Motoring News Archives Page 2 of 6 - Heels & Horsepower Magazine

Honda Dream Days Cash Back Sale

vuyi on March 17, 2022

By H&H Admin

Honda Motor Southern Africa announces the return of Honda Dream Days with an exciting CASH BACK SALE!

From 14-31 March 2022 Honda Dream Days CASH BACK SALE will offer customers great deals on *selected Honda vehicles!

For many years, Honda Dream Days Sales events have been affording customers the opportunity of joining the Honda family by offering great deals on selected Honda vehicles.

Honda Dreams Days has become an important event on Honda’s sales calendar and this year’s event, taking place from 14-31 March 2022 will be offering attractive CASH BACK deals on selected vehicles for a limited period of time.

The Honda Dream Days CASH BACK Sales event also gives customers the opportunity to *structure their cash back deal according to their financial needs.

Honda has a variety of vehicles to offer potential customers depending on their requirements and budget. The Honda Dream Days CASH BACK Sales event will feature deals on a range of Honda vehicles including the versatile WR-V, *FIT and the recently updated Amaze.

The Honda Dream Days event gives customers the opportunity to purchase a high quality, Fuel-Efficient and reliable Honda vehicle at a reduced price. Honda encourages customers to visit their nearest Honda dealership to take advantage of these exciting CASH BACK Sales offers!

“Through Honda Dream Days Events we give new customers the opportunity of joining the Honda brand and family, says Dinesh Govender General Manager of Honda Motor Southern Africa. We understand that customers are looking for value for money in the vehicles they purchase and through Honda Dream Days Sales Events we offer potential customers the opportunity of purchasing a high-quality Honda vehicle at a reduced price!”

To participate in Honda Dream Days, members of the public with an interest in Honda are invited to visit any Honda dealership during business hours and are reminded that the Honda Dream Days CASH BACK sales event is only applicable from 14 – 31 March 2022.

*Terms and conditions apply.Offer excludes FIT Hybrid. While stocks last.

VWSA welcomes new Human Resources Director & Board Member

vuyi on March 16, 2022

By H&H Admin

Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) has appointed a new Human Resources Director and Board member.

Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) has appointed a new Human Resources Director and Board member, to be based in Kariega, Eastern Cape.

Russell Coleman will join the VWSA Board of Management from 1 April 2022. Russell brings with him over 20 years of experience in the manufacturing space, both in the automotive and FMCG industries.

Russell Coleman joins VWSA Board of Management

Born and raised in Gqeberha, he joins VWSA from Beiersdorf in KwaZulu Natal, where he held the position of HR Director Southern Africa. Before this, he occupied various Human Resources positions with companies such as Danone, Parmalat, Mondelez International and Faurecia Automotive.

“We are excited to welcome Russell to the Board of Management,” said VWSA Chairman and Managing Director, Robert Cisek. “I have no doubt that his decades of knowledge and experience of people operations within a manufacturing environment will greatly benefit VWSA and our employees.”

Isuzu boldly launches its all new 7th generation ISUZI D-MAX bakkie

vuyi on March 11, 2022

By H&H Admin

The first locally engineered and produced 7th generation ISUZU D-MAX bakkie rolled off the production line today.

The first locally engineered and produced 7th generation ISUZU D-MAX bakkie rolled off the production line today.

This signifies the beginning of Isuzu Motors South Africa’s (IMSAf) mass production of their soon-to-be-launched bakkie. High-ranking officials, led by the Premier of the Eastern Cape, Oscar Mabuyane, and Naamsa CEO, Mikel Mabasa, attended the proceedings at the OEM’s manufacturing plant in Gqeberha.

Premier of the Eastern Cape: Oscar Mabuyane, President and CEO: Billy Tom

This is a key milestone for ISUZU as this 7th generation bakkie is the culmination of a R1.2 billion investment the business announced in 2019.

“ISUZU’s Struandale plant and the new generation ISUZU D-MAX programme is crucial to the communities in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro and the livelihoods of thousands in South Africa and Africa,” said Billy Tom, President and CEO of ISUZU Motors South Africa. “We are delighted to see our significant investment in the motor industry come to fruition, and to secure the jobs of so many citizens while simultaneously bringing a vehicle re-engineered for African conditions to market.”

