Volkswagen Celebrates 50 Years Of The Polo With Gymkhana-Style Drift Video
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In a video that’ll undoubtedly remind you of the late legend Ken Block’s Gymkhana videos, Volkswagen celebrates 50 years of the Polo, delivering a generous dose of all-wheel-drive sideways action.
While it’s not a familiar sight in North America, the Golf’s smaller sibling has achieved over 20 million sales through its impressively long history.
Needless to say, the Polos showcased here aren’t your standard front-wheel-drive grocery-getters, though.
Fair warning, the video contains screechy EVs, but don’t panic – they’re also very capable of smoking up the tires!
Volkswagen states the Polo has “… been more than just a small car. It’s been an icon. From rally victories to everyday adventures, it has carried memories, milestones, and motorsport glory.”
The video combines and celebrates the best of what the Polo family has to offer, showcasing its greatest achievements throughout the period, even including a throwback to the iconic, yet controversial ‘Harlequin’ paint job.
Seven-time Rallycross Champ shows how it’s done
Who better to showcase the Polo’s true capabilities than seven-time World Rallycross champion Johan Kristoffersson?
He gets behind the wheel of a variety of the greatest Polos throughout the clip. After starting with the WRX, he then shreds even more tires in the Polo R WRC, before showing off the twin-motor, 671-horsepower electric RX1e’s capabilities, which earned him two rallycross titles.
Kristoffersson proceeds to drift through the streets on his way to Kariega, “the heart of Polo production in South Africa today”, with plenty of bonkers action along the way, including being buzzed by a Red Bull aerobatics plane.
Looking to the future
At a time when some of the world’s most popular small hatchbacks like the Ford Fiesta are being discontinued, the Polo seems to be thriving more than ever. But, we won’t spoil the ending for you!
Jens Katemann, Volkswagen’s Head of Communications, says, “We not only wanted to look back but forward too, and capture the enthusiasm for the Polo brand.
“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.”
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Bill is a writer and photographer who has been part of the Drifted team since 2015. His work extends to various print and online publications, including Wangan Warriors.
As part of the King of Nations team, he traveled extensively for several years, capturing top-tier international drift events worldwide. His hands-on experience, including rebuilding his own Nissan Silvia S15 drift car, gives him unique insights into drift car building and global drift culture.
When not behind the lens or keyboard, Bill can be found browsing classifieds for his next JDM project or shredding virtual tires on popular simulators like Assetto Corsa, CarX, and Forza.
You can learn more about Bill’s story here or follow his socials on X (formerly Twitter), Flickr, Facebook, and Instagram.
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