don’t need to strip away the camouflage that much to see that very little has changed from the ID 2all concept of 2023. The covered prototype drive cars still feature covered dashboards so the interior remains under wraps for now, but we suspect it won’t be long until the covers are taken from that, too.

When will the ID Polo be available to buy?
The market launch of the ID Polo is expected to be in spring 2026, with first deliveries arriving with customers in the autumn. The Volkswagen France website opened a priority ‘access’ programme – imaginatively named ‘ID Polo Access’ – since 23 September, where interested parties can register their interest in the new car. Additional benefits include priority access to the ordering of ID models – ID Polo order books are said to open in May 2026 – a €500 WeCharge charging credit, ‘exclusive content’ (including behind the scenes information on the ID Polo project) and ‘experiences and surprises’. ID Polo Access is billed as ‘a way to transform an automobile launch into a true shared experience.’

It also, excitingly, states that the full reveal of the electric Polo will be in February 2026. The French Volkswagen website also lists available trim levels as ID Polo Trend (113bhp/37kWh), ID Polo Life and ID Polo Style (both cars 132bhp/208bhp and 37kWh/52kWh). It also says the larger battery models will arrive first, in mid-September 2026, with the smaller battery versions due for a mid-November arrival. The ID Polo GTI is said to be available from March 2027. We watch and wait…

There’s no denying that the ID Polo has a huge responsibility resting on its – neatly designed – shoulders. It has to reset the public’s perception of Volkswagen’s range of ID-badged electric cars and their associated foibles, whether that be digital controls or a lack of ‘character’; it is the first VW to carry a ‘heritage’ name into the electric age; and it has to be an entry point into the zero-emission Volkswagen family.

Are there other new electric VWs to come?
‘The ID Polo marks the beginning of a new generation of Volkswagen: with a fresh design, intuitive operation, top quality and first-class driving characteristics – and finally with a proper name again,’ said Thomas Schäfer, member of the board of management of Volkswagen AG, Brand Group Core and CEO of the Volkswagen brand. ‘With an entry-level price starting at €25,000, we are making electric mobility accessible to many people in Europe. And this is just the beginning – in 2026, we will launch six new electric models.’

The ID Polo is one of four new Volkswagen electric models in the small car and compact segment, and a fleet of almost production-ready ID prototypes is undergoing final testing in numerous regions worldwide. With the full exterior and interior reveal of the car imminent, specification details for UK models will be released in the coming months. This year might have been a celebration for the Polo’s 50th anniversary but with the arrival of both the ID Polo and ID Polo GTI in 2026, the party isn’t over quite yet.

The post Full technical details of Volkswagen ID Polo released ahead of 2026 debut appeared first on PoloDriver.

In a very welcome, exciting, and surprising, but perhaps not totally unexpected, announcement, Volkswagen has confirmed that the Polo name will carry on into the electric age. The arrival of the ID Polo, a fully electric version of the supermini, spearheads the transfer of established Volkswagen nameplates to its ID family.

In equally exciting news, the ID Polo is the series production version of the ID 2all concept car from 2023. At the time of the concept’s reveal, we asked if it was an electric Polo – even drawing comparisons to the Mk IV Polo – and are delighted that our initial thoughts have been confirmed. The icing on this very important cake is that underneath its heavy camouflage, the ID 2all looks to have been turned into the ID Polo virtually unchanged. Even the wheels are the same as the concept. It’s quite a lot to take in.

ID Polo GTI
However, not content with all that, Volkswagen has also revealed the ID GTI Concept – itself based on the ID 2all – will become the ID Polo GTI in production. And as with the ID Polo, the looks of the concept appear to have been carried onto the car we’ll see on the roads next year. Showing Volkswagen’s new ‘Pure Positive’ design language, no interior images or complete technical specifications have been released, but the ID Polo GTI is said to have 264bhp, while the ID Polo will have a starting price under €25,000.

Volkswagen says that the new naming concept will, ‘provide better orientation for customers,’ and that, ‘ID family and models with conventional drives will be offered in parallel.’ We’re taking that to mean that the combustion-engined Polo will continue until 2030 at least, its scheduled production end date.

