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Passenger Cars, Bakkies & Vans News

Yet more Chinese imports on their way, this time electric, and available to rent

By: Irma Venter 17th May 2024 Local importer of Dongfeng Sokon Automobile (DFSK) battery electric vehicles (BEV), Enviro Automotive, says it will make a number of additions to its vehicle line-up. The company introduced the DFSK brand to South Africa in July 2022, with the introduction of the EC35 panel van and EC31 one-ton... →

Opinion: Government must come to the party on new-energy vehicles

17th May 2024 The automotive sector requires policy certainty and investment incentives to meet the challenges of the future and sustain its vital role in the economy, writes Nedbank Commercial Banking manufacturing national manager Amith Singh. →

Amith Singh

Millennials, Gen-Zs want cars but are struggling to afford them – WesBank

By: Irma Venter 17th May 2024 Young South Africans, aged 35 and younger, are demonstrating a growing preference for private mobility. This is evident in recent WesBank data that shows a consistent increase over the past three years in the number of vehicle finance applications for new and pre-owned cars by Millennials and... →

New-vehicle sales gain 2.2% after eight months of decline, Suzuki swoops into second place

By: Irma Venter 17th May 2024 New-vehicle sales have finally moved into positive territory following eight gruelling months of decline. Not all market segments experienced growth, however. →

Stellantis assembly-plant site being readied for construction – dtic

By: Irma Venter 15th May 2024 The Coega Development Corporation (CDC) has started to prepare the site at the Coega Special Economic Zone for the construction of the new Stellantis vehicle-assembly plant, says the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic). The CDC is supplying the land on which the factory will be... →

Tshwane Automotive SEZ celebrates training of first cohort of youth

By: Schalk Burger 15th May 2024 The Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) on May 14 celebrated the first cohort of 526 local youths trained in safety, health, environment and quality to participate in different parts of the automotive value chain. These skills were critical in all aspects of the automotive value... →

An automotive component factory in the TASEZ

LDV to launch bakkie, SUV, MPV and panel van ranges in SA

By: Irma Venter 14th May 2024 Chinese car maker LDV has confirmed that its full range of passenger and commercial vehicles have been given the go-ahead for introduction in the South African market. The company is part of the SAIC automotive group. →

The T60 bakkie

Logistics, NEVs in focus for next phase of automotive industry growth

By: Schalk Burger 10th May 2024 Efficient logistics to move vehicles and automotive components up and down the value chain and adapting the local industry to new energy vehicles (NEVs) is crucial to shape the trajectory of the industry into the future, industry development agency Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDC)... →

Aluminium vehicle body panels in an assembly plant

Blue Energy, wheel maker ink green power deal

By: Irma Venter 10th May 2024 Local developer and operator of clean energy infrastructure Blue Energy Africa has signed a 20-year deal with Borbet South Africa (SA) for the procurement of power from renewable-energy sources. Founded in 1962 by Peter Wilhelm Borbet, the family-owned company has five locations in Germany, as... →

BMW 7 Series clinches 2024 Car of the Year title

By: Irma Venter 9th May 2024 The luxurious BMW 7 Series has been awarded the 2024 South African Car of the Year (COTY) title. In a competition run by the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ), the the Suzuki Fronx secured second place, with the BMW M2 claiming the bronze medal. →

The BMW 7 Series

Auto exports soar to new record; shift to EVs sees drop in catalytic converter numbers

By: Irma Venter 7th May 2024 Despite a tough domestic economy undermining a recovery in new-vehicle sales to pre-pandemic levels, record vehicle exports in 2023 ensured that the South African automotive sector still managed to outperform the rest of the manufacturing sector, says Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council... →

Norman Lamprecht

New-vehicles sales gain 2.2% after eight months of decline; Suzuki swoops into second place

By: Irma Venter 6th May 2024 New-vehicle sales have finally moved into positive territory following eight gruelling months of decline. Not all market segments experienced growth, however. →

VW Africa laments power outages in Eastern Cape, but Electricity Minister said to be tackling the problem

By: Irma Venter 3rd May 2024 Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) suffered four power outages at its Kariega plant in the second week of April, says VWA MD and chairperson Martina Biene. This happened while there was no loadshedding scheduled for the Eastern Cape. →

