By Xolile Hopa 

Volkswagen Group Africa has reached a new milestone at its Kariega plant after building 17,009 vehicles in July 2026, the highest number of vehicles the factory has ever produced in a single month.

The previous record stood at 16,670 units, set in July last year. Interestingly, the July figure is also higher than the plant’s full-year production volumes before 1963.

Most of the vehicles built were Polos, with 13,490 produced for local and export markets. A further 3,519 Vivos were built for South African customers.

The Kariega plant has a long history in the local motor industry. Vehicle production started there in 1948, while Volkswagen production began in 1951. Since then, the plant has produced more than 4.8 million vehicles across close to 40 different models.

The record comes just ahead of Volkswagen’s 75th anniversary in South Africa, which will be celebrated on 31 August. Volkswagen Group Africa Chairperson and Managing Director Martina Biene said the achievement is a reminder of the company’s growth and its continued role in local vehicle manufacturing.