Life-extending reprieve
Given a life-extending reprieve in 2024 as Euro 7 vehicle emission regulations were relaxed, the Polo exported to left and right-hand drive European and Asia-Pacific markets is now produced solely in South Africa at Volkswagen’s Kariega factory, the plant being the only exporter for these models in the Volkswagen Group. Newly built Polos leave Kariega for 38 markets around the world.

Between July 2024 and June 2025, 119,336 Polos have been exported from Kariega, the car’s biggest markets being Germany, France and the United Kingdom. On top of this, the Polo was South Africa’s most exported vehicle during 2024. Production of the Polo in Europe stopped on 2 July 2024, 40 years since the first model built at the Volkswagen Navarra factory in Pamplona, Spain, rolled off the lines on 20 March 1984.

A total of 8,422,161 Polos have been manufactured at the Landaben plant, and the facilities are now being readied for the start of production of two electric models in 2026, one Škoda and one Volkswagen, one of which may even be the ID Polo…

‘Just the beginning’
Commenting on the new naming strategy – more familiar-named and heritage-steeped models will follow the ID Polo – Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand, Head of the Brand Group Core and member of the Group Board of Management said, ‘Our model names are firmly anchored in people’s minds. They stand for a strong brand and embody characteristics such as quality, timeless design and technologies for all. That’s why we’re moving our well-known names into the future. The ID Polo is just the beginning.’

The Volkswagen brand’s more established names will move to the electric portfolio with each new model generation. Alongside, all vehicles with ‘conventional’ (internal combustion) drivetrains will continue to run under their previous and long-standing names. The aim, Volkswagen says, is to help customers navigate the brand’s product range more easily in the future.

Polo’s 50th anniversary year
The ID Polo reveal comes during the Polo’s 50th anniversary year. Martin Sander, Member of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, said, ‘Our cars often accompany people for many years – they shape memories and stages of life. A model like the Polo shows just how powerful a name can be: it stands for reliability, personality and history. That’s precisely why we are again giving our ID models names that arouse emotions and are anchored in people’s everyday lives. Electric mobility should not only be progressive but also accessible and personal.

‘We are bringing one of our strongest brands, the GTI, into the electric world, too,’ added Sander. ‘Launching in 2026, the ID GTI Concept will go into production as the ID Polo GTI. It will offer outstanding dynamics and plenty of driving pleasure.’ This is significant, as the first electric GTI will not be a Golf, but a Polo, presumably as it’s a slightly less hallowed model with less risk attached. Whatever the reason, it’s a huge landmark in the Polo story.

Camouflaged public debut
The ID Polo and ID Polo GTI will make their first global public appearance at the IAA Mobility motor show in Munich, from 8-14 September. They will still be wearing their striking camouflage – the ID Polo’s pop art-inspired wrap draws on elements from the special anniversary livery unveiled on a Polo rally car in April – with presumably an unwrapped debut coming later in the year, but you can strip the camouflage away…

Speaking of the anniversary-liveried rally Polo, computer-generated teaser videos have trailled a special ‘Polo Project Drift’ event taking place on 5 September at 16:00 CEST (15:00 UK BST), which we take to be around, and part of, all the various Volkswagen IAA Mobility activities.

On 7 September, Volkswagen will unveil the concept car for an electric compact SUV, the new ID Cross Concept. The production version of this – the ID Cross – will be launched at the end of 2026 as the electric counterpart to the current Polo-based T-Cross. Exciting times.

The post ID Polo and ID Polo GTI to carry Polo name into the electric age appeared first on PoloDriver.

Whether it be an entry level Polo Life, the distinctive Polo Style or Polo Black Edition, the value-packed Polo Match, or the sporty Polo R-Line and GTI, if you are thinking of buying a new Polo in the model’s 50th anniversary year, you might want to take advantage of the Volkswagen Epic Sale, which began on 26 August and runs until 8 September.

Open to UK customers, the event offers discounts of up to £750 for retail customers on any Volkswagen model, with the exception of the ID Buzz. Available in addition to any existing offers*, there are no restrictions on powertrains, with petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric cars all qualifying for the full £750 discount.

