Young motorists put affordability ahead of status
- Industry News
- 13 August 2026
Dealer industry news from around Southern Africa
Nampo Harvest Day near Bothaville in the Free State has always been the place where South Africa’s farming community gathers to see the latest machinery and, importantly, new bakkies.
New research from Cox Automotive suggests that car buyers in the United States (US) are feeling more positive about the purchase process, even as the cost of motoring remains a serious concern.
Two leading Springbok rugby players, Aphelele Fassi and Jordan Hendrikse, have taken delivery of their new Nissan Navara Pro4X bakkies in Durban.
The Board of Management of Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) has appointed Dr Lungile Mashele as Non-Executive Director, effective 1 May 2026.
Mother’s Day is the one day of the year where it almost does not matter whether you get things completely right or hopelessly wrong. Mum will still love you anyway, because that is simply how mothers are built.
Brazil has climbed back to the top of the global league table for Chinese outbound investment, drawing 10.9% of the total in 2025, according to the Brazil-China Business Council.
For a good conversation starter at any social gathering, just mention Chinese vehicles. Soon the chat will be filled with as many different opinions as there are Chinese brands doing business in South Africa.
Chery has used a tightly packed programme of demonstrations around China’s 2026 International Business Summit to reinforce two priorities for its next wave of vehicles: credible crash protection in complex scenarios and rapid progress towards software-defined, connected driving experiences.
Stellantis is preparing to channel the bulk of its future investment into four key brands, namely Jeep, Ram, Peugeot and Fiat, as the global automotive giant seeks to stabilise its business and regain market share under chief executive Antonio Filosa, according to an exclusive Reuters report.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles South Africa is strengthening its leadership team as it targets measured growth in local market share, confirming Lex Kriel as its newly appointed Sales Director.
China’s carmakers are hunting for their own “Yaris moment”, the kind of locally tailored breakthrough that helped Toyota conquer Europe, as they race to turn booming exports into lasting overseas growth.
Hyundai Automotive South Africa has received an overwhelming 33 000 applications for its Youth Employment Service (YES) learnership programme, highlighting both the strong appeal of the brand among younger job seekers.
Volvo has confirmed that its vehicles will now integrate Google’s Gemini artificial intelligence system. This development builds on the company’s existing collaboration with Google, which already provides Android Automotive OS and Google services in Volvo models.
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Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin