VW Polo: A small car comes up trumps
It is a four-time world rally champion, its power output has climbed from 40 to 318 hp, it has already been produced over 20 million times and it is celebrating its 50th birthday in 2025: the VW Polo - happy birthday!
When the legendary VW Beetle was due to be replaced in the 1970s, VW launched not one but several models on the market to succeed it as the new Volkswagen for the masses: the Passat was launched in 1973, followed by the Golf a year later and the Polo in 1975. Positioned one class below the Golf, the Polo rounded off the then new VW model family with front-wheel drive from Wolfsburg (Germany). And it is now celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025.
The small car presented in March 1975 was based on the Audi 50 and went into series production as the VW Polo in Wolfsburg (Germany) in a slightly modified form. Since then, the VW Polo has inspired generations of people and is now in its sixth generation on our roads. The small car stands for affordable mobility - it cost 7500 German marks at the time, which was equivalent to just under 7900 francs. It shone with a timeless design and pioneering technology. With over 20 million vehicles sold, the Polo has also established itself as one of the most successful models in its class.
And the Polo has also been further developed from generation to generation. While the first VW Polo accelerated to 100 km/h in a rather leisurely 21.2 seconds, the Polo VI GTI today needs just 6.5 seconds for the parade sprint. This is despite the fact that, compared to the Polo I with a total weight of just 685 kg, the Polo VI now had a lot more on its ribs at 1143 kg.
Incidentally, the Polo II already brought a number of improvements from 1981, including more space and comfort as well as modernized engines. The G-Lader, which provided more power, made its debut in the limited special series Polo Coupé GT G40 in 1987. In its third generation from 1994, the small VW was one of the first vehicles in its class to offer innovative safety features such as airbags.
Things got really sporty for the first time in 1998, when the first GTI version of the Polo was launched. The front-wheel drive car produced 120 hp from the 1.6-liter engine. However, it took another two generations before it also caused a sensation in motorsport. With the Polo R WRC, VW then won the World Rally Championship title four times in a row from 2013 onwards. Digital innovations also found their way into the Polo V: from 2009, infotainment and assistance systems made driving much more comfortable for the general public.
Since 2017, the sixth and current generation of the once 3.50 m long and 1.56 m wide VW Polo, which has since grown to 4.07 m long and 1.75 m wide, has been setting new standards in terms of connectivity, safety and driving dynamics. The sixth generation is based on the VW Group's modular transverse matrix (MQB) and has been even more digital and innovative since its revision in 2021. The little car has become an international bestseller that now even allows semi-automated driving thanks to IQ.Drive Travel Assist. Not bad and really innovative for a 50-year-old!
To mark the anniversary year, VW is organizing various events for the Polo, at which historic models will also be presented. The first event is the Bremen Classic Motorshow Two early examples can be seen here: an oceanic blue Polo L from 1975 and a unique hill climb Polo from 1977.