All new car orders must be registered by 31 December 2025, whether they are financed by cash buyers or by customers using a personal contract plan (PCP) from Volkswagen Financial Services (subject to terms, retail customers only aged 18 or over).

Polo range begins at £20,700
With the Epic Sale discount, the Polo range starts at £20,700 for the entry level 78bhp Life, rising to £29,990 for the range-topping 204bhp GTI. In-between, the 94bhp celebratory Polo Edition 50 marking the model’s 50 birthday is priced from £25,600, including discount.

A total of 166,304 new Volkswagen passenger vehicles were registered in the UK during 2024, making VW the biggest-selling brand for new cars in the UK. Holding this position for the past four years, Volkswagen was the only manufacturer to count three models among the UK’s top 10 most popular cars during July this year, with the Tiguan, T-Roc and Golf all making the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders chart.

*Terms and conditions apply. For more details of the Volkswagen Epic Sale please visit www.volkswagen.co.uk.

The post Volkswagen Epic Sale promotion runs from 26 August-8 September 2025 appeared first on 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!

The post Fifty years of Polo to be celebrated at 2025 Tatton Park VW Show appeared first on PoloDriver.

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.

The post Special Polo Edition 50 celebrates small Volkswagen’s 50th birthday appeared first on PoloDriver.

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!

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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!

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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.

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If you’re here, you’re probably aware the Volkswagen Polo celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025, and today marks another important date in its history. The first-generation Polo was presented to the international media from 16-22 March 1975, following the beginning of production not quite two weeks earlier.

The international press presentation and driving event was staged in Hanover, 55 miles west from Volkwagen’s Wolfsburg headquarters. We like the idea of tens of brightly-coloured Polos whizzing around the streets of the Lower Saxony capital city – the scene would be similar to this footage of the August 1974 Audi 50 press launch in Sardinia – and venturing out onto the vast and empty autobahns to cruise flat out at a top speed of 82mph…

Volkswagen’s smallest model in its new wave of water-cooled cars was also on show at the 48th Salon de L’Auto Geneve – the Geneva motor show – having been unveiled there on 13 March 1975. On display until the show’s end on 23 March, a gleaming Marino Yellow Polo L took centre stage on an underlit revolving platform, with a few others scattered about around it. This fantastic video shows some rare footage of the event, and doesn’t our star of the show look fabulous?

In this 50th anniversary year, we’ll have more posts on notable dates and models, but for now, head to our heritage pages to learn more about the history of the Polo, and in particular, how the first-generation Polo arrived as a cut-price version of the Audi 50, outliving its more expensive relative by four years. Happy international media presentation birthday, Polo!

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The Volkswagen Polo celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025, and there is a reason to celebrate today. On 5 March 1975, production of the Polo began at VW’s Wolfsburg plant. The almost identical Audi 50 was already rolling off Wolfsburg’s production lines, having been launched in August 1974.

Volkswagen’s headquarters site at Wolfsburg would be the sole production home of the Polo until 1984, when the small VW began to be assembled in SEAT’s plant at Pamplona in Spain. This became the site most synonymous with Polo production, the last model coming off the lines in July 2024 after a 40-year run.

The picture above is said to be one of the first, if not the first, image of the new small VW of the Seventies, and the car that completed Volkswagen’s then-new water-cooled line-up. The Polo wouldn’t be seen in public until its launch at the 1975 Geneva motor show around two weeks after the start of production, but the car had been mooted to arrive for several months before. In a synchronistic twist, Volkswagen will unveil the concept version of its ID 1 electric car later today, which, like the first-generation Polo, will be the smallest car in the Volkswagen family.

In this 50th anniversary year, we’ll have more posts on notable dates and models, but for now, head to our heritage pages to learn more about the history of the Polo, and in particular, how the first-generation Polo arrived as a cut-price version of the Audi 50, outliving its more expensive relative by four years. Happy production birthday, Polo!

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Motorsport fans will know the Polo has enjoyed worldwide success in the World Rally Championship and the World Rallycross Championship, but closer to home the Polo Cup circuit series has been a breeding ground for young driver talent since the early 1980s. Now, after an absence of almost two decades, the Polo Cup series will return to Germany.

Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa has announced a partnership with Maraco Management, a marketing, racing and consulting agency to introduce its hugely successful Polo Cup series into Germany for the 2026 season.

Just as in the current South African Polo Cup series – which has been running for almost three decades – the German Polo Cup will see drivers behind the wheel of a 2.0-litre Polo GTI Cup car with 295bhp and a six-speed sequential gearbox. The cars will be built at the Volkswagen plant in Kariega where all European and Asia-bound Polo road cars are made, and will be supplied by Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa.

Driver exchange programme
As with earlier iterations of the German Polo Cup series, a key part of the partnership is a driver exchange programme. This is being developed between Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa and Maraco Management, and will give young driving talent opportunities to grow in the sport.

‘Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa will also provide technical support to the competitors, while Maraco Management will offer driver coaching, media training, data coaching, and sports mental training to ensure every driver is equipped with the skills to excel on and off the track,’ said Mike Rowe, head of Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa.

‘Partnering with Maraco Management to introduce the Polo Cup Series in Germany is an exciting milestone for Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa. This partnership reflects our commitment to nurturing emerging talent, advancing motorsport technology, and expanding our global footprint. We are eager to provide drivers with the tools, training, and support to succeed, as we continue to build on Volkswagen’s rich motorsport heritage.

‘Key development’
‘This partnership marks an important step in strengthening Volkswagen Motorsport South Africa’s presence in global motorsport. The 2026 Volkswagen Polo Cup Series will be a key development for the future of motorsport,’ Rowe continued.

‘This new partnership highlights the strength of international collaboration in motorsport, bringing together diverse expertise, innovation, as well as a shared passion for racing,’ said Thorsten Williams of Maraco Management. ‘It showcases how working across borders can create powerful synergies and drive progress in the sport, setting the stage for groundbreaking achievements and a truly global impact.’

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The Volkswagen Polo now has more reason to celebrate in 2025! Alongside the marking of its 50th birthday, it has been named the Best Car of the Half Century as part of the Best Cars of the Year – The New Car World Championships. It is the second consecutive year a Volkswagen has scooped the prize, the Golf being the 2024 recipient, the same year it celebrated its 50th anniversary.

The Best Car of the Half Century title plays a significant role in the annual British Motor Show, which this year is due to take place at the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre on 15-17 August. Visitors to the event will be able to see the Polo, and learn why it has been the supermini of choice for millions of people for the past 50 years.

The New Car World Championships judging panel responsible for the award comprises a who’s who of international motoring experts, including auto industry figureheads, automotive consultants, broadcasters, car designers and engineers, journalists, media professionals, motor club chiefs, motoring event organisers, motorsport personalities, and vehicle retailers.

Five decades of success
The award recognises five decades of success for the Volkswagen Polo, and judge, automotive journalist Mike Rutherford, who founded the awards, said, ‘The 20 million motorists who’ve been buying Volkswagen Polos since 1975 can’t be wrong. It’s been the most consistently credible supermini of the past 50 years and has repeatedly hit the sweet spot in terms of design, overall dimensions, build quality, competitive retail pricing, efficiency and low standing and running costs.

‘It’s a real-world car for budget-conscious, real-world motorists who appreciate the affordability and durability of their long-lasting Polos. And it’s fair to say that since the birth of the Mk 1 version in 1975, it has grown in size, stature and market relevance. No longer is a Polo a basic supermini to be driven on tight, slow streets, in busy towns and cities across the world. At more than four metres long in its current Mk 6 guise, it’s more of a small, credible, and borderline premium-quality family hatchback.’

(Well-said Mike.)

Rod McLeod, director of Volkswagen UK, said, ‘We are all delighted to see the Polo claim this award; it’s a great way to kick off its 50th anniversary celebrations. The Polo is not just a pioneer in terms of technical innovations, but also represents affordable mobility for all. These attributes and values are as relevant and as important to customers today as they were half a century ago, and we believe that’s why our evergreen supermini has stood the test of time.’

Most successful model
More than 20 million Polos have been sold worldwide since its debut, and it has established itself as one of the most successful models in its class. Now exclusively built in South Africa for the local market, and for export to Europe, the Polo is also built in Anchieta and Taubaté in Brazil, and in China by SAIC Volkswagen. The supermini was also produced for a decade in India, in Volkswagen’s Pune plant.

