Special edition vehicles come in many shapes and forms, but there is probably none that has pushed the term “special” to greater heights than the 1996 VW Polo Harlekin. This car has not suffered accident damage and been pieced together with panels from a pick-a-part. It is the result of careful planning by Volkswagen, and while over 3,800 rolled off the line, the seller claims this is 1-of-103 produced in right-hand-drive form. The seller is reluctantly parting with it to fund a new motor for their Mk I Cabrio, listing it here on Craigslist in Harrisonburg, Virginia. You could slip behind the wheel by handing them $25,000, and I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Pat L. for spotting this distinctive survivor.
The production of the Polo Harlekin (the German spelling of the word “Harlequin”) was a labor-intensive process, and I am surprised that Volkswagen saw merit in it. Regular Polo bodyshells were sent down the line, and when they entered the paint booth, they were painted in either Pistachio Green, Ginsberg Yellow, Chagall Blue, or Flash Red. The painted bodies were removed from the line, and workers detached the bolt-on panels. The reassembly wasn’t random, but the panels were swapped to a set pattern, depending on the donor vehicle’s original paint shade. Determining this is easy because it is found in the engine bay, door frames, and other interior surfaces. Therefore, we only need to lift the hood to confirm that this car’s base is Pistachio Green. The look won’t appeal to everyone, and it is almost guaranteed that it will require explanation if the new owner lobs at a Cars & Coffee behind the wheel of this gem. Its overall condition is excellent, with no significant panel or paint issues. It is rock-solid and rust-free, while the plastic shows no evidence of deterioration. The Polo retains its correct badges, decals, and rolls on spotless factory alloy wheels.
The Harlekin package brought no performance upgrades, with this Polo powered by a 1.0-liter four that sends a relatively modest 44hp to the front wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. This Polo will hardly set the ¼-mile alight, but it would cruise all day at 70mph contentedly, while its frugal powerplant and small size mean it could be an excellent daily driver or commuter option. The seller claims this quirky classic has 22,200 genuine miles showing on its odometer, but they don’t mention supporting evidence. They say it has undergone significant recent maintenance, with the photos confirming that new brakes, hoses, and suspension components form part of the list. There is no information on how it runs or drives, but the impression provided by the seller is positive.
The Harlekin package extended beyond the exterior color scheme because each car received unique “Joker” interior trim. This comprised Charcoal cloth with splashes of the exterior paint colors incorporated into the design. This car’s interior is surprisingly good, with no significant wear or other problems. The outer seat edges can be prone to problems, but these look excellent for their age. There are no aftermarket additions, but it is worth noting that the equipment levels would be considered modest by current standards. The winning bidder receives power windows, power mirrors, and a functioning AM/FM radio/cassette player.
The seller claims this 1996 VW Polo Halekin is 1-of-103 built in RHD form, but this claim probably deserves deeper investigation. Volkswagen produced over 3,800 Harlekins between 1996 and 1998, and approximately 2,500 found homes in the UK. Those cars would have been RHD vehicles, but the claim may still be correct. VW planned a limited run of 1,000 Harlekins in 1996, which sold out quickly. It extended the model into 1997 and 1998, meaning it is possible that only 103 RHD examples were built during the initial model year. Whatever the truth, these cars don’t appear on the market every day. This Harlekin isn’t cheap, but it is unquestionably quirky. Is that enough for you to consider pursuing it further, or is it too wild for you?
Oh boy, I give the author a nod for his professionalism, as he clearly danced around the obvious as to who a multi colored vehicle may be attractive to, and it’s okay, really. I happen to live in a very progressive town, and getting more progressive by the year, although not without its share of disapproval. Not my cup of tea, but I’m cool with it.
