Volkswagen

In February 1977, Volkswagen introduced the Derby, a compact saloon based on the Polo. From the C-pillar forward, it was virtually identical to its hatchback sibling, but featured a large, conventional boot. The Derby was an immediate success: with 72,412 units sold in its first year, it even outsold the Polo in 1977. However, its popularity proved short-lived, as sales began to decline in the following years. In 1984, Volkswagen dropped the Derby name altogether. From that point on, the saloon version of the Polo was simply known as the Volkswagen Polo Classic.

1979