As well as being popular with everyday motorists in its road car guise, the Polo has also been a phenomenally successful motorsport star. The almost unstoppable four-wheel-drive, 300bhp Polo R WRC secured four World Rally Championship titles in a row from 2013 to 2016.

During 2024, 166,304 new Volkswagen passenger vehicles were registered in the UK, making the marque the country’s most popular new car brand for the fourth year running. Almost 29,000 of those were Polos, second only to the Golf (32,370) among Volkswagen sales in the UK last year. The Polo was also the 20th most popular car in Europe last year, with 135,303 examples finding new homes.

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Further to the announcement of the start of its celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the Polo, Volkswagen has released more details of the cars that will be on its stand at the upcoming Bremen Classic Motorshow, from 31 January to 2 February.

The Oceanic Blue Polo L has already appeared in Volkswagen’s press release announcing that the company is marking five decades of its evergreen supermini, but it will be joined by a rare hillclimbing Polo, dating from 1977. We’re unsure as to whether the car is owned by Volkswagen Classic, but whoever’s car it is, excitingly, it’s an early Polo we’ve not seen before. A racer for around 20 years, the Bali Green motorsport machine underwent a two-year restoration before it took to the track again in 2022 at the Osnabrück hillclimb, an event which forms part of the FIA International Hill Climb Cup.

Touch of menace
Devoid of any massive spoilers, the wheelarch extensions really pop against the Polo’s simple
and beautifully drawn lines. The front air dam adds a touch of menace, while inside, although the flock-covered dashboard is (barely) recognisable as that of a first-generation Polo, the tough-looking roll-cage points to this Polo’s non-road car life. Other nods to motorsport include the 107bhp, 1300cc engine – almost as much as an early Polo Coupé GT G40, and nearly double that of the 1979, 60bhp Polo GT – and a top speed of 94mph (believe us, that’s more than enough in a first-generation Polo!). Its lowered ride height – compare the headlamp heights of it and the standard Polo in the first image – and body addenda also give it a much tougher stance.

In contrast, the Polo L looks delicate and elegant. This car is from 1975, the first year of Polo production, and this is also recognisable by the colour. Restored by Volkswagen Classic for the launch of the sixth-generation Polo in 2017, it is a perfect example of an early model in more deluxe L-specification, which included chrome-plated bumpers, side trim and door insert strips, and VW grille badge, as well as reversing lights, a two-speed fan blower, full carpeting – the basic Polo made do with full rubber matting – and a passenger sun visor. Power came from a four-cylinder, 37bhp 895cc engine. Even with a weight of just 685kg, performance was best described as ‘leisurely’. Top speed was 82mph.

Increased popularity
Launched as the final piece of the new water-cooled Volkswagen jigsaw, the Polo followed the Passat, Scirocco, and Golf to market, although had appeared the year prior to its debut as the Audi 50. While the small Audi died a quiet death in 1978, the Polo’s better sales and increased popularity ensured it lived on, but few could have predicted it would still be here 50 years after it arrived. With more than 20 million sales, it must rank as one of the most popular small cars ever, so it’s very pleasing it will see its time in the spotlight online and at events during 2025.

Both the Oceanic Blue Polo L and the hillclimb Polo will be star attractions on the Volkswagen Classic stand – D08 in Hall 5 – at the Bremen Classic Motorshow from 31 January to 2 February. One of the most important events for classic vehicles at the beginning of the year, the show usually attracts numerous visitors from all over Europe. Around 50,000 visitors are expected to take in the classic car atmosphere this year.

For those not in attendance, we hope that Volkswagen brings the cars out once more. And if you can’t venture to northern Germany next weekend, then Volkswagen has produced a celebratory brochure marking the Polo’s big milestone: download here. Further materials can be found in the Volkswagen Newsroom.

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Volkswagen UK is looking to banish the winter blues and get the Polo’s 50th anniversary year off to a sweet start by offering Polo-shaped cookies on social media ‘Blue Monday’, which in 2025, falls on 20 January.