The investment was also crucial in ensuring the plant is upgraded to include state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment. The ISUZU manufacturing plant in Struandale now boasts a new body shop at the Struandale Manufacturing Plant, a new chassis assembly line at Isuzu’s Kempston Road facility, significant modifications to the paint shop and general assembly areas.

“The new vehicle programme is dependent on more sophisticated tooling, technologies and increased automation, in line with technological advancements and improved efficiencies,” said Dominic Rimmer, IMSAf Senior Vice President Technical Operations. “We have had to make significant changes to our facilities to accommodate new manufacturing techniques where we have invested in complete new machinery and equipment in both our body shop and chassis assembly line.

In addition to preparing new facilities for the assembly of the new ISUZU D-MAX, ISUZU engineers have been hard at work doing validation, homologation, and durability testing in preparation for the new bakkie’s introduction to the South African and Rest of Africa (ROFA) markets.

ISUZU Motors South Africa will officially launch the ISUZU D-MAX on the 7th April 2022 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha. Dubbed the ISUZU City, the OEM has appointed the services of local suppliers to ensure the launch benefits surrounding businesses.

The new ISUZU D-MAX is the seventh generation ISUZU light commercial vehicle to be produced in Port Elizabeth over a period of 42 years.

Toyota South Africa and Kaizer Chiefs: A Perfect Fit

vuyi on March 4, 2022

By H&H Admin

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) logo will now be included on the Kaizer Chiefs Football Club’s jersey.

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) and Kaizer Chiefs Football Club are pleased to announce that their existing partnership agreement will now include the manufacturer’s logo on the Amakhosi jersey.

The Toyota logo will be emblazoned on the left sleeve of the shirt and will either be black, gold or white – depending on the colour of the shirt.

According to TSAM’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Leon Theron: “Toyota and Kaizer Chiefs have been in partnership for only five years, yet it feels like we have been on this journey forever.

It all started in 2017 when we became the official motor vehicle supplier to Amakhosi – a commitment which was meant to last three years.

“Fast forward to 2022, that collaboration has not waned – on the contrary, we are solidifying our partnership. We are excited that we will now have our Toyota logo emblazoned on the sleeve of Chiefs shirts. Moreover, we could not be more excited as the replica jersey – with similar branding – will soon be available at stores nationwide.”

The existing partnership saw Toyota providing the Club with 20 vehicles to meet all Kaizer Chiefs’ transportation requirements at inception.

With the updated deal, TSAM has added an additional 10 vehicles to the Chiefs fleet – all branded in the famous gold and black colours of Amakhosi. The fleet ranges from hatchbacks, sedans, SUVs, bakkies to panel vans and minibuses.

The new deal will also have a sizeable cash component which will help the Club with its day-to-day operations.

Kaizer Chiefs Marketing & Commercial Director Jessica Motaung, expressed her delight over this new multimillion-rand sponsorship deal that has been signed with Toyota SA.

“It is thrilling for us to once again align with a multinational company such as Toyota, that is so prevalently invested in the growth of sport in South Africa and the world,” says Motaung. “Our partnership is an example of how two brands who are trusted by their customers/supporters can come together in order to deliver value for each other and we have no doubt that this new positioning will see us continue to deliver for each other.

“We are looking forward to more exciting collaborations with team Toyota and we will again work toward taking millions of our supporters with on this journey. We will soon be announcing some great initiatives that will benefit them when they return to stadiums and on digital platforms. This way we will continue to ‘lead the way.’”

Kaizer Chiefs and Toyota will take some key learnings from the last five years and enhance Amakhosi supporters experience and engage for the duration of the partnership.

“We are truly grateful to Kaizer Chiefs that they have afforded us a platform to realise some of our ideals through our shared values. We hope that our association can grow from strength to strength and that we continue to be significant players both on and off the field,” Theron concludes.

