
Kuilsrivier lifts trophy as the best Hino dealer in SA
The Hino Kuilsrivier dealership has cemented its reputation as a leader in the industry by clinching the coveted Hino Dealer of the Year award for the first time.
- Dealer News
- 19 June 2025
In preparation for the third model that will be manufactured by Volkswagen Group Africa from 2027, Plant Kariega will spend the next four weeks installing and upgrading facilities throughout its Production areas.
Vehicle production of the popular Polo and Polo Vivo was halted from 14 April and will resume on 12 May, to allow teams to perform the required work on the line in areas such as Body Shop, Paint Shop and Final Assembly.
The planned work builds on the foundation of the installations performed in December 2024 during the plant’s annual shutdown. Approximately 60% of the required changes were effected over the 25 days of shutdown, including the installation of 38 new fixtures and seven new robots, along with other modifications.
Making up the remaining 40%, the work planned for the coming four weeks includes finalising all installations completed in Body Shop, station modifications and the programming of robots in Paint Shop and modifying conveyors in Final Assembly, among other tasks. The completion of this work will also mark the start of the commissioning phase of the A0 SUV Entry project.
The preparations for the third model – which was announced alongside a R4-billion investment at the VW Indaba event in February 2024 – extend beyond Production as well. The Procurement team has completed the nominations of suppliers, in line with the localisation targets set for the new model’s parts.
Meanwhile, the Product Development team is collaborating with colleagues at Volkswagen do Brasil to develop the vehicle, with a VWGA employee stationed at the VW plant in São Bernardo do Campo as Technical Project Leader. The Production team is also collaborating with their Brazilian counterparts for the launch of this model.
Additionally, the company will soon be issuing an invitation to customers across the African continent to help select the name of this new model.
“This project is understandably a very exciting one for us,” said VWGA Production Director, Ulrich Schwabe. “When the first unit of this new vehicle rolls off our production line, it will be a proud moment for the entire Volkswagen Group Africa family, and I firmly believe this new vehicle will be just as iconic as the beloved Polo and Vivo we are already building.”
JLR has revealed its rigorous seat testing regime, with four dedicated robots – KUKA Occubots – each simulating a decade of sitting, moving and twisting in a matter of days to ensure the company’s luxury vehicle clients are sitting comfortably.
With its seventh consecutive intake of young unemployed graduates, Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) has reinforced its commitment to youth development through the Youth Employment Service (YES) programme.
Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) joined the MTN Shift Gaming Experience, one of South Africa’s largest national gaming tournaments, which is taking place at Hyprop Malls across the country.