To be in with a chance of receiving one, all you have to do is to leave a comment on any of Volkswagen UK’s social media platform accounts – Facebook, Instagram and TikTok – on 20 January stating which Volkswagens make you smile (no guessing which one it would be for us…). A limited number of free cookies are on offer, with winners being selected at random.

All of the iced Polo cookies are designed, made and supplied by online baker Luluz Treats, and the giveaway is open to entrants aged 18 or over and who live in the UK; full terms and conditions are on the relevant Volkswagen UK social media platform accounts.

Volkswagen states, ‘Blue Monday is said to be one of the most depressing days of the year, because it coincides with dark winter days, post-Christmas money worries and the failure of many people’s new year resolutions. It usually falls on the third Monday of the year, which this year is Monday 20 January.’

‘It’s only three weeks since most of us were enjoying the warm post-Christmas glow and also celebrating the start of 2025, but the winter blues are making all that feel like a distant memory for some people,’ said Fiona Jones, social media manager at Volkswagen UK. ‘We hope our cookie giveaway helps to alleviate that and spreads a little Polo 50th birthday joy this January.’

If you want a Polo cookie – and come on, who doesn’t! – look out for the giveaway posts on Volkswagen UK’s Facebook, Instagram and TikTok social media accounts.

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This year was always going to be a notable one for the Volkswagen Polo. First launched in March 1975, VW’s evergreen supermini celebrates its 50th birthday in 2025. And pleasingly, for Polo enthusiasts the world over, Volkswagen is officially celebrating this achievement with appearances of special and significant vehicles from its Classic heritage department throughout this anniversary year. (The Polo even gets its own celebratory logo!)

Throughout those five decades, the Polo has often upheld the quality benchmark honour in the small car class, and has democratised many innovations usually seen on larger vehicles. It has also outlived almost all of its market rivals – most notably the Ford Fiesta launched in 1976 – as it has transitioned through six generations and a 20 million-example production run.

Polo I: 1975-1981
Following the introduction of the technologically advanced water-cooled family of vehicles in the early 1970s, designed to replace the aging air-cooled Beetle, the first-generation Polo was the final piece of the new model jigsaw. Based on the Audi 50 that arrived in 1974, its pretty shape, high quality levels, refined engines, and more affordable price helped guarantee its success. By the time production ended in 1981, more than 1.1 million had been produced at Volkswagen’s parent Wolfsburg factory.

Polo II: 1981-1994
As is typical at Volkswagen, evolution rather than revolutions has been the name of the game, over those intervening five decades. More modern engines, increased space and a three-car family – the ‘estate’ car-looking hatchback, the sporty coupé with its more sloping tail, and the traditionally styled three-box saloon – arrived with the introduction of the second-generation Polo in September 1981. A high level of power came in 1985 with the launch of the limited-run Polo Coupé GT G40 with its ‘G-Lader’ scroll-type supercharger, and in 1990, Volkswagen’s small car was the first in its class to be available with catalytic converter technology and fuel injection.

Polo III: 1994-2002 and Polo IV: 2002-2009
The third-generation Polo of 1994 brought a five-door bodystyle for the first time, and was one of the first small cars to be fitted with airbags, increasing the Polo’s reputation for safety. Building on the success of its Golf bigger brother, a full-blooded Polo GTI appeared in 1998. In 2002, the fourth-generation Polo innovated further with front and side airbags, ABS and power steering as standard, and was the first Volkswagen model to feature FSI (Fuel Stratified Injection) engine technology.

Polo V: 2009-2017
In terms of popularity, the fifth-generation Polo of 2009 shines brightly, with 6.1 million examples built. This model heralded the arrival of infotainment systems, and driver assistance technology, as well as TSI (Turbocharged Stratified Injection) engines. Active Cylinder Management (ACT) engine technology also made its debut on the Polo V, with the four-cylinder engines able to shut down two cylinders under light loads to improve economy and lessen tailpipe emissions without the need for hybrid assistance. The car was also a hugely successful motorsport star – the Polo R WRC won the World Rally Championship title an amazing four times in a row from 2013 – and was embraced by more global markets, such as India, in 2010.