Volkswagen adds the Taigo to its T SUV range

vuyi on March 4, 2022

By H&H Admin

The Taigo, Volkswagen’s compact SUV coupé, will join the T SUV model range in the first half of 2022

The Taigo will join the T-Cross and T-Roc as Volkswagen’s trio of compact SUVs in the A0 SUV segment. By the end of 2022, Volkswagen’s T SUV range will consist of seven models namely the T-Cross, Taigo, T-Roc, Tiguan, Tiguan Allspace, Tiguan R (launching in the local market in the third quarter of 2022) and Touareg.

Taigo derives its name from a combination of ‘tiger’ and ‘Taiga’, which is a forest in the Northern Hemisphere. Taigo symbolises strength, outdoors and adventure. The SUV’s name starts with the letter ‘T’ and follows Volkswagen’s naming convention for its SUVs in South Africa.

The new Volkswagen Taigo impresses with its trendy crossover body style, raised seating position and pioneering connectivity. Numerous driver assistance systems guarantee comfort and a high level of safety for all passengers. With full LED headlights, a digital cockpit and the latest generation of infotainment systems, the Taigo sets high technology standards in its class.

The Taigo will be offered with Volkswagen’s popular tilting and sliding panoramic sunroof. The Volkswagen Taigo will only be available with the 1.0 TSI 85kW DSG® engine.

New Range Rover pricing announced

vuyi on March 3, 2022

By H&H Admin

Land Rover has announced pricing for the new Range Rover which will be officially launched in South Africa midway through 2022.

The fifth-generation Range Rover will be available with four, five or seven-seat interiors together with Standard and Long Wheelbase body designs. The new luxury SUV will come in a choice of HSE, Autobiography and flagship SV trim levels, while a unique First Edition will be sold throughout the first year of production. The First Edition is based on the Autobiography and will be available exclusively in a Sunset Gold Satin finish, among a choice of five other exterior colours.

Three powertrain options will include advanced six- and eight-cylinder engines, including a new Extended Range Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV).

The New Range Rover is the first Land Rover to be powered by a new 4.4-litre V8 engine, badged P530 in reference to its output in horsepower. This engine produces 390kW and 750Nm of torque, and powers the SUV from 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds with Dynamic Launch engaged, and to a top speed of 250km/h.

A powerful D350 3.0-litre straight-six turbodiesel produces 257kW and 700Nm of torque, and propels the New Range Rover from 0-100km/h in 6.1s.

The new Extended Range P510e PHEV combines the inherent refinement of Land Rover’s 375kW in-line six-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine, with a 38.2kWh lithium-ion battery and a 105kW electric motor integrated with the transmission. Together, the powertrain provides up to 113km of near-silent pure-electric driving and with instantaneous electric torque the new P510e accelerates from 0-100km/h in 5.6s.

New Range Rover pricing:

D350 HSE Standard Wheelbase R2,861,000

P530 HSE Standard Wheelbase R3,026,000

D350 Autobiography Standard Wheelbase R3,310,000

P530 Autobiography Standard Wheelbase R3,475,000

P510e Autobiography Standard Wheelbase R3,527,000

D350 First Edition Standard Wheelbase R3,434,000

P530 First Edition Standard Wheelbase R3,581,000

P510e First Edition Standard Wheelbase R3,582,000

D350 Autobiography Long Wheelbase R3,392,000

P530 Autobiography Long Wheelbase R3,557,000

D350 First Edition Long Wheelbase R3,516,000

P530 First Edition Long Wheelbase R3,663,000

D350 Autobiography Long Wheelbase 7-seats R3,422,000

P530 Autobiography Long Wheelbase 7-seats R3,587,000

D350 SV Standard Wheelbase R3,857,000

P530 SV Standard Wheelbase R3,920,000

P510e SV Standard Wheelbase R3,962,000

D350 SV Long Wheelbase R4,279,000

P530 SV Long Wheelbase R4,343,000

* Prices include VAT but exclude CO2 tax.

The New Range Rover will be launched in South Africa toward the middle of 2022. All Land Rover vehicles come with standard 5-year/100,000km Land Rover Care Warranty and Maintenance Plans.

