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Passenger Cars, Bakkies & Vans News

First electric Land Rover to arrive in 2024, Jaguar to become EV-only brand

By: Irma Venter 9th March 2021 Jaguar Land Rover says its Reimagine plan will see the electrification of both Land Rover and Jaguar brands on separate architectures with “two clear, unique personalities”. The British car maker, which forms part of India’s Tata group, says Land Rover will welcome six pure electric variants in... →

Suzuki sets yet another monthly sales record, sells 100 000th car

By: Irma Venter 8th March 2021 Suzuki Auto South Africa ended February with total sales of 2 142 units. This is a new record for the brand since the Japanese car maker entered the South African market in 2008, and only four months since Suzuki broke through the 2 000-barrier for the first time ever. →

The S-Presso

Online vehicle searches jump to a record high – AutoTrader

By: Irma Venter 8th March 2021 The latest bi-annual AutoTrader Car Industry Report shows that online vehicle searches on AutoTrader have reached a new record. Covering the period from July 1 to December 31, 2020, the report notes that 276-million searches were conducted on AutoTrader, which is 54.1% growth year-on-year. →

Vehicle finance on cusp of revolution, says WesBank’s Msibi

By: Irma Venter 5th March 2021 The demands on financial institutions are changing rapidly as younger age groups start to actively participate in the acquisition of assets, says WesBank Motor CEO Ghana Msibi. “I expect the motoring industry, including vehicle finance, to evolve more in the next five years than it has in the... →

Start of Nissan Navara assembly postponed from first quarter to June

By: Irma Venter 5th March 2021 Nissan South Africa (SA) will delay the start of volume production and sales of the Nissan Navara one-ton bakkie to June this year, says Nissan SA marketing director Stefan Haasbroek. He says this is due to operational issues related to the Covid-19 pandemic. →

Challenging 2021 predicted for South African car market

By: Irma Venter 5th March 2021 The South African automotive industry faces a challenging 2021, with new-vehicle prices continuing to climb well above the inflation rate in a market already severely constrained by the financial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is according to the latest TransUnion South Africa Vehicle... →

Volvo aims to become EV-only group by 2030 and to sell them all online

By: Irma Venter 2nd March 2021 Volvo Cars says it aims to become a fully electric vehicle (EV) company, on a global level, by 2030. By then, the company intends to only sell fully electric cars and phase out any car in its global portfolio with an internal combustion engine, including hybrids. →

The Volvo XC40 Recharge

February new-vehicle sales down 13.3%; semiconductor shortage set to dent supply

By: Irma Venter 2nd March 2021 New-vehicle sales fell by 13.3% in February, to 37 521 units, compared with the same month last year, reports Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council. An estimated 31 635 units, or 84.3%, were dealer sales, with 10% going to the vehicle rental industry, 3.4% to government, and 2.3% of total... →

Naamsa announces name change

By: Irma Venter 1st March 2021 The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) has announced a change in its naming conventions, as it says it represents a wider community of stakeholders than only vehicle manufacturers. “Traditionally, we were established to primarily represent the interests of... →

Botswana seeks opportunities to integrate into S Africa auto value chain

By: Irma Venter 1st March 2021 The Botswana government believes there is an opportunity for the country to participate in the South African automotive sector. “Around 60% of the components used in South African vehicles are still imported from outside Africa. Given Botswana’s proximity to South Africa, we see this as an... →

Diamonds currently make up 91% of Botswana's exports

Stop AARTO now, says the Road Freight Association

By: Irma Venter 26th February 2021 The Road Freight Association (RFA) says it is “shocked and deeply concerned” about the suspension of Road Traffic Infringement Agency (RTIA) CEO Japh Chuwe, amid allegations of maladministration. “This has a severe impact on the implementation of the highly controversial Administrative... →

Ford adds armoured Rangers to South African portfolio

By: Irma Venter 26th February 2021 Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA), together with SVI Engineering, has announced the availability of Ford-approved armoured protection for the Ranger pickup. “The Ranger is among the best-selling vehicles in South Africa, and the introduction of armoured protection will help establish... →

