Despite potential headwinds, South Africa’s automotive industry remains committed to long-term growth and resilience.
As the Automotive Business Council (naamsa) celebrates its 90th anniversary, this milestone highlights the industry’s remarkable adaptability. The pace of change in the next decade is expected to surpass anything witnessed in the past nine decades, driven by economic shifts, rapid technological advancements and evolving consumer trends.
The post-pandemic recovery in vehicle sales affirms the sector’s ability to weather economic cycles, with agility playing a key role in sustaining future growth, naamsa says during its comment on the March new-vehicle sales figures that were just released and show some positive trends.
Reinforcing its commitment to industry transformation and strategic collaboration, naamsa announced that the 2025 SA Auto Week [SAAW] would be hosted in the Eastern Cape from 1 to 3 October 2025 under the theme, “Reimagining the Future, TOGETHER: Cultivating Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity”.
SAAW 2025 aims to mobilise new investments into the auto sector, fostering growth and reindustrialising South Africa’s manufacturing base.
As South Africa’s premier automotive conference, SAAW 2025 will convene key stakeholders – including auto professionals, global vehicle OEMs, component manufacturers, regulators, policymakers, investors, business and political leaders, as well as decision-makers from around the world – to drive innovation, strengthen global partnerships and shape the future of the industry in an evolving economic landscape, naamsa states.
Korean automaker Hyundai has been an unmitigated success in the SA new car space. The relative newcomer to the market has been a consistent top-five feature on the new-car sales charts. There are many reasons for this, including good, reliable products at competitive prices. In part, the success is also driven by innovation.
South Africa's automotive sector is set for a significant transformation as Chinese and Indian vehicle manufacturers prepare to shift from basic assembly operations to full-scale local production.
Lightstone Auto has rolled out a cutting-edge integration designed to transform how alternative lenders, rent-to-own providers and niche finance firms engage with dealerships.
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A light on my car’s dashboard came on, and instead of fixing the problem, I waited for the bulb to burn out. Crisis solved.
Jarod Kintz
South Africa's automotive sector is set for a significant transformation as Chinese and Indian vehicle manufacturers prepare to shift from basic assembly operations to full-scale local production.
South Africa’s automotive landscape has shifted in recent years as new Chinese brands enter the market, sparking both curiosity and scepticism as each promises better value and a fresher approach.
Ford has officially ceased production of its Focus with the last versions coming of the line at the Saarlouis plant in Germany, drawing to a close more than five decades of manufacturing history.
