“How Did It Get There?”: SA Citi Chico Spotted on Baltimore Streets

• A green VW Citi Chico carrying a South African number plate and Springboks branding turned heads on the streets of Baltimore
• The car appeared during the Springboks' historic final test match against the All Blacks at M&T Bank Stadium
• South Africans and car lovers online could not believe what they were seeing so far from home

A beloved South African car showed up where nobody expected it. A green VW Citi Chico, still wearing its South African registration plate and decorated with Springboks branding, was spotted rolling through the streets of Baltimore and was shared on 13 September 2026.

The sighting came on the same weekend the Springboks travelled to the United States for the fourth and final test of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks. South Africa won the match 43–28 at M&T Bank Stadium, claiming the series 3–1 in front of a record crowd of 68,173 fans, the largest ever for a rugby international in the United States.

Read also

‘This is home’: South Africans take over Baltimore after Springboks’ record-breaking win

Speed and Sound Magazine shared the photos on Facebook, and the sight of a Chico in America had people talking fast.

How a SA icon made it to Baltimore

One commenter, Doug Woolley, explained the backstory: the owner is someone with Afghan and Polish roots, married to a woman from KwaZulu-Natal, who imported six VW Citi Golfs in their original colours and Springbok livery. Another commenter, Ali Farzad, confirmed he was behind the wheel, writing that the crew drove the car up from Virginia to attend the game.

The Citi Chico is an entry-level variant of the iconic Citi Golf, built locally in South Africa for decades after the original Golf Mk1 production ended globally. It became a favourite among students and first-time buyers for its simplicity, fuel efficiency, and everyday reliability. Seeing one parked outside a stadium in the United States was, for many South Africans, a surreal and deeply proud moment.

Mzansi Reacts to the Baltimore Chico

South Africans and VW fans in the comments on the Facebook page could not get enough:

Read also

Siya Kolisi breaks into Gwijo after Springboks’ historic All Blacks Series win

@Sagren Naidoo said:

"There's a Volkswagen everywhere. That's why I'm proud to work for Volkswagen."

@Nelis van Wieren asked:

"How the hell did it get there?"

@Kevin Barnard joked:

"The door handles are broken for sure."

@Kyle Jooste wrote:

"The only stadium in the world where you can park that car outside and still find it there after the game."

@Ali Farzad shared:

"We had an absolute blast driving the car up from Virginia and meeting so many awesome people. What a day, what a game. Congrats Springboks!"

@Randall Josephs added:

"After tonight's Springbok vs ABs game, the name of the host city has been changed to... Baltimoer."

See the Facebook post here:

More on the Springboks in Baltimore

• Briefly News recently reported on Siya Kolisi's emotional celebration that had South Africans invoking Nelson Mandela's words on the power of sport.
• Hundreds of Durban schoolboys sent the Springboks off with a war cry that went viral ahead of the historic clash.
• A coach's dramatic new look after losing a secretive bet with a fellow Springbok coach made waves.

Source: Briefly News