South African-made Volkswagen Tengo production officially starts
Wolfsburg will announce South African market pricing in January next year, before the start of sale in March.
Volkswagen has officially commenced production of the Tengo at its Eastern Cape plant, marking the final phase of manufacturing for the joint model with Skoda India and Volkswagen do Brasil. Positioned as Volkswagen's new entry-level SUV/crossover, the Tengo will be priced for announcement in January and is intended to be cheaper than the T-Cross.
The vehicle will be built on the same MQB A0 platform as the Polo and Polo Vivo, with an estimated 75% similarity to the Polo's parts. The South African market will receive three variants of the Tengo: Trend, Life, and Style (arriving later in the year), each with optional black appearance packages. The Tengo will initially be sold with right-hand drive, followed by left-hand drive models in other African markets.
The first Tengo rolled out of the factory on November 9 for a customer outside South Africa, demonstrating the return on investment from a R4-billion facility upgrade two years ago. Boasting a 42% local content and a projected four-star Global NCAP crash rating, the Tengo will feature engines adapted for South African Euro 6 emissions standards, or Euro III for export markets.
Confidently announcing the project as a "phenomenal achievement," Volkswagen Group Africa Managing Director Christiane Zorn expressed gratitude to suppliers, dealers, stakeholders, and fans for contributing to this significant milestone.
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