Double Kyalami 9-Hour Podium For Into Africa Mining Team

vuyi on February 8, 2022

Xolile Letlaka claimed a double podium at the prestigious Kyalami 9-Hour, earning a third place finish in the SA GT 1-Hour race, before racing to a superb second place in the Kyalami 9-Hour National GT3 class along with teammates Tschops Sipuka and Philip Kekana.

Sipuka and Kekana were recruited into the team as a homage to the missed international opportunities their talent deserved.

The Stradale Racing/Into Africa Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo team created history as the first all-Black African team to enter – and finish – the Kyalami 9-hour. The team gained enormous exposure and interest from the International media on the grid before, during and after the race, garnering the loudest applause from the throngs of spectators as they mounted the podium.

The pre-race grid activities included Letlaka revealing his Africa Race Together Foundation, an initiative aimed at driving sustainability in national and international motorsport through diversity. The Foundation aims to identify and nurture emerging talent across all spectrums of the sport.

After the race, an elated Letlaka said: “Racing in the Kyalami 9-Hour was an amazing feeling, made even more special with the crowd so strongly behind us. We got a huge cheer at the end which was quite emotional for us. This is how motorsport should be.”

“The car ran perfectly for the whole race. This result is a testament to the whole Stradale Team as well as Tschops and Philip,” he concluded.

A weary Sipuka summed up his Kyalami 9-Hour experience: “The Lamborghini is an exciting car to drive. The team did their best and worked wonders during the event. Racing at night doesn’t happen very often – you really need an extra set of eyes out there as all your brake markers have disappeared into the night. You need high concentration levels as the last thing you want is to throw the race away in the dying minutes.”

Kekana, the oldest member of the trio was equally thrilled with the team’s result: “I had minimal seat time before the race. Once I worked out just how good a GT3 car is, I started to explore its capabilities more and more as the race went on. I’m really happy for the team and amazed at just how much support we enjoyed from the crowd. It’s an experience I’ll remember for the rest of my life”.

100 000th Polo Vivo rolls off production line at VWSA plant in Kariega

vuyi on January 28, 2022

Starting 2022 off on a strong note, Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) celebrated a production milestone this week, with the 100 000th unit of the current Polo Vivo rolling off the production line at the plant in Kariega (formerly Uitenhage).

The Vivo is built exclusively in Kariega for the South African market and this milestone comes just over four years after the plant began manufacturing the current Vivo model in 2018.

Prior to this, VWSA built the first generation Vivo from 2010 to 2017, with a total of 254 683 units built in this generation. This means the plant has built just over 354 000 Vivos to date.

In turn, South African consumers have shown their appreciation consistently for this uniquely South African vehicle: the Vivo has been the best-selling vehicle in the passenger car market every year since its introduction in 2010.

A total of 350 289 Vivos have been sold between 2010 and 2021, of which 251 726 were during the first generation and 98 563 of the current model (up until December 2021).

The best annual sales performance for the current Vivo model was recorded in 2019 when VWSA sold a total of 29 618 Vivos in one year. In terms of monthly performance, the Vivo proved most popular in October 2018, when 3 009 Vivos were sold in a single month.

The Vivo is one of two vehicles currently being built at the Kariega plant, the other being the Volkswagen Polo. The Polos built in Kariega are exported to all right-hand-drive markets worldwide, while VWSA also supplements production for left-hand-drive markets.

“This milestone means a lot to our team, both in Production and in the rest of the company,” said Ulrich Schwabe, Production Director at VWSA. “Given the challenges of our industry and of the Covid-19 pandemic, this achievement is a proud moment that sets the tone for a successful year ahead. I am grateful to every VWSA employee for their dedication, and the part they played in making this milestone a reality.”

Isuzu appoints Marcia Noxolo Mayaba as Department for Dealer and Business Development

vuyi on January 27, 2022

Marcia joins the Isuzu Motors South Africa (IMSAf) senior executive team as the newly appointed Department Executive for Dealer and Business Development.

Marcia Mayaba has an impressive track record within the automotive industry, which spans over two decades.

She has worked across various fields, including truck rental, car rental, leasing and fleet management as well as having extensive retail experience, holding positions of General Manager, Dealer Principal and Franchise Executive, and was the first female in the South African Motor industry to head a Motor Group listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange when she was appointed as the Chief Executive of Barloworld Motor Retail.

