Triton brings the challenge to competitors
The bakkie war has intensified with the local launch of Mitsubishi’s next-generation Triton, an evolution in the iconic bakkie’s 46-year legacy.
- Product News
- 21 November 2024
The CEO of BMW Group South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, Tim Abbott, has quit after six years at the helm and will be replaced by South African born Peter van Binsbergen at the start of the new year.
This is an unusual step for the auto industry and according to a media statement the 62-year old Abbott will now mainly focus on projects close to his heart. These include transformation and conservation, and he will focus on continuing his legacy as being the initiator of the R6 billion Automotive Transformation Fund, and will also be actively campaigning for the Rhino Foundation.
According to Abbot, BMW SA has been his home since 2014 and he thanked his colleagues for their support and encouragement. “I have been outspoken in my commitment to transformation and conservation during my tenure here, and I will carry this determination for change into my new roles,” he said in a statement.
The Senior Vice-President Region Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa, Hendrik von Kuenheim said that he is disappointed to lose Abbott. “I know he will continue to make a difference in South Africa, and I thank Tim for his contribution and leadership to the company and wish him well in his new ventures,” he said.
Van Binsbergen will assume the role of CEO having started his career over 25 years ago when he was responsible for product planning, marketing and sales at BMW Group South Africa. After working in Japan and China, he took the helm as Senior Vice-President Customer Support BMW Group in 2018.
“Peter’s breadth of experience in different leadership roles across the company as well as his international background has proved to be a great asset in his current role, and will be extremely valuable in his new position. He now returns to South Africa where he started his career at the BMW Group and will use his extensive knowledge and leadership skills in his home country,” Von Kuenheim said.
Van Binsbergen is looking forward to coming home after 18 years abroad. “This is a really exciting time to be involved with BMW, and I am looking forward to building on the tremendous work done by Tim and his team to strengthen the position of the Group in South Africa,” he said.
The bakkie war has intensified with the local launch of Mitsubishi’s next-generation Triton, an evolution in the iconic bakkie’s 46-year legacy.
Unlike in the past, when dealerships primarily waited for customers to come to them, we now take a more proactive approach, bringing our vehicles directly to places where people gather, allowing them to experience the product first-hand, including offering test drives,” says Gerrie van der Kaay, Dealer Principal at Supergroup Dealerships Jetour Midrand.
JAC Motors added ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) to its X200 2.8L TDI 1.5-tonne single-cab, enhancing safety for both the crew and cargo. This latest upgrade complements the ABS-equipped X200 1.3-tonne double-cab targeted at organisations with labour-intensive crews.
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