Co-founder of Red Bull energy drinks, Dietrich Mateschitz, died this past Saturday (22 October) at the age of 78, after a long-term illness.
Austrian Mateschitz founded the company in 1987 with Thai national, Chaleo Yoovidhya. The company quickly became and remained the leader in the energy-drinks market.
Red Bull became associated with extreme sports owing to its sponsorship of, among other sports, big wave surfing, cliff diving, mountain biking and trail ultra-running.
But one of the brand’s biggest success stories remains its venture into Formula 1 when it bought the then-Jaguar team in 2004. Over two decades, the team was built into a champion team with Sebastian Vettel at the steering wheel.
On local soil, Red Bull has been a sponsor of motorsport champions such as Giniel de Villiers, a Dakar champion.
Last October Mateschitz’s net worth was valued at around $25 billion.
Red Bull currently employs 13 000 people in 172 countries and sells and estimated 10 billion cans of the energy drink annually.
The Kia Carens nameplate makes its return to South Africa, this time as a seven‑seater designed with families in mind. It combines Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) styling with Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV) practicality, offering space, comfort and efficiency, Kia says.
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.
New vehicle sales in 2026 continued their positive trend in April, with the 47 979 units sold marking the best April figure since 2013. This represents a remarkable performance by local automotive retailers despite a host of economic headwinds and a challenging trading environment.
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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
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.
New vehicle sales in 2026 continued their positive trend in April, with the 47 979 units sold marking the best April figure since 2013. This represents a remarkable performance by local automotive retailers despite a host of economic headwinds and a challenging trading environment.
April 2026 marked a turning point in South Africa’s economic landscape, as global energy markets were jolted by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, according to naamsa | The Automotive Business Council.
