Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) has celebrated the production of its three millionth Polo at its Kariega manufacturing plant — a milestone that reinforces the automaker’s legacy as one of South Africa’s leading industrial contributors. The achievement also marks four decades of partnership with Continental Tyre South Africa (CTSA), which has supplied original equipment (OE) tyres to Volkswagen since 1985.
The Kariega facility, one of the country’s most advanced automotive plants, has produced multiple generations of the Polo for both domestic and international markets. Continental’s tyres have been fitted to the Polo line throughout its evolution, ensuring the model’s reputation for reliability, safety, and driving comfort.
“This milestone is a testament to Volkswagen’s commitment to quality and innovation, and we’re proud to have been part of their journey from the beginning,” said Ross Currie, Regional Key Account Manager at CTSA. “The Polo remains an iconic vehicle — a South African-built success story — and our tyres have been integral to that story.”
Over the decades, Continental has delivered millions of tyres to support Polo production, peaking in 2015 with nearly 520,000 tyres supplied as local and export demand surged. The partnership reflects the depth of collaboration between South Africa’s automotive and component manufacturing sectors — a relationship critical to sustaining competitiveness and export growth.
According to Dustine Gascoyne, Market Manager at CTSA, the partnership is defined by shared values of precision, safety, and long-term vision. “Volkswagen and Continental have built a relationship based on technical excellence and trust. We look forward to supporting future production milestones with next-generation tyre technologies,” Gascoyne said.
Continental’s OE tyres are designed to meet stringent international standards, ensuring consistent performance across varied road conditions — a quality that complements the Polo’s position as one of South Africa’s most successful locally manufactured vehicles.
The production of the three millionth Polo not only signals VWSA’s sustained industrial impact but also highlights the strength of South Africa’s automotive ecosystem, where partnerships like that of VWSA and Continental continue to drive innovation, employment, and export competitiveness.
