Polo Sedan range extended with new engine addition
The Volkswagen Polo Sedan model range has been expanded with the addition of the 85 kW 1.0 TSI engine. The new engine will be offered with the Life and Style derivatives
- Product News
- 9 May 2024
Stellantis South Africa announced organisational changes for the Executive Committee with three new members being appointed.
This follows shortly on the news of the establishment of a state-of-the-art Automotive Plant in Coega in the Eastern Cape as part of the manufacture’s plan to reach 22% market share in the Middle East & Africa region by 2030.
Mike Whitfield has been appointed Managing Director. He was with Nissan where he spent his entire working life in various leadership positions and on a number of continents. Most recently, Mike was the Group Advisor for Strategy, Policy and External Affairs after a number of years as Managing Director of Nissan Africa.
He also played a major role in the leadership of the South African automotive industry and the development of a Pan-African automotive industry through both the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (naamsa) and the African Association of automotive Manufacturers (AAAM). He is a past president of naamsa and is currently in his second term as president of the AAAM.
The second new appointment is Pravin Harinarayan as Sales Director. He was with MAN Truck and Bus South Africa where he was the Head of Sales operations since 2017.
Prior to MAN, he worked in various positions at Volvo South Africa such as Sales & Dealer Network Director and Chief Financial Officer. Pravin has a master’s degree in business administration (MBA) from the University of Pretoria (SA).
The third new appointment is Hassan Salie as After-sales Director. He joins the company from Audi Africa where he was the Head of Sales and Network Development since 2020.
Prior to Audi, he worked in various positions at Volkswagen South Africa such as Head of After-sales and Head of Network Development. Hassan has master’s degree in business administration (MBA) from the Management College of SA.
The BMW 7 Series (photo) clinched the 2024 SA Car of the Year (COTY) title. Among 18 finalists, it emerged as a standout contender, impressing COTY jurors from the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) throughout the evaluation process.
The Automotive Business Council (naamsa) released its newly branded Automotive Trade Manual 2024 publication, previously published by naamsa under the banner of the Automotive Industry Export Council.
There were some signs of green shoots recovery as the automotive market reversed its downward spiral for the first time in over eight months. Domestic new vehicle sales of 38 172 units reflected an increase of 814 units, or a gain of 2.2%, from the 37 358 vehicles sold in April 2023.