During her tenure with Barloworld, Marcia also held the role of Vice President of the National Automobile Dealers Association. In 2021 Marcia was voted as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Africa – Automotive Supply Chain.

“We are excited to have Marcia join the IMSAf team, especially with her wealth of experience, where she will be instrumental in bringing to life the IMSAf vision of transformation, high performance and results,” says Mongezi Hermans, Senior Vice President Human Capital and Corporate Affairs at Isuzu.

Looking forward to the challenge, Marcia Mayaba, Department Executive for Dealer and Business Development says “The role is both exciting and challenging at the same time. It aims at bringing about transformation, not only from a diversity and inclusion perspective, but also from the way we conduct business with our business partners and the dealer network into the future”.

Marcia completed a Gordon Institute of Business Science Programme for Management Development, a Diploma in Public Relations from Lesley Carnelley Business College and an Advanced Certificate in Road Transport obtained from the Rand Afrikaans University (R.A.U), now the University of Johannesburg.

She has also completed Dealer Principal Management Training Programmes both at OEM and retail levels. She also holds a Sewell’s Dealership Management Qualification.

Toyota Celebrates Sales Leadership in South Africa

vuyi on January 14, 2022

By H&H Admin

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) marked 42 years as the best-selling automotive brand in South Africa.

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) marked 42 years as the best-selling automotive brand in South Africa with a remarkable market share of 25.4%.This means that one in every four vehicles sold locally in 2021 was a Toyota product. Out of the industry total of 464 122, an aggregate of 117 659 units were delivered by TSAM.

The last time TSAM registered a market share higher than 25% was in 2003, and it was not necessarily a good year for the industry as total automotive sales were just slightly above 380 000.

This was followed by a few years where Toyota garnered a market share just above 19%. Worthy of mention however is that for the past five years, Toyota has been punching above a 20% share – an unprecedented run of success by any local automotive brand in recent history.

Hilux retains its title as the country’s best-selling vehicle with a total of 36 085 units sold – most of which were double cabs. Hiace also continued its supremacy as the ‘people mover’ of choice with a total of 15 699 models sold. The two heroes, assisted by other light commercial vehicle (LCV) models such as Land Cruiser pick-up and Dyna, propelled TSAM to its highest LCV market share of 42.2%.

Toyota’s market share of 19.2% in the passenger segment is the highest in the last 12 years – matching a similar figure in 2018 – and comes in the wake of two stellar performances by the Corolla Cross in November and December.

Other notable figures were posted by Starlet and Urban Cruiser last year – 12 103 and 8 899 respectively for 2021. Toyota’s truck division Hino posted an impressive market share of 25.1% in the Medium Commercial Vehicle (MCV) segment and registered a 5.5% share in Heavy Commercial Vehicles.

TSAM is also proud that its Parts’ Supply business distributed no less than 16 million items to domestic dealers, while close to 4 million pieces were shipped outside of the country in 2021.

Toyota Sales Breakdown

In December, TSAM continued to power ahead with sales of 9 580 – leading in both Passenger (5 603) and LCV (3 699) segments for the second month in a row. The December retail represents 26.6% of the total sales of 35 948 units reported by NAAMSA.

Stand-out performances were recorded by SA’s favourite bakkie Hilux (2 426); the new Corolla Cross (1 752); the affordable Starlet (1 180) as well as the evergreen Hiace (1 024).

Lexus recorded a total of 51 sales, including 20 ES and 10 RX models. Hino recorded a total of 249 sales. The 300-Series posted 150 units while the 500-Series sold 72 models.

Toyota Parts Sales

From a parts perspective, 1.2 million pieces were supplied to domestic dealers while a further 305 000 units were shipped across the borders in December.

According Leon Theron, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at TSAM: “The last month of the year is not traditionally successful when it comes vehicles sales. This is mainly due to the limited days of doing business as well as many customers and dealers withholding vehicle registrations in order to record new models in the New Year. However, we are truly grateful for the 26.6% market share recorded last month.”