Auto dealers call on govt to reduce vehicle taxes

By: Irma Venter 26th February 2021 The automotive industry needs a “significant financial stimulus package” from government to allow it to accelerate its recovery, says National Automobile Dealers’ Association (Nada) chairperson Mark Dommisse. “The most effective way to increase sales will be to make new vehicles more affordable... →

New-vehicle sales to recover, but market fundamentals not healthy

By: Irma Venter 26th February 2021 New-vehicle sales will show double-digit growth this year off last year’s unforeseen low base, but will also continue to show a decline in real economic terms, says vehicle and asset finance provider WesBank. WesBank CEO Chris de Kock says two considerations need to be taken into account when... →

Agreement between Mahindra SA, SsangYong comes to an end

By: Irma Venter 25th February 2021 Mahindra South Africa (MSA) says the multiyear agreement between itself and the SsangYong Motor Company (SYMC) has ended, which means that MSA will no longer act as the local distributor for SYMC, as from February 28. This marks the end of a multiyear agreement, during which MSA took over full... →

Energy tariff increases to slam brakes on auto industry competitiveness – AIDCEC

By: Irma Venter 25th February 2021 The Eastern Cape Automotive Industry Development Centre (AIDCEC) has warned that the 15% electricity tariff increase that comes into effect on April 1 will slam the brakes on the South African automotive supply chain's drive to achieve greater levels of global competitiveness. The AIDCEC says... →

Strong used-car, aftermarket sales see Motus bounce back

By: Irma Venter 24th February 2021 A buoyant used-car market and strong aftermarket parts sales have helped mobility group Motus bounce back from the significant decline the group experienced owing to the Covid-19 pandemic in the last half of the previous financial year. Reporting on the company’s results for the first six months... →

Nissan CEO who oversaw Ghosn’s downfall testifies in court

By: Bloomberg 24th February 2021 Former Nissan Motor CEO Hiroto Saikawa told a Tokyo court that he agreed that former chairperson Carlos Ghosn should have been paid more to prevent him from going to a rival automaker. Greg Kelly, the former Nissan director who was arrested on the same day as Ghosn in November 2018, is standing... →

Mercedes-Benz unveils the new C-Class to be assembled in East London

By: Irma Venter 24th February 2021 Mercedes-Benz has lifted the veil on its new generation C-Class. Production of the model is set to start later this year – for the local and export markets – at the Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) plant, in East London, following a R10-billion investment by the German parent company. →

The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Local advancement of electric vehicles must be accelerated, says Naamsa

By: Irma Venter 22nd February 2021 Electric vehicle (EV) sales are forecast to exceed internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sales by 2038, with sales in the European Union (EU) projected to comprise 40% EVs by 2030, and 80% by 2040, says the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) in its fourth... →

WeBuyCars kicks off the new year with record trading month

By: Irma Venter 19th February 2021 WeBuyCars kicked off the new year with record trading numbers, with January sales up 10% on the same period last year, says CEO Faan van der Walt. The used-car trader says there has been a strong recovery in domestic used-vehicle sales, despite the prevailing economic climate, as can be seen by... →

Naacam optimistic positive momentum seen at end of ‘tough 2020’ will be sustained this year

By: Irma Venter 19th February 2021 The South African component manufacturing sector had a tough 2020, says National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (Naacam) executive director Renai Moothilal. There is, however, hope that some of the positive momentum seen at the end of last year will be sustained in... →

Toyota projecting 21% new-vehicle sales increase this year

By: Irma Venter 19th February 2021 Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) believes the domestic new-vehicle market may grow by 21% this year, to about 460 000 units, following a decline of 29% in 2020. TSAM president and CEO Andrew Kirby says the recovery seen in the latter half of a Covid-19-hit 2020 bodes well for an increase in... →

New partnership to launch Cape Town eMobility Festival

By: Irma Venter 19th February 2021 Live Company Group has announced that it has, through E-Movement Holdings, its wholly owned subsidiary, partnered with Messe Frankfurt South Africa for the launch of the eMobility Festival 2021. The eMobility Festival will focus on electric vehicles (EVs) of all kinds, the future of e-mobility... →

