Uitenhage - When the Volkswagen Polo Vivo replaced the Citi Golf in 2009 after 25 years of production, it had some very big tyre tracks to fill - and now VW is celebrating that heritage by bringing back the three cheerful colours that launched the Citi in 1984.
We knew it was coming - the special-edition Citi Vivo was leaked in February - but now VW has announced it officially.
The Citi Vivo sells for R177 300 - R5000 more than the 55kW Polo Vivo 1.4i Conceptline on which it’s based. So what do you get for the extra R5K?
To start with, you get a bit of exclusivity; only about 2000 Citi Vivos will be built, in contrast to the original, of which more than 377 000 rolled out of the VW plant in Uitenhage during its quarter-century of production.
You get your choice of the iconic red, yellow or blue paint colours that launched one of South Africa’s most successful ad campaigns, with clever white ‘Citi’ decals along the the bottoms of the doors and across the tailgate to channel the original Citi Golf's two-tone paint scheme.
You get special 15 inch rims, finished in white as in 1984 (but this time alloys instead of steelies), to match the white door and tailgate handles and the white side-mirror housings.
That’s in addition to the standard Conceptline spec, which includes aircon, remote central locking, a height and reach-adjustable steering column and a four-speaker radio/CD player with an SD card slot, a USB port and Bluetooth connectivity.
And you get the option - at extra cost - of adding cruise control, an ultrasonic alarm system, electric front windows and front fog lights. The Grin Factor is free.