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Passenger Cars, Bakkies & Vans News

Isuzu updates govt on R1.2bn plant investment, new D-Max ready for 2022 launch

By: Irma Venter 26th October 2021 Isuzu Motors South Africa (IMSAf) this week welcomed the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Ebrahim Patel to its plant in Struandale, Gqeberha. Patel previously visited Isuzu in 2019, shortly before the announcement that the Japanese manufacturer would invest R1.2-billion into its... →

First Corolla Cross hybrid electric vehicle rolls off the line at TSAM's KwaZulu-Natal plant

By: Marleny Arnoldi 26th October 2021 Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) on October 26 officially launched the Corolla Cross production line at its assembly plant in Prospecton, KwaZulu-Natal. The plant is able to produce 111 Corolla Cross vehicles a day, or about 30 000 units a year, for export to more than 40 countries. →

A photo of President Cyril Ramaphosa at the opening of Toyota South Africa Motors' new Corolla Cross production line in KwaZulu-Natal

Photo by Creamer Media's Marleny Arnoldi
President Cyril Ramaphosa at the opening of Toyota South Africa Motors' new Corolla Cross production line in KwaZulu-Natal

ETGL expands its logistics business into the tractor, motorbike sectors

By: Irma Venter 25th October 2021 ETG Logistics (ETGL) has announced that it is expanding its product and service offering to the farming and automotive sectors. ETGL is the logistics vertical of ETG, a global conglomerate with business interests across various industries. →

An image of Belarus tractors from Minsk Tractor Works

The range of tractors from Minsk Tractor Works

Payabill launches online global payment solution for small businesses

By: Irma Venter 22nd October 2021 Nedbank is promising prospective car buyers a “complete end-to-end digital vehicle shopping experience, saving them vast amounts of time and energy, through the new Avo virtual vehicle-mall feature”. “While there are already quite a few websites and aggregators where people can browse vehicles,... →

Motus acquires UK’s FAI Automotive

By: Irma Venter 22nd October 2021 Automotive group Motus has acquired the entire issued share capital of FAI Automotive in the UK. The purchase consideration is based on an enterprise value of roughly R700-million, with the effective cash outflow of R550-million to be funded from available cash resources and funding facilities. →

New-vehicle sales seen reaching 485 000 units if supply holds

By: Irma Venter 22nd October 2021 The South African new-vehicle market could reach about 485 000 units this year, says Ford Motor Company Africa president Neale Hill. This will be a significant increase from the 380 000-unit sales recorded last year. →

First Grenadiers to arrive in SA in October next year

By: Irma Venter 22nd October 2021 The first Ineos Grenadier vehicles destined for local customers will arrive in South Africa in October next year, says Ineos Automotive South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa head Tim Abbott. If the name sounds familiar, it is because Abbott is the former boss of the BMW group in South Africa and... →

Semiconductor shortage will slow global auto sales recovery – S&P

By: Irma Venter 21st October 2021 The intensifying semiconductor shortage will slow the post-Covid-19 global recovery of light-vehicle sales over the next two years, says S&P Global Ratings in a newly published report. "In our revised scenario, we now expect light-vehicle sales will increase more moderately by about 2% to 4% in... →

Ford’s Silverton plant targets improving built quality as it prepares for new Ranger

By: Irma Venter 20th October 2021 Ford South Africa (Ford SA) is steadily improving built quality at its Silverton plant and it aims to achieve less than ten warranty repairs per 1 000 Ranger bakkies as a yearly average by the end of 2022, says Ford SA quality director Kevin Heunis. This number is seen as the holy grail within... →

The Ford Silverton plant

New chairperson appointed at Isuzu Motors South Africa

By: Irma Venter 19th October 2021 Naohiro Yamaguchi has been appointed as the new chairperson of Isuzu Motors South Africa (IMSAf). Yamaguchi has held various leadership roles throughout his 35 years with the Japanese vehicle manufacturer. →

Naohiro Yamaguchi

Jaguar Land Rover trials world-first digital supply chain for leather using blockchain technology

By: Irma Venter 15th October 2021 Jaguar Land Rover has trialled the use of secure blockchain technology “to ensure full transparency within a sustainable leather supply chain”. In the world-first, the British automaker partnered with supply chain traceability provider Circulor, UK leather manufacturer Bridge of Weir Leather... →

Image of the leather supply chain in Jaguar using blockchain

Tshwane Automotive SEZ setting a precedent for speedy development

By: Marleny Arnoldi 15th October 2021 Trade, Industry and Competition deputy Minister Fikile Majola this week said the Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone (TASEZ) represents a turning point in how special economic zones (SEZs) must be owned and operated, adding that Gauteng’s economic development was being led by these... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Marleny Arnoldi
Tshwane Automotive Special Economic Zone construction in progress

Ford South Africa exports 500 000th Ranger

By: Irma Venter 15th October 2021 Ford South Africa’s (Ford SA’s) Silverton plant, in Pretoria in September produced its 500 000th Ranger for the export market. This year is the current Ranger’s tenth anniversary, with the new model to be launched next year. →

Brand to succeed retiring MBSA CEO Engling in May

By: Irma Venter 15th October 2021 The World Economic Forum (WEF) has launched a digital toolbox with more than 200 leading practices and case studies to boost sustainability and reduce emissions of cities. Cities have a crucial role to play in the race to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The platform focuses on solutions that... →

New-vehicle sales momentum continues, despite shortage of some models

By: Irma Venter 15th October 2021 The South African new-vehicle market continued to recover some momentum in September, following the disruptions experienced in the economy during July, says WesBank. “Building on August sales successes, September sales . . . provided some reassurance for a stronger final quarter.” →

September sales propel Suzuki into ‘top three’

By: Irma Venter 15th October 2021 Suzuki Auto South Africa (Suzuki SA) in September broke its month-old all-time sales record set in August by more than 600 units. The company last month recorded 3 134 new-vehicle sales, notching up its best month ever and elevating it to a top-three position in overall vehicle sales in the South... →

Company establishes green rare earth fluoride manufacturing plant based on Necsa intellectual property

By: Donna Slater 14th October 2021 Over the past two years, Pretoria-based rare earth (RE) minerals refinery Rare Earth Refiners (RER) has designed, built and commissioned a demonstration plant for the green production of RE fluorides using a R15-million grant from the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA). REs, and especially... →

An image of the rare earth fluoride production machine based on intellectual property developed by the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation

The rare earth fluoride production machine based on intellectual property developed by the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation

Nissan introduces made-in-SA Navara single-cab bakkie

By: Irma Venter 14th October 2021 Following the introduction of the new Navara double-cab bakkie in June, Nissan South Africa has announced that it will round out the range with the launch of the single-cab derivative in October. As is the case with the double cab, the single-cab pickup is produced at the Nissan Rosslyn plant, in... →

Electronics company expects strong growth for fuel cell cars

By: Marleny Arnoldi 12th October 2021 A report by IDTechEx forecasts that the market value of on-road fuel cell vehicles will reach $160-billion by 2042, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 23.9% from 2022 to 2042. The electronics company believes that incorporating a fuel cell into an electric vehicle powertrain, generating... →

Hyundai to electrify all of its new commercial vehicle models by 2028

By: Irma Venter 8th October 2021 The Hyundai Motor Group has set out its plans to popularise hydrogen by 2040 through the introduction of new technologies and mobility solutions in the transport and other industrial sectors. At its recent Hydrogen Wave global online forum, Hyundai unveiled plans that will see the electrification... →

The Trailer Drone

Peugeot 2008 clinches Car of the Year title

By: Irma Venter 8th October 2021 The Peugeot 2008 sports-utility vehicle (SUV) has been named as the 2021 Car of the Year (COTY) by the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ). The Toyota Hilux double-cab bakkie came in second, while the BMW 4 Series took the bronze medal. →

Fritz to leave MBSA, Raine announced as successor

By: Irma Venter 8th October 2021 Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) has announced that co-CEO and Mercedes-Benz Cars executive director Johannes Fritz will be moving back to Germany to head up Mercedes-Benz Cars and Vans in Bavaria, one of the largest sales regions in the German market. “Fritz, who spent four years in South... →

Hyundai, Mini and Hino come out tops in NADA dealership survey

By: Irma Venter 8th October 2021 Hyundai and Mini walked away with top honours in the 2021 National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA) Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) survey for passenger and light commercial vehicles, while Mitsubishi was named the most improved brand. Gold winners in this segment were Suzuki, Toyota,... →

Facelifted Polo now being produced at Kariega plant, first local sales in 2022

By: Irma Venter 8th October 2021 Production of the new-look Polo has started at Volkswagen’s manufacturing plant in Kariega. Vehicle models typically receive a makeover in the middle of their life cycle. →

