Two of South Africa’s top-performing locally made vehicles launched to media in the past week.
VW Polo
The first is South Africa’s best-selling passenger vehicle, the Volkswagen Polo. This perennial favourite has been on sale since January as VW dealers ran out of stock of the previous model, but the media only received their first taste mid-February.
VW has launched four specification levels with two power output levels of the Polo 1.0 litre model. The base spec 1.0 TSI delivers 70 kW through a manual gearbox, while a higher-spec Life model is offered in a 70 kW and an 85 kW DSG models. Lastly, an 85 kW DSG R-Line model is available.
VW also showcased their GTI-model, which retains the 147 kW 2-litre petrol engine. This model is only available with the group’s DSG dual-clutch gearbox.
Pricing is as follows (February 2022):
The new Volkswagen Polo comes standard with a 3 year/120 000km warranty, 3 year/ 45 000km EasyDrive Service Plan and a 12-year anti-corrosion warranty. The service interval is 15 000km. Customers have the option to extend EasyDrive Maintenance and EasyDrive Service Plans up to 10 years/ 300 000km.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
The new C-Class is built in East London. It is the result of a R13 billion investment in the facility and it will again be exported to countries across the world.
The new C borrows many of its design cues from the new S-Class flagship and it replaces its predecessor’s centre console with a large and sleek touch screen.
The new C-Class is considerably larger than its predecessor, with a length of 4751 mm and a width of 1820 mm. The wheelbase has increased by 25 mm to 2865 mm, with both the front and rear passengers benefiting from the increased exterior dimensions.
As with other new Mercedes-Benz models, the new C has an advanced new version of Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) that offers voice controls, a high level of customisation and of course mobile phone integration.
Two models are on offer from at the time of launch (February 2022), they are:
All C-Class models come standard with the 9G-TRONIC transmission.
Merc is launching the new C200 Launch Edition 6 on Agility Finance from R9 999 per month, subject to terms and conditions.
Supergroup Dealerships announced the upcoming launch of four new MG dealerships as part of its growing portfolio. The new locations that are set to open soon, include three on the East Rand, one in Rustenburg and one in Paarl, Western Cape.
The highly anticipated F&I Industry Awards 2024, which were held recently, showcased the pinnacle of excellence and innovation in the automotive financial and insurance sector.
In a groundbreaking move towards offering a comprehensive, one-stop integrated service to its customers, Absa has introduced an integrated Finance & Insurance solution for dealer partners across South Africa. This innovative initiative marks a significant step towards enhancing customer experience and streamlining financial services.
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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
Toyota announced that it has expanded its Land Cruiser 70 Series with the addition of new 5-speed manual gearbox option in the range. The manual powertrain will be offered in both the Single Cab and Station Wagon variants.
Peugeot has updated its Landtrek bakkie with the big news of the addition of a new, more powerful engine. The Landtrek continues to establish itself in the one-ton pick-up segment, which represents 2.5 million annual sales worldwide. It is sold in around 40 countries, predominantly in Africa, the Middle East and South America.
Ulterio Motiv, the newly launched sister company of respected armouring establishment, SVI Engineering, has launched its most affordable product to date, this time based on one of the best-selling bakkies in South Africa – the Ford Ranger.