Peugeot Citroen South Africa takes over local Opel distribution

By: Irma Venter 19th February 2021 Peugeot Citroën South Africa (PCSA) has announced that it will take over responsibility for German car brand Opel in the local market. This comes as US manufacturer General Motors (GM) sold Opel in 2017 to the French PSA group, which owns, among others, the Peugeot, Vauxhall and Citroën brands. →

OneLogix in good health despite Covid-19, says Lourens

By: Irma Venter 18th February 2021 OneLogix CEO Ian Lourens says that all of the niche logistics provider’s 12 companies “remain in good health”, despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The group reported a 16% drop in revenue, to R1.22-billion, for the six months ended November 30, compared with the same period in 2019.... →

Afreximbank, AAAM sign MoU on Africa auto industry financing

By: Irma Venter 18th February 2021 The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the financing and promotion of the automotive industry in Africa. “The strategic partnership with AAAM will facilitate the... →

Nissan SA to push start of Navara assembly to Q2, halt NP300 production

By: Irma Venter 16th February 2021 Nissan South Africa (SA) will delay the start of volume production and sales of the Nissan Navara one-ton bakkie to June this year, says Nissan SA marketing director Stefan Haasbroek. He says this is owing to operational issues related to the Covid-19 pandemic. →

New-vehicle sales to recover, but market fundamentals not healthy, says WesBank

By: Irma Venter 16th February 2021 New-vehicle sales will show double-digit growth this year off last year’s unforeseen low base, but will also continue to show a decline in real economic terms, says vehicle and asset finance provider WesBank. WesBank CEO Chris de Kock says two considerations need to be taken into account when... →

Chris de Kock

Daimler to split into two; majority listing of Daimler Truck on the cards

By: Irma Venter 15th February 2021 German vehicle manufacturer Daimler says it plans a fundamental change in its structure, “designed to unlock the full potential of its businesses in a zero-emissions, software-driven future”. The supervisory board and the board of management of Daimler says they have agreed to evaluate a... →

Biden faces South African push to extend trade concessions

By: Bloomberg 15th February 2021 South Africa is apprehensive about striking a new trade deal with the US and would rather maintain existing relations with the world’s largest economy, the nation’s top trade official said. South Africa is currently party to the so-called Generalised System of Preferences and the African Growth... →

South African car market faces challenging 2021, says TransUnion

By: Irma Venter 12th February 2021 The South African automotive industry faces a challenging 2021, with new-vehicle prices continuing to climb well above the inflation rate in a market already severely constrained by the financial effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. This is according to the latest TransUnion South Africa Vehicle... →

New owner sought for Bloodhound land-speed record project

By: Irma Venter 12th February 2021 The UK’s Bloodhound land-speed record (LSR) project is looking for a new owner to take the team through to its world LSR attempt in 2022. In 2019, the Bloodhound team deployed to South Africa to conduct high-speed testing, with the car hitting a peak speed of 1 011 km/h, thereby proving that the... →

Ford investing R15.8bn to build new Ranger in SA, mulling high-capacity rail corridor

By: Irma Venter 12th February 2021 Ford will invest R15.8-billion in its South African operations to produce the new-generation Ranger pickup at its Silverton assembly plant, in Tshwane, for the local, as well as more than 100 export markets, starting in 2022. The plant currently produces the current-generation Ranger pickup, also... →

Corolla Cross production at Toyota’s Durban plant to start in fourth quarter

By: Irma Venter 12th February 2021 Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) will start production of the Corolla Cross at its Prospecton plant, in Durban, in the fourth quarter of this year. The sports-utility vehicle will be produced in both left- and right-hand-drive variants for the local market, as well as markets in the rest of... →

Vehicle finance on cusp of revolution, says WesBank’s Msibi

By: Irma Venter 11th February 2021 The demands on financial institutions are changing rapidly as younger age groups start to actively participate in the acquisition of assets, says WesBank Motor CEO Ghana Msibi. “I expect the motoring industry, including vehicle finance, to evolve more in the next five years than it has in the... →

Ghana Msibi

Buying or servicing a car? Things are about to change, says AutoTrader

By: Irma Venter 10th February 2021 There are significant changes on the horizon for the local automotive industry, and they will affect every South African seeking to buy, repair or service a car, says AutoTrader. The changes, effective July 1, are owing to a series of guidelines published by the Competition Commission last year,... →

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