We were grateful to be joined by Martina Biene, MD of Volkswagen SA, for a wide-ranging and candid interview with Ciro De Siena in our Cape Town podcast studio. Martina offered us tonnes of info about the future of Volkswagen in South Africa, including plans for hydrogen, plug-in hybrids, the cost of new Polos, the challenges around the the theft of Polo, the secret new model that they will be building in Kariega, the possibility of a half-tonne bakkie and the widely discussed delay of the Golf 8 R launching in South Africa.
We hope you enjoy this exclusive interview and we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
0:00 – Welcome
1:50 – The history of Volkswagen
4:35 – Martina’s role
5:25 – Future strategies
5:45 – EV’s
11:50 – New models
14:00 – Half-ton bakkies?
15:13 – VW’s 12 year strategy
15:57 – Hydrogen cars
18:00 – Plug-in Hybrids
20:00 – VW pricing
23:33 – Golf 8 R supply and pricing
26:45 – Vehicle security issues
29:30 – Sedans
32:50 – Station wagons
35:20 – Amarok
37:37 – Ford competition
38:30 – Business incubator
41:20 – VW SA’s future outlook
42:35 – Loadshedding
44:30 – Plant output
48:00 – Classic cars
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36 Comments
Vw caddy bakkie must come back ford rejected bring the bantam or talking too long np200 need an update
Please bring back the sedans!!
Bookmarks?
lol another SUVish car.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if SA product designers can have an input in designs that end up getting produced in SA… alas…
When AFRICA is such a big future market, it's sad that not one single Automtive Design House have even one sattelite office in AFRICA?
If there was a Polo Sedan-based Stationwagon, I would buy it.
but your cars are damn expensive for south Afrikan market. What have you done for SA beside selling us your cars in this 72 years? standard polo cost +-400k. no longer a budget car
Bring back the manuals!
What you came for
Golf 8R – 23:30
Polo theft issue – 26:50
Station wagons – 32:45
VW Amarok- 35:18
Dear VW you don’t respect us as South Africa, we are literally one of your biggest markets but we get the Golf 8 R a year before the facelift comes out and two years later than anyone else , no GTI 8 clubsport either . We can go on and mention the fact that we get no more sedans and the discontinuation of Manual gear boxes here but yet the United States gets Manual cars while most of their drivers can’t even drive a manual.
Then we go into the price ranges , literally the entire lineup is overpriced and that’s probably why the new models are moving so slowly .
A0 entry level SUV – perhaps another Polo Cross (EV)?
I'd just like to tell her the Toyota Yaris GR beat the Golf 8 gti.
Will the VW Jetta GLI ever be available in South Africa?
22:40 They can't reduce prices because other people have already bought the car at higher prices? Now THAT is a kak excuse
Great interview 💥👍👌
Why bother with EV's at all at this stage though ?
Doesn't make any sense.. 🧐
Germany lost focuss formally and ev's are on the way out 😉
thank you great interview
EVs are boring, more SUVs are boring. VW better not kill off the GTI. It’s the best daily at the moment.
Volkswagen is just way to overpriced you can get a much better car for the same price as the polo with a much better warranty and better service plan. The biggest problem with South Africans is that they buy a brand and do not think of what is the best car but what is the one with the best badge.
People keep buying Toyota's that are purely rebadged Suzuki models for more money with a worse service plan and warranty. And we never get all of what the rest of the world get with our cars, every manufacturer sells their base model in south Africa for the price of their top of the range in Australia or india.
Great interview!
Please check out the new GLC 300 coupe
Oh well, the truth is that you, as an individual, are a natural when it comes to car reportage.
Nonetheless, I also think that the EU OEMs happen to be horribly wholly wrong in their approaches this time. Anyhow, time will tell!
Great interview.
With some realistic views and honest discussion.
Dear Marina and VW SA
I have owned multiple VWs in the past and currently own two.
I love some of your cars but absolutely despise the company due to my experiences. Basically on two occasions with two different vehicles none of your so called skilled technicians (who are now glorified part fitters) could resolve mechanical and electrical issues and I paid VW to fix problems that kept coming back.
And yes, I did try escalate it as high up as I could but in typical VW fashion you just shrugged your shoulders… much like you dodging the question around theft on the Polo saying words but not saying anything.
Luckily your new EV offerings does not appeal to me whatsoever and I will probably go for a brand with better warranties and (possibly) better service/technical staff !
Ps. MK5 Golf GTi is the best car you ever built.
Mmm, funny this interview is now on as my Golf 8 GTI is going back for like the 10th time in 12 month to get fixed…. Rather work on your service and customer communication please Martina.
Breaking news VW just lost market share. Chinese brands taking over. What's up with those huge prices VW.?
Bring the normal Golf 8 and the Jetta, this polo polo nonsense needs to end fast.
I hoped you were going to ask about MK 8 life (not MK 8 r), IM STILL NOT HAPPY WE ARE NOT GETTING IT…
When I went to Wolfsburg in August last year, we got showed the door for not being German speakers. Also, bring back the half-tonne bakkie!!!!
When are we getting golf 8 tsi
Right.. R912 800 for the Base Golf R. Matrix headlights not standard. Akrapovic exhaust probably a nice option to have. One or two more creature comforts for making parking easier, and of course the black package for higher top speed and drift mode. Then you are well over the 1 million price tag. Don't come here with your shit suggesting that your cars well priced. At least do better with standard equipment on such high price vehicles.
What about the ID BUZZ….
Give the lady a chance to speak. We want to hear her story, not yours.
Her knowledge without an ipad is incredible, is that mk1 poster always in studio? Arteon was beautiful, my buddy had a mk1 gti cant believe he sold it and other bud has a ghia, yoh volkswagen sausage you learn something new daily
Please ask her why they can't get Hybrid cars to South Africa?
Great interview. Please review BAIC BEIJING
Is it really necessary for a german to be at the head of VW? Will a South African not have more context of what South Africans want? Anyway, I have always had VW's, but they have become so expensive, and have such limited maintenance plans, my next R500k car will not be a VW
Quality Upload!