50 years of the Polo:
Volkswagen celebrates anniversary with spectacular drift video

Half a century of the Polo. Fifty years in which the small Volkswagen has achieved great things – on the road, in the hearts of fans and in motorsport. Because the Polo is not only one of the brand’s best-known models, it is also one of the most successful. In everyday life or motorsport, its impact is unmistakable – with numerous titles in the World Rally and Rallycross Championships. Now the legend is back in spectacular style: Volkswagen is showcasing the Polo R WRC and Polo R Supercar from the Volkswagen Classic collection, along with the all-electric Polo RX1e as the KMS racing team’s guest vehicle. The video can now be viewed on Volkswagen’s global social media channels.

The video shows the trio in breathtaking drifts and impressive manoeuvres. “In our communications regarding the Polo anniversary, we not only want to look back, but forward too and generate enthusiasm for the Volkswagen brand. That’s why we deliberately decided to showcase the ID. Polo’s first appearance in a spectacular and surprising way. This video stands for everything that is quintessential of the Polo: a small car that can do great things and that is geared towards the future,” says Jens Katemann, Head of Communications for the Volkswagen Brand and Brand Group Core.

In the fast-paced video, Sweden’s Johan Kristoffersson sits at the wheel – and you can immediately see that spectacular manoeuvres are his forte: the seven-time FIA World Rallycross Champion and two-time Gymkhana Grid Champion skilfully steers the powerful all-wheel-drive vehicles in precise drifts in a wide variety of situations. “The shoot was a huge pleasure for me. It was a great experience to drive the sporty Polo models one after the other and push them to their limits – their characters are different, but they all performed equally really well,” says Johan Kristoffersson, currently top driver in the FIA World Rallycross Championship.

Top director also showcases the home of the Polo
The shooting locations were not chosen at random: Gqeberha in South Africa has been the home of the Polo for many years, including Polos for the European market. The cameras recorded captivating scenes at the harbour, on a closed-off highway in downtown Gqeberha, on the Volkswagen test track and at the Volkswagen plant in Kariega. The video was directed by none other than Jon Richards. With more than 20 years of experience in the automotive film industry and many years as a director of Top Gear, he is considered to be one of the most influential storytellers in this genre – and he once again proves his mettle with the Polo drift video.

Vehicles in the classic colours of the Polo Harlekin
The two older Polo models from the 5th generation sport a special livery: created by renowned designer Sean Bull, it is a tribute to the Polo Harlekin cult model. In April, fans were asked to choose one of four designs and, in an online vote for the livery, chose the classic Harlekin colours Ginster Yellow, Flash Red, Pistachio and Chagall Blue. Together with the many motorsport elements, the vehicles are real eye-catchers.

Grand finale with the all-electric future, the ID. Polo
At the end, the drift clip makes a clear statement. Then, surprisingly, the future all-electric successor appears: the new ID. Polo is welcomed by its sporty predecessors and enters the spotlight as the new member of the Polo family – an exciting new chapter after 50 successful years.

The racing cars in the video:

• The VW Polo R WRC was used in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) from 2013. The car was based on the fifth-generation Polo, had a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine with 232 kW (315 PS) and all-wheel drive. Four consecutive drivers’ titles with Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia as well as four manufacturers’ titles made it the most successful rally car of its time.
• The Polo R Supercar was developed on the basis of the WRC car for the FIA World Rallycross Championship (WRX). It is equipped with a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine with over 420 kW (570 PS) and all-wheel drive. In 2017 and 2018, Johan Kristoffersson drove it to win the drivers’ world championship and Volkswagen secured the team title.
• The Polo RX1e is an all-electric racing car developed by KMS for the FIA World Rallycross Championship. Two electric motors together deliver 500 kW (680 PS) and 880 Nm of torque. Johan Kristoffersson won the world championship with the Polo RX1e in 2022 and 2023, instantly making the vehicle the benchmark for the new electric era in rallycross.