Suzuki breaks through 50 000 unit sales mark

By: Irma Venter 3rd May 2024 Suzuki Auto South Africa (Suzuki SA) has broken through the 50 000-units-a-year sales barrier for the first time in its history. The year in question is the company’s financial year, running from April, 2023, to March, 2024. →

Braking company developing Africa presence

By: Lynne Davies 3rd May 2024 According to a report by the African Development Bank in the ‘Macroeconomic Performance and Outlook of Africa’ publication, 11 African countries featured in the world’s 20 fastest growing economies in 2023, which is why braking systems manufacturer and supplier of safety-critical subsystems for... →

The above image depicts one of the trucks operated by Knorr-Bremse

DIAGNOSTICS ANALYSIS Knorr-Bremse will be conducting technical training solutions, while aiding in diagnostics analyses to help diagnose issues with vehicles while in the field

New Class 4, 5 vehicles optimised for net-zero emissions

3rd May 2024 Commercial electric truck brand RIZON, the newest brand of all-electric trucks manufactured by Daimler Truck, announced the Canadian launch of its Class 4 and 5 vehicles. The RIZON brand was presented in Canada for the first time at Truck World in Toronto, which took place from April 18 to 20 –... →

The above image depicts the latest trucks offered by RIZON

Photo by Rizon
SAFETY SYSTEM The latest trucks offered by RIZON boast a proprietary connectivity service from RIZONCONNECT

RFA helps to address cross-border challenges

By: Lynne Davies 3rd May 2024 The Road Freight Association (RFA) – the largest national trade association in South Africa – is concerned about cross-border transport and the associated regulatory and traffic challenges. Three issues frequently occur at the border post precinct that either influence travel time or physically... →

The image depicts the RFA CEO Gavin Kelly

Photo by RFA
GAVIN KELLY The pre-clearing system has taken 20 years to develop, during which the RFA has attempted to get a variety of departments to agree and then devise sustainable or secure systems

Former Audi SA head moves to Ford as sales director

By: Irma Venter 2nd May 2024 Ford South Africa has appointed Ryan Searle as its new sales director, effective May 1. Searle joins Ford after six years as the head of Volkswagen passenger sales where he was responsible for sales and market share performance for its South African dealer network, including sales strategy and... →

Ryan Searle

Lower income consumers are being priced out of the car market – TransUnion

By: Irma Venter 2nd May 2024 TransUnion Africa CEO Lee Naik says a tough economic environment characterised by cost-of-living challenges, high fuel costs and currency depreciations have resulted in a notable decline in vehicle sales and financing in South Africa. However, while this contraction is expected to persist,... →

Volkswagen to invest R4-billion to produce third model at Kariega plant in show of commitment to South Africa

By: Irma Venter 26th April 2024 Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) will invest R4-billion in its manufacturing plant in Kariega, in the Eastern Cape. The investment will be used to prepare the plant for the addition of a third model to the company’s production line-up from early 2027. →

Urgent need to develop Africa’s fuel storage, distribution networks – Puma Energy

By: Irma Venter 23rd April 2024 Puma Energy Africa head Fadi Mitri has issued a call to action to the African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA) to urgently develop the continent’s energy infrastructure. ARDA is the pan-African organisation for the downstream oil sector. →

Jaguar Land Rover develops portable charger using second-life batteries

By: Irma Venter 19th April 2024 Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has developed a portable battery energy storage system (Bess) using second-life Range Rover and Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) batteries. The unit, built in collaboration with energy storage startup Allye Energy, is the first Bess to be... →

JLR's Bess system

GAC Motor joins inflow from China

By: Irma Venter 19th April 2024 China’s GAC Motor has appointed Salvador Caetano Auto as the distributor and retailer of GAC vehicles, spare parts and related services in South Africa (SA). GAC Motor is a subsidiary of the State-owned GAC Group, and was founded in 1997. The brand joins a rapidly growing number of Chinese... →

New-vehicle sales plummet 11.7% in March, extending months-long slide

By: Irma Venter 19th April 2024 New-vehicle sales plummeted by 11.7% in March, to 44 237 units, compared with the same month last year. Sales for the first quarter of the year are now 5.3% below the same period last year. →

VW Africa laments power outages in ECape; Patel says Electricity Minister is tackling the problem

