Publications
- The Polo Claremont Edition is exclusive to the Claremont VW dealership in Cape Town.
- Polo and Life models are eligible for the Claremont Edition.
- Pricing for the Polo range starts from R329 300.
From the days of the Polo Playa to the ever reliable 9N3 and improved 6R chassis, it no longer even needs to be mentioned that South Africans love the Volkswagen Polo. Month in and month out, local sales figures are proof of that and have been for the last few years.
Even though the price of the Polo (and all vehicles in general) has increased over the years, customers are still willing to fork out the cash for one. As a reminder, pricing for the Polo range starts from R329 300 and tops out at R514 500 for the range-topping GTI. It's no longer the affordable city slicker you could pay R150 000 for a decade ago.
With that being said, the nameplate continues to be a profitable avenue for the German automaker, referenced by the fact that a total of 2 682 units found new homes during October and 1 724 models in November.
SEE | Tick all the options on a new VW Polo R-Line and you'll pay more for it than a GTI version
A Polo with spice
To set its Polo models apart from the rest, the Claremont Volkswagen dealership in Cape Town sells its very own creation, simply known as the Claremont Edition, which is unique to that particular branch. To find out a bit more about the special edition Polo, I spoke to Nur Abdurahman, New Vehicle Sales Manager at Claremont Volkswagen in Cape Town.
Customers who buy either the entry-level Polo (priced from R329 300) or Life (priced from R369 700) derivatives are eligible for the Claremont Edition package that costs roughly R23 000 extra - so R352 300 and R392 700 in total for the entry-level Polo and Life derivatives fitted with the package, based on current pricing.
Everything remains the same under the bonnet - powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder TSI engine - and on the inside. It is with the aesthetics that everything changes.
The R23 000 price comprises headlight 'eyelids', a rear diffuser, a rear spoiler, a 'Claremont Edition' sticker, colour-coded window visors, a front spoiler, vinyl wraps on both C-pillars, a customer's choice of 17-inch wheels and a slight drop in ride height with an OEM Eibach lowering kit. Sections like the side mirror cover and door handles are also colour-coded.
According to Abdurahman, many motorists have already shown interest in the special edition model, with a good number of units already sold.
"Because the price gap between the Life and R-Line derivatives is so big, we introduced the Claremont Edition to give customers more value for money and allow them to simultaneously make their cars more appealing. A Polo, whether a Claremont Edition or not, is business for us, so we'd rather have the customer buy something within the range and suit their budget," Abdurahman added.
Claremont Volkswagen also offered the previous generation Polo with a similar package that included a front bumper splitter, black fog light trim strips, bottom rear bumper trim, and a Wolfsburg-emblazoned sticker on the boot lid. That particular package (in 2021) was priced at R21 000 and was popular among (potential) buyers.
Nur also mentioned that the packages are not fixed. This means that customers can choose what they want to be fitted or removed at the dealership if it doesn't suit their taste - like stickers, for example. Other extras like a panoramic sunroof or side skirts could also be added to the Claremont Edition.
The Polo Vivo is also available in 'Claremont Edition' guise and is significantly cheaper than the Polo (about R16 000), featuring black-coated alloy wheels, 'Black Edition' stickers and a sporty rear spoiler.
All work is carried out at the Claremont VW workshop and covered under the factory warranty.
All Polo models come standard with a three-year or 120 000km mechanical warranty, a three-year or 45 000km service plan and a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty.
