VW Created a Vintage Harlequin Rally Car | Carscoops
The championship-winning vehicle looks impressive in its vibrant "birthday suit."
8 hours ago
by Thanos Pappas
The Harlequin edition of the Polo drew inspiration from a 1964 advertisement featuring a colorful Beetle.
The first multi-colored hatchback was introduced in 1995 and was limited to just 1,000 units.
Volkswagen is commemorating the Polo’s 50th anniversary by painting a WRC replica in the same livery.
Volkswagen continues to celebrate the Polo’s 50th anniversary with a rally version of the popular compact car adorned in the classic Harlequin livery. If you’re curious about where this color scheme originated, it pays homage to the original Harlequin models, which are as vibrant as your grandma's quilt and are certainly eye-catching.
The colorful “birthday suit” was selected from four liveries by VW enthusiasts on social media. It features the original Harlequin colors, including Chagallblau (blue), Flashrot (red), Ginstergelb (yellow), and Pistazie (green), complemented with black graphics and “Polo 50 years” details.
More: This Tiny Train Filled With Miniature Polos Might Be VW’s Coolest Birthday Tribute Yet
The show car is a replica of the 2018 Polo R World Rallycross. Its wide bodykit and large aerodynamic features resemble Sebastien Ogier’s Polo R WRC, which excelled in the World Rally Championship by winning four titles from 2013 to 2016. The WRC achievements were followed by a successful Rallycross career, where Johan Kristoffersson secured six titles since 2017.
The Harlequin-themed subcompact hatchbacks were inspired by a 1964 advertisement for a colorful Beetle. The first production model was the 1995 Polo Harlequin, limited to 1,000 units in Europe. Each unit featured four unique colors, achieved by mixing and matching body panels from different Polo vehicles, resulting in the original livery's random nature.
Volkswagen UK
The popularity of the Polo Harlequin led VW to produce 264 examples of the 1996 VW Golf Harlequin for North America, as well as 141 units of the classic Beetle Harlequin for Mexico the following year. Fast forward to 2021, the Dutch division of the automaker unveiled a one-off Polo Harlequin, though it was never put up for sale.
The colorful Polo R World Rallycross made its public debut at Bicester Motion’s spring Scramble event in the UK, where it was displayed alongside the first, second, and sixth generations of the production hatchback. After this event, the rally car is set to engage in other related events throughout 2025.
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VW Created a Vintage Harlequin Rally Car | Carscoops
The championship-winning vehicle looks fantastic in its vibrant "birthday suit."