Polo VI: 2017-current
The current and sixth-generation Polo arrived in 2017, and is based on the modular transverse matrix (MQB), ushering in higher levels of connectivity, safety and driving dynamics. Updated in 2021 with more digital technology, the current model has assistance and comfort systems that are usually reserved for cars from higher vehicle classes.

Updated 2025 Polo
Along with the parade of classic Polos to be showcased at events during 2025, speaking to UK publication Autocar in late 2024, Kai Grünitz, Brand Board Member for Technical Development at Volkswagen Passenger Cars, confirmed the Polo will get an ‘extensive update’ this year, happily coinciding with the anniversary celebrations. This follows the welcome – and perhaps surprising – confirmation that the Polo will live on until at least 2030 due to the softening of Euro 7 exhaust emission regulations.

Alongside these developments, there is the imminent – late 2025 – arrival of the smallest electric Volkswagen yet, currently christened ID 2, and said to look very close to the ID 2all concept car of 2023. With some rumours suggesting Volkswagen’s electric car ‘ID’ sub-brand nomenclature may be dropped altogether, or that future zero-emission versions of current nameplates may adopt an ‘ID’ prefix to aid the transition to an all-electric VW model family – ‘ID Golf’ for example – recent media reports hint the ID 2 may well be called ID Polo, but we’ll await confirmation until official details are released.

Half-century milestone
Volkswagen celebrated 50 years of the Passat in 2023, five decades of the Golf in 2024, and now it’s the Polo’s turn to bask in the commemorative spotlight as it marks its half-century milestone. It’s exciting to learn Volkswagen Classic will present historic Polo models from its collection during the car’s anniversary year. The first opportunity for Polo fans to celebrate will be at the Bremen Classic Motorshow from 31 January to 2 February, where a 1975 Polo L in the rare Oceanic Blue paint colour will be displayed, along with what Volkswagen Classic states is a ‘unique hillclimb Polo’ from 1977.

We cannot wait, and are planning to run a series of special anniversary themed features here on PoloDriver.com. Join us in a year of celebration!

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The words ‘Polo’ and ‘Goodwood Festival of Speed’ rarely, if ever, appear in the same sentence. So it was with great excitement that I opened an email from one of the organising team of the UK’s – the world’s – greatest motorsport festival.

In addition to the obvious action of cars speeding up the hill in front of Goodwood House, the four-day event has static displays, too, the most prestigious area being the Cartier Style et Luxe lawn, which usually features priceless supercars and vintage machinery on the grass next to Lord March’s country house. For 2024, one section of the lawn was to celebrate the work of car designer Marcello Gandini, who worked for Italian styling house Bertone, and was said to have had a hand in the Audi 50 of 1974, which became the original Volkswagen Polo.

Unmolested example
I feel this may be too laboured a point, as numerous stories haven’t confirmed the authenticity of this claim, but Goodwood wanted a car for the lawn, so around two months before the event, tasked me with the task of finding an unmolested example of Volkswagen’s pretty 1970s supermini. One lead sadly didn’t happen, so a post on a couple of now almost-defunct Polo forums resulted in Stuart Turner’s gorgeous 84,000-mile Manila Green 1977 Polo L being picked for the event.

Having seen it on Thursday 11 July when the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed opened its gates, the car looked perfect, with all the period details present and correct. Stuart has done a fantastic job in restoring the car to a period specification and, placed near one entrance/exit gate, it was attracting as much attention as the Lamborghini Miura and Countach parked just a few feet away.

It has been a genuine honour to see a Polo at such a prestigious event, and if you’d like to catch a glimpse of Stuart’s immaculate Polo at Goodwood, head to the Cartier Style et Luxe lawn. The 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed started on 11 July, and runs through the rest of the weekend of 13-14 July at the Goodwood Estate near Chichester in the UK.

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In addition to being a successful circuit racer and rally car, the Volkswagen Polo has been a rallycross star, too. It has dipped out of the FIA World Rallycross (World RX) series in recent seasons due to the championship’s switch to electric-powered vehicles (although the Volkswagen RX1e was in all intents and purposes a Polo, at least certainly in silhouette). However, the VW is back to mix it on the mixed surface racetracks in 2024, as six-time World RX champion Johan Kristoffersson switches back to a combustion-engined car in his chase for a seventh career crown. 

