Volkswagen Polo 50th Anniversary Harlequin Livery Unveiled
Volkswagen has marked the Polo’s golden jubilee by unveiling a vivid Harlequin-themed race livery that celebrates half a century of the much-loved supermini. The eye-catching design broke cover at Bicester Motor’s spring Scramble, where crowds watched a Polo R World Rallycross show car—a replica of Johan Kristoffersson’s title-winning machine—roll out in its new “birthday suit”.
Volkswagen fans shaped the celebration by voting in a global online poll that offered four Harlequin-inspired concepts. They selected a vibrant 1980s pop-art pattern finished in authentic Harlequin hues: Chagallblau, Flashrot, Ginstergelb and Pistazie. The winning livery will now dress iconic championship-winning Polo rally cars during a series of high-octane anniversary events throughout the year.
The Bicester stand highlighted Polo heritage alongside the new design. An Inari-silver 1975 Polo GLS Mk1 represented the original model, while a Cherry-red Mk2, a current-generation Black Edition and a blue-and-black Polo GTI traced the line’s evolution across 20 million global sales.
“The Polo is a model that resonates with so many people for different reasons,” said Mike Orford, Head of PR and Communications at Volkswagen UK. “They might have been fans of the Polo rally cars as they dominated world championships over the years, their parents might have owned a Mk1 or Mk2 Polo, or it might have been the car in which they learned to drive. Whatever the reason, the Polo is a special and enduring model for Volkswagen, and that’s why it’s great when we get to celebrate these milestone moments in such a colourful way.
“We’re looking forward to seeing this one-off livery in action later in the year as the birthday celebrations ramp up.”