The car itself, RHD aside, is about the last vehicle I’d ever consider, and the old man has nothing to do with it. A VW something may be one of the “or equivalents” on my upcoming rental/car trip and that’s fine. They are simply the best engineered cars, just not my style( think Jeep YJ)
If I may fill in some performance( if you can call it that) details, I can’t find a 1/4 mile time,( still waiting for it to cross the line) but 0-60 is 21.4 seconds, and rivals Bug times, but for a 1.0 litre, 44 hp, it does 40 mpg all day, and just about everyone likes that. Just might take a bit longer is all. Hey, we “tolerated” that with a Bug, but won’t work in our “instant gratification” society that has no patience for slow vehicles. Ask me how I know,,,
Silly me… I live in one of the more “progressive towns” (Palm Springs), and it’s not obvious to ME who this multi-colored vehicle would be attractive to.
Auf Deutch, a hanswurstwagon.
The harlekin VW are highly sought by vw fans. Always built in small numbers. I think they’re fun to look at. And to have rhd version is pretty cool. GLWTS.
The U.S. spec cars were plentiful during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
During my daily commute I look at a sea of bland-colored cars. So many are black, white, silver, etc. that even the occasional bright blue sticks out. I also like looking at cars in interesting colors, even if I wouldn’t want to have my own car in that color.
Andy G.
The originals were built to be used for the ’96 US Olympics in Golf bodies as courtesy cars. There were two different paint combinations . I have never heard of any Polos, which I don’t think were ever imported in the US.
“Harlequin”
It reminds me of the Partridge Family bus.
SF is an Edinburgh number, so it was more than likely sold by Sloan’s on Gorgie Road.
I thought they were Autism awareness vehicles, learn sumpin new everyday.
Very cool! Now imagine this as a harlequin Ford Crown Vic rolling off the end of the assembly line…”another day at the office”…no accident, compliments of the UAW.
When the Halekin Golfs came to America the dealers had a hard time selling them. I know our local dealer used theirs as a parts runner and a courtesy vehicle. Would often times see our parts manager drive it home. I guess one benefit is any collision repairs were easy to color match. No blending required.
The VW Clown Kar edition. Hilarious.
I had an assignment in Harrisburg PA in the late 90’s and would see a woman driving one. I have say one of the coolest things I have seen. I had forgot about it until about 10 years ago when I saw another.
I did research and there is a website that keeps track of these and has the vin numbers. Interesting and ballsy that VW made these to begin with. There are four specific colors. The cars were built and taken to a wearhouse in Mexico where they were taken apart and parts were swapped and changed then reassembled. There are four different color combinations. The patterns are specific. Not random. These are very special and nice originals are very sought after. Tha ask is not unreasonable and will only go up.
I wonder what color is shown on the registration.
Too bad grey was not be removed from the interior.
“Therefore, we only need to lift the hood to confirm that this car’s base is Pistachio Green.”
I was in Victoria BC 2 days ago and saw one parked near downtown. I was shocked, as it had been probably 15 years since I last saw one, and now another on BF. I love the look!
$25 K and RHD. Har-de-har-har!
I don’t think i’ve said this about a car before…it’s just hard to look at.All the mix of different colors,i would say it is ” hard on the eyes”.very distracting and will certainly turn heads everywhere you go.
Had a ‘94 Polo with the 1.4L engine. While not fast in a straight line, it was a blast to drive. It was like other slow but fun cars, MG, Triumph, Mini, etc. Kept it 20 years. Don’t know why they never came to the states.
And btw at $25k that price is “Verruckt!” as they might say in Germany.
Never saw one here, but I did see one in Denmark.
like to see the “very precisely patterned” schedule on these. “Four different styles of doing that”. May B 2 of each together ona lot for a walk-a-round. Talk to a designer and ask some math Qs in Jermand~
8^ )
WTF is Jermand ? Do you mean German ?
Welcome to chrisful.
I could imagine that VW Germany “stole” this colorful idea. There was once an American VW dealership that had painted some Beetles like this in the sixties. They were demonstration cars to make the color choice easier for potential buyers. There are nice photos of it on the web.