Theron also paid tribute to Toyota’s employees, dealers and other business partners for their support: “When we established the brand in South Africa in 1961, we focused on establishing a wide dealer network that directly serves customers. We genuinely appreciate all those who have been part of the Toyota journey to date, including dealers, staff as well as all the various brand ambassadors and customers.”

A Million Reasons To Choose Chery

vuyi on November 29, 2021

by H&h Admin

Chery South Africa is giving South African motorists a million reasons to choose its modern and stylish SUVs.

Chery South Africa is giving South African motorists a million reasons to choose its modern and stylish SUVs.

The company recently launched its Tiggo 4 Pro with an astonishing 10-year or 1-million-kilometre engine warranty. This beats the best industry warranties by 40%.

The warranty has two elements. A standard 5-year / 150 000 km factory warranty applies to all new Tiggo 4 Pro models sold. This warranty remains with the vehicle. The second, a free extension for another 5 years and a massive 850 000 km focussed on the engine, is added automatically at the end of the first warranty, provided that the vehicle is still owned by the original owner.

As is the standard practice throughout the industry, the warranty requires the service and repair of the vehicle by Chery Dealerships, within Chery standards and using original Chery parts and components.

Added to this industry leading warranty, Chery recently announced its agreement with the Automobile Association of South Africa to provide roadside assistance and support for five years unlimited kilometres. This means that Chery owners can expect roadside support – with services ranging from help with flat tyres or batteries to safe overnight vehicle storage in case of an accident.

In the past decade, Chery has completely reinvented itself as a global design, engineering and manufacturing powerhouse.

“Modern Chery vehicles represent the best in terms of technology and performance while meeting CNCAP five-star safety standards,” says Tony Liu, Executive Deputy General Manager of Chery South Africa.

At the same time, explains Liu, Chery has partnered with industry leaders like Aisin, Getrag, Bosch and Schaeffler to perfect its internal combustion, hybrid and all-electric powertrains. All this forms part of Chery’s 457 plan, which will see Chery focus on four new energy product platforms, five universal subsystems and seven core technologies, including all types of propulsion.

“We have invested heavily in our own capabilities and now employ over 5 500 people in our Research and Development department that now develops everything from traditional petrol engines to all-electric powertrains, hydrogen systems and even aeronautical engines.

“It is with this in mind that we are supremely confident in offering this decade-long, 1-million-kilometre engine warranty,” says Liu.

Chery has partnered with 30 dealers across South Africa and will soon expand its partnership to more dealers with the aim of offering complete coverage of all the major towns and cities. This will ensure that Chery owners have easy access to Chery technical specialists for services and warranty support.

“We hope the 1-million-kilometre engine warranty will set the benchmark and that our service and parts support through our dealer network will seal the deal. There is now no reason at all not to test drive a Chery Tiggo 4 Pro,” says Liu.

Land Rover and World Rugby go Above & Beyond for Rugby World Cup 2023

vuyi on November 18, 2021

Press Release: Land Rover South Africa

Land Rover and World Rugby will together write the next chapter of their successful relationship as Land Rover was confirmed as the fifth Worldwide Partner for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France.

To celebrate, Land Rover rugby ambassadors Dimitri Yachvili and Bryan Habana were joined by Land Rover’s first child mascot for the tournament, eight-year-old Arthur from Paris.

Since becoming a Worldwide Partner of Rugby World Cup in 2015, Land Rover has inspired thousands of children from all over the world through its extensive grassroots activities and Rugby World Cup mascot programme, allowing young rugby fans to join the team captains on the pitch ahead of every match.

Reflecting the joint commitment of Land Rover and World Rugby to a more sustainable future, the Rugby World Cup 2023 mascots will be known as ‘Land Rover Defenders of Tomorrow’ and will form a key element of the global Land Rover campaign. They will be selected for their passion and commitment to changing their world for the better.

Arthur was selected through Land Rover France’s long-term partnership with France’s Top 14 competition. He plays rugby for Racing club Asnières (sur Seine) near Paris.

Arthur said: “I am really excited to be the first Land Rover Defender of Tomorrow. I can’t wait for the Rugby World Cup 2023 to be in France, and to tell all of my friends at my rugby club that I am going to be on the pitch!”