Tesla's gigafactory electrifies California-Germany culture clash

By: Reuters 7th October 2021 With final approval for its German factory potentially just weeks away, Tesla's Elon Musk will make an appearance in the tiny town of Gruenheide this Saturday to host a county fair. Despite pandemic-related curbs limiting gatherings in Germany to under 5 000 people, Tesla applied for - and got -... →

Local EV appetite is growing, but perception problems remain – AutoTrader survey

By: Irma Venter 6th October 2021 The newest AutoTrader South African Electric Vehicle Buyers Survey indicates that local electric vehicle (EV) appetite has grown year-on-year, says AutoTrader CEO George Mienie. AutoTrader is one of South Africa’s largest digital automotive marketplaces. →

George Mienie

Messe Frankfurt South Africa appoints Michael Dehn MD

By: Donna Slater 5th October 2021 Events organiser Messe Frankfurt South Africa has appointed Michael Dehn as its new MD, effective October 1. He succeeded Joshua Low who resigned from the company. →

Messe Frankfurt South Africa MD Michael Dehn

September sales see Suzuki move into top-three position

By: Irma Venter 5th October 2021 Suzuki Auto South Africa (Suzuki SA) in September broke its month-old all-time sales record set in August by more than 600 units. The company last month recorded 3 134 new-vehicle sales, notching up its best month ever and elevating it to a top-three position in overall vehicle sales in the South... →

New-vehicle sales gain momentum in September, some models in short supply

By: Irma Venter 4th October 2021 The South African new-vehicle market continued to recover some momentum in September, following the disruptions experienced in the economy during July, says WesBank. “Building on August sales successes, September sales . . . provided some reassurance for a stronger final quarter.” →

New-vehicle sales up 15.8% in September, exports tank by 57%

By: Irma Venter 1st October 2021 The South African new-vehicle market continued its gradual recovery during September, but the knock-on effects of the July riots, as well as the subsequent cyberattack on Transnet, were still visible in vehicle exports numbers, says Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council. “Much will depend on... →

Image of vehicles waiting to be exported at the Durban harbour

Neale Hill appointed Africa president for Ford Motor Company

By: Irma Venter 1st October 2021 Ford Motor Company has appointed Neale Hill as president of Ford Motor Company Africa, effective October 1. Hill is to lead the company in transforming and modernising Ford’s business across the African continent. →

Neale Hill

Motus acquires FAI Automotive in the UK

By: Irma Venter 1st October 2021 JSE-listed Automotive group Motus has acquired the entire issued share capital of FAI Automotive in the UK. The purchase consideration is based on an enterprise value of roughly R700-million, with the effective cash outflow of R550-million to be funded from available cash →

Ford South Africa appoints Yota Baron as new CFO

By: Irma Venter 1st October 2021 Yota Baron has been appointed as the new CFO of Ford South Africa. She previously served as CFO for direct markets within the Ford International Markets group. →

BMW prioritises production at Rosslyn amid global semiconductor shortage

By: Irma Venter 1st October 2021 The current global semiconductor (computer chip) shortage has not significantly impacted on operations at the BMW plant in Rosslyn, Pretoria, as production at the facility is being prioritised within the German carmaker’s larger manufacturing network. “At BMW we are managing quite well [with the... →

Mahindra South Africa introduces certified pre-owned vehicle franchises

By: Irma Venter 30th September 2021 Mahindra South Africa has introduced the concept of a dedicated Mahindra certified pre-owned vehicle franchise. This is a dedicated used-vehicle division that is being launched at qualifying Mahindra dealers across South Africa. →

Image of the opening of a Mahindra pre-owned vehicle franchise

First Grenadiers to arrive in SA in October next year

By: Irma Venter 29th September 2021 The first Ineos Grenadier vehicles destined for customers will arrive in South Africa in October next year, says Ineos Automotive South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa head Tim Abbott. If the name sounds familiar, it is because Abbott is the former boss of the BMW group in South Africa and... →

The Ineos Grenadier

Toyota Gazoo Racing announces four-car team and new vehicle for Dakar 2022

By: Irma Venter 28th September 2021 Toyota Gazoo Racing will enter a four-car team in the upcoming Dakar Rally, set to start in Saudi Arabia on January 2, 2022. As was the case this year, the team will be spear-headed by Nasser Al-Attiyah and navigator Mathieu Baumel. →

The Toyota GR DKR Hilux T1+

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