The VW Vivo Xpress is back and built locally
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is re-entering the growing urban delivery market with the launch of the Vivo Xpress which will be available for sale from February 2026.
- Product News
- 9 February 2026
Waldemar André Christensen is the new Vice-President and Managing Director of the Volvo Group Southern Africa. He replaces Marcus Hörberg, who will be joining the Volvo Trucks team in France.
Waldemar started his career at Volvo during 2011 in his native Norway. He has vast experience in commercial product management, government and fleet sales, as well as dealer and retail operations. He was also the MD of Volvo Trucks in Norway from 2016 to 2019.
Most recently, he was head of Truck Sales Operations for the Volvo European regional value chain, located at Volvo headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden.

He holds an MBA, and his qualifications are centred on business, administration, law and entrepreneurship.
“I am so excited to be given this opportunity and look forward to supporting our South African customers in building sustainable businesses for the future,” he says.
“The Volvo Group Southern Africa team members have extensive experience in the local transport environment, and I greatly value their insights and knowledge, especially now that the global logistics industry is facing some challenging business conditions. We look forward to taking Volvo Trucks to new heights, all for the benefit of our customers, our staff and society at large,” he reckons.
Volvo Group Southern Africa’s head office is in Jet Park, Gauteng, and the company has a Volvo Trucks assembly plant in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Local operations include brands like Volvo Trucks, Volvo Penta, Volvo Bus and Volvo Financial Service. It currently employs 1 000 staff around the country.
There is a profound realignment in consumer expectations, brand positioning and technological priorities, with Germany losing long held advantages in its domestic market while China rapidly moves up the value chain.
Over the past weekend, reports surfaced of a letter sent by Martina Biene, chairperson and managing director of Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA), to President Cyril Ramaphosa warning of the increasingly precarious position of South Africa’s automotive sector.
On 20 February 2026, at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Australia, the new WorldSBK season roars to life, promising one of the most dynamic championships in recent memory.