By: Irma Venter 17th April 2024 Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) last week suffered four power outages at its Kariega plant, says VWA MD and chairperson Martina Biene. This happened while there was no loadshedding scheduled for the Eastern Cape. →

Volkswagen to invest R4bn to produce third model at Kariega plant

By: Irma Venter 16th April 2024 Volkswagen Group Africa (VWA) will invest R4-billion in its manufacturing plant in Kariega, in the Eastern Cape. The investment will be used to prepare the plant for the addition of a third model to the company’s production line-up from early 2027. →

VWA chairperson and MD Martina Biene

Millennials, Gen-Zs want cars, but are struggling to afford them – WesBank

By: Irma Venter 15th April 2024 Young South Africans, aged 35 and younger, are demonstrating a growing preference for private mobility. This is evident in recent WesBank data that shows a consistent increase over the past three years in the number of vehicle finance applications for new and pre-owned cars by Millennials and... →

Jaecoo launches its first cars in South Africa

By: Irma Venter 15th April 2024 China’s Jaecoo brand has launched its first vehicle in South Africa – the J7 sports-utility vehicle (SUV). Chery/Omoda & Jaecoo South Africa (SA) says the “urban off-road SUV brand” is “poised to take the local market by storm”, with the three J7 derivatives “priced from just R549 900”. →

The Jaecoo J7

Suzuki breaks through the 50 000-unit sales mark

By: Irma Venter 12th April 2024 Suzuki Auto South Africa (Suzuki SA) has broken through the 50 000-units-a-year sales barrier for the first time in its history. The year in question is the company’s financial year, running from April, 2023, to March, 2024. →

Toyota, Ford and VW shine in AutoTrader report

By: Irma Venter 12th April 2024 In 2023, Toyota took top position as South Africa’s most sold used-car brand, with 60 296 units changing hands, while the Ford Ranger reigned supreme as the country's most sold model, at 20 156 units. This is according to the 2023 AutoTrader Car Industry Report, released this week. →

Toyota adds Hilux, Fortuner hybrids to its local production line-up

By: Irma Venter 12th April 2024 Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has added the Hilux double-cab and Fortuner 48 V mild hybrids to its local production line-up at its Durban plant, in KwaZulu-Natal. The addition of the new models brings Toyota’s local hybrid production tally to three, adding to the existing Corolla Cross hybrid... →

WeBuyCars lists on the JSE

By: Irma Venter 11th April 2024 Preowned-vehicle sales specialist WeBuyCars on Thursday listed on the main board of the JSE under the share code WBC. The listing follows WeBuyCars’ unbundling from Transaction Capital, which also owns the struggling SA Taxi. →

New-vehicle sales plummet 11.7% in March

By: Irma Venter 3rd April 2024 New-vehicle sales plummeted by 11.7% in March, to 44 235 units, compared with the same month last year. Sales for the first quarter of the year are now 5.3% below the same period last year. →

Toyota launches expanded accessories programme in SA

By: Irma Venter 29th March 2024 Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has launched a new programme called Associated Accessory Products (AAP). The local arm of the Japanese carmaker says this one-stop-shop offering will complement its existing array of accessories, enabling customers to customise their vehicles as they wish. →

Metair to tackle high debt, gauge Mutlu’s future

By: Irma Venter 27th March 2024 Metair is still very much open for business and the group is able to accommodate new clients should they need automotive components or energy solutions, says new CEO Paul O’Flaherty. O’Flaherty, now two months into the job after former CEO Sjoerd Douwenga bowed out owing to health reasons, comes... →

Paul O’Flaherty

China’s LDV launches in the local bakkie, commercial vehicle market

By: Irma Venter 26th March 2024 LDV is the latest automotive brand from China to enter South Africa, with the Asian country seemingly intensifying its efforts to become the world’s new automotive powerhouse. LDV forms part of SAIC, which is the vehicle partner to General Motors and Volkswagen in China. It is also the... →

The T60 bakkie

GAC Motor joins inflow from China; Ramsoomar appointed as MD

By: Irma Venter 25th March 2024 China’s GAC Motor has appointed Salvador Caetano Auto as the distributor and retailer of GAC vehicles, spare parts and related services in South Africa (SA). GAC Motor is a subsidiary of the State-owned GAC Group, and was founded in 1997. The brand joins a rapidly growing number of Chinese... →

Leslie Ramsoomar

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