Volkswagen Polo (ˈpoːlo, Rus. Volkswagen Polo) is a compact car of the German automaker Volkswagen, which has been in production since 1975. It was produced with hatchback bodies (Polo, Polo...
Volkswagen Polo (ˈpoːlo, Rus. Volkswagen Polo) is a compact car of the German automaker Volkswagen, which has been in production since 1975. It was produced with hatchback bodies (Polo, Polo Coupe), sedan (Derby, Polo Classic, Polo Sedan), station wagon (Polo Variant) and cargo-passenger van (Caddy). In 2010 it was named Car of the Year in Europe [1] and worldwide [2]. Polo is consistently among the ten best-selling cars in Europe. Since 2010, Polo has been produced on a full cycle at the Volkswagen plant in Russia near Kaluga [3].
On March 13, 1975, the Polo was first shown at the Geneva Motor Show, with the first cars arriving in May. [100]
Production of second-generation cars began in August 1981, and the Derby sedan appeared in December. [101] In 1983, the millionth car was manufactured [102]. In February 1984, cars began to be assembled in Spain at the SEAT plant located in the city of Pamplona, municipality of Martorell [103]. In June 1986, Volkswagen acquired a 51% stake in SEAT and incorporated the brand into a corporation [104]. In December 1986, the two millionth Polo rolled off the assembly line [105]. On May 21, 1990, the first Polo was assembled at the Trabant plant in Zwickau [106]. A year later, in May 1991, the three millionth Polo car was assembled [24]. In April 1994, Volkswagen became the full owner of the Fábricia Navarra de Automóviles, S.A. plant, which produced the Polo in Pamplona; in December, the plant was renamed Volkswagen Navarra, S.A. [107]
In August 1994, cars of the third generation were released, first in Spain in Pamplona and a month later in Wolfsburg. The Polo was first introduced with a five-door body [23]. In June 1995, the 4 millionth car was produced [29]. On November 17, 1995, a new assembly plant was opened in General Pacheco, Argentina, near Buenos Aires, where production of the Polo (hatchback) and Polo Classic (sedan) began in April 1996 [30]. In November 1995, the second generation of Caddy, based on the Polo, began to be assembled in Spain, in Martorell [108]. In May 1997, the 5 millionth Polo was released [24]. In June 1999, production of the Polo began at a new plant in Bratislava, Slovakia. [31] In October 2000, on the 25th anniversary of the Polo, the 6.5 millionth car was produced. [32]
In August 2001, production of the fourth generation Polo began. [41] The car was officially unveiled to the public at the Frankfurt Motor Show on the tragic day of September 11, 2001 [41]. In December, series production of the Polo began in Shanghai, China. [44] With the start of production in 2002 with the Polo and in 2003 with the Polo Sedan, Volkswagen`s oldest plant outside Germany, at São Bernardo do Campo in Brazil, has undergone major modernization. [45] Fox and the updated 2005 Polo continued to be produced in Argentina, the Polo Classic sedan with the number 200 001 was released, this car entered the ten most massive cars in Argentina in history [109]. In 2006-2009, Polo was assembled in Belgium at the Audi plant near Brussels [56]. In 2007, the production of Polo in Bratislava was discontinued, instead of it, in 2008, Skoda Octavia began to be assembled here [110].
On March 30, 2009, the release of the new fifth generation Polos began in Pamplona, Spain. [61] In early 2009, an assembly plant was opened in the city of Pune in India, assembly of Skoda Fabia began here in May, and Polo was launched in December [69], on February 4, 2010, Polo was assembled here under the number 11 111 111 [70]. In 2010, production of the new Polo, Polo Vivo and Cross Polo began in Eitenhah, South Africa [73].