Running on sustainable fuel, the (deep breath) 2024 Volkswagen Polo KMS 601 RX is the result of a partnership between Kristoffersson Motorsport (KMS) and Horse Powertrain, through Swedish company Aurobay. Supported by Volkswagen, Red Bull, and Bauhaus, a pair of Polos will compete in the inaugural ‘Battle of the Technologies’ campaign. Ole Christian Veiby will partner Kristoffersson in the second Polo RX. 

The cars have been developed in-house over the winter at the KMS Arvika workshop, and are described by team principal Tommy Kristoffersson as the best rallycross cars his crew has ever built. That looks to be true, in their only competitive outing to-date – at Tierp in the 2024 RallyX curtain-raiser – Kristoffersson and Veiby delivered a definitive one-two finish on both days. However, Kristoffersson is playing down their chances of repeating that feat at the highest level.

‘It will be tough to compete against the electric cars with our machines, but Aurobay is a dream partner for us, not only as a sponsor but also in technical terms,’ says Kristoffersson Jnr. ‘It will be fun to work with a long-term structure and plan accordingly. This is an exciting project that has a lot of typical KMS spirit about it.’

Veiby, who will be chasing his maiden World RX victory in 2024, echoes his teammate. ‘We are doing a turnaround and going in a different direction, which makes it difficult to predict how we will compare with the competition,’ he says. ‘There are many complicated elements that have to be tested on a new car, but it will be exciting to work with such a large and supportive partner,’ he continues.

Under the guiding hand of Kristoffersson Snr, KMS took the 2022 and 2023 World RX Teams’ trophies, and he is similarly upbeat about the new partnership, which he believes can help to send the outfit to the next level. ‘Aurobay is the best partner we can think of,’ says the multiple Swedish Rallycross Champion. ‘This is a win-win situation – we will benefit tremendously from each other. We both have a large staff of extremely talented engineers, meaning we will be able to exchange experiences and also personnel.

‘In the Volkswagen Group where I was trained, the motto has always been all motorsport should ultimately benefit the consumer. There is nothing that drives development forward as effectively as competition. With this project, we can take part in developing tomorrow’s engines,’ he states.

‘It’s inspiring to see the extreme desire and passion that exists within Horse Powertrain and Aurobay. Our ambition is a long-term collaboration for at least five years, which gives us the peace of mind to develop our cars with long foresight. We also hope to contribute to our partner becoming an obvious alternative as an engine manufacturer for many different car brands.

‘On the sporting side, “Battle of Technologies” is a fantastic concept that is unique to rallycross. It is an extremely big challenge, but an interesting one. We have a brand new car, a brand new partner and a very short timespan to match the electric cars. Although we have won in World RX for the last few years, we have to be humble and realise it will take a lot for us to fight for the title again, but having always aspired to be an attractive team for someone who is looking for a development partner, now we are there, it feels incredibly satisfying,’ Kristoffersson reports. 

Aurobay has developed, engineered and manufactured next-generation powertrain solutions for over 100 years, while Horse Powertrain Limited is a global leader in hybrid and combustion powertrain components and systems. With a 19,000-strong workforce across three continents, it partners with automotive OEMs worldwide to enable a faster transition to cleaner mobility.

‘Our vision for racing and performance is that we want to show the world our off-the-shelf two-litre engines can be tuned to much higher power levels to achieve great results in motorsport,’ explains Michael Fleiss, Aurobay Sweden CEO. ‘The FIA World Rallycross Championship is a fantastic platform for Horse Powertrain Ltd to show what ICE can deliver when powered by alternative fuels,’ says Matias Giannini, CEO of Horse Powertrain Limited. ‘We can provide powerful, lightweight and modular solutions for any occasion.’

The 2024 World RX campaign will get underway on KMS-Horse Powertrain home soil at Höljes’ legendary World RX of Sweden ‘Magic Weekend’ on 6-7 July. Kristoffersson and Veiby will be joined by Gustav Bergström and Sondre Evjen who will be driving a pair of electric Volkswagen RX1e rallycross machines.

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