The SA Vehicle Industry Thread

Volkswagen to slowly phase out manual gearboxes - report

It’s no secret that manual gearboxes are becoming a less common sight in modern vehicles as buyers continue to gravitate towards automatics.

Some premium car brands, such as Jaguar, Land Rover and Mercedes (passenger cars), have already phased out manual transmissions. However, it looks like some mainstream brands are also getting ready to ditch the stick.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, Volkswagen will gradually eliminate manual gearboxes from its cars, starting with the next-generation Tiguan and Passat models in 2023. The German publication says that by 2030 Volkswagen will no longer launch new models with manual options in key markets such as Europe, China and the USA.

Although the shift to electric vehicles will eventually sound the death knell for manual gearboxes anyway, it appears Volkswagen will eliminate manuals long before it completely abandons internal combustion. This reason for this, Auto Motor und Sport says, is to save on development costs. This will likely come hand in hand with a reduction in the number of internal combustion options available. Volkswagen wants to stop selling ICE models in Europe by 2035, although they will continue for a bit longer in other markets.

Most Volkswagen model derivatives in South Africa are already fitted with auto gearboxes. In fact only the Polo Vivo, Polo, T-Cross, Caddy, Transporter and Amarok are still offered with traditional manual transmissions. In total, VWSA offers 29 models with manual gearboxes, versus 47 DSGs or automatics.

https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/indu...s-report-fae2dec5-7dd4-474e-9210-5afa379f3811
 
Which sub-R300k vehicles are SA motorists searching for the most?

In which price brackets are South Africans searching for used cars? According to AutoTrader’s data covering the first half of 2021, the most activity occurs in the sub-R200 000 sector, though the R200 001- R400 000 category is fast catching up. In fact, more than one third of total searches in the first six months of 2021 were performed between the latter two figures, with activity here growing a significant 42 percent year-on-year.

To find out what sort of options shoppers are considering in this increasingly lively sector of the used market, we combed through the numbers to reveal the 10 most searched for models priced at R300 000 or below in each of the SUV, single-cab bakkie and double-cab bakkie segments.

 

VW plans to completely ditch manual transmissions by 2030, but what about South Africa?​


• A report from Germany suggests VW will cease production of manual transmissions by 2030.

• Models like the Polo, Transporter and T-Cross are still offered with manual options locally.

• The Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) is the name for the brand's self-shifting component.

The motoring landscape will look very different in the years to come because, soon, traditional manual transmissions will no longer be a standard feature on newer vehicles. Automakers are also mostly steering towards electric mobility as brands such as Volvo and even Audi committing to full electric vehicle ranges in the next ten to twenty years.

With that in mind, motoring publication, Auto motor sport, says Volkswagen will cease production of manual transmissions by 2030, with the likes of the Polo, Transporter and T-Cross, still offered with manual options in South Africa.

Just like electric vehicles are a long way from being fully accepted locally due to a severe lack of infrastructure, and because most consumers could not afford the premium pricetags, South Africans will most likely hold on to their trusty cars with manual gearboxes for quite some time too.

While Volkswagen might be veering to automatic transmissions, VWSA indicates a similar trajectory but it clearly won't be anytime soon.

Volkswagen South Africa, says: "More and more customers are opting for the comfort of an automatic gearbox. Volkswagen is following this trend and increasingly offering its high-performance dual-clutch gearbox (DSG) as a standard feature in many models. This enhances comfort; determining the optimal shift point has a positive effect on consumption.

"Our compact and small vehicles (namely the Polo Vivo, Polo and T-Cross) will continue to be available with a manual gearbox option."

 
Chip shortage: Ford, Volvo exclude safety features from new cars

Some car makers are sacrificing safety and convenience features in order to maintain turnover amid semiconductor shortage

Some car manufacturers are building vehicles with fewer semiconductor chips in response to the worldwide shortage that has crippled the industry in recent months.

Two trim lines on Ford's Puma crossover, for example - Titanium and ST-Line - are now being offered alongside a cheaper ‘Design’ spec that uses fewer chips, but loses certain features as a result.

According to the latest price list, Design versions of the ST-Line go without high beam assistance, rear parking sensors, lane-keeping assistance, lane departure warning, pre-collision assistance with automatic emergency braking (AEB), pedestrian and cyclist detection, and post-collision braking.

There's also a Design edition of the EcoSport ST-Line that economises with several of those features.

Puma Design models are £900 and £1550 cheaper than the ST-Line and Titanium forms respectively, and a spokesperson for Ford has told Autocar that their reduced reliance on chips means customers can choose to receive their cars in a month or two, or wait longer for a fully equipped vehicle.

“The global semiconductor chip shortage has affected almost all vehicle manufacturers around the world, including Ford," said the spokesperson. "In order to meet the needs of our customers for Puma and EcoSport, Ford is realigning the content of a small volume of vehicles to mitigate the impact of the chip shortage."

 
How did they do it? Toyota SA sold over 10 000 new vehicles in August

• Toyota recorded a year-to-date sales figure of 75 323 units.

• The Hilux was the best-seller with 3 335 units.

• The Hiace, Starlet and Urban Cruiser also posted healthy numbers.

Toyota posted impressive numbers for the month of August, selling more than 10 000 new vehicles.

As has been the case for a long time, the Hilux bakkie leads from the front, with a total of 3 335 units finding new homes. The Hiace (1 298), Starlet (1 203) and Urban Cruiser (876) also posted healthy numbers during the same period.

Despite the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Japanese brand recorded a total of 10 543 units and a year-to-date figure of 75 323 in SA.

Leon Theron, senior vice-president of sales and marketing for TSAM, says: "The ongoing challenges in the domestic new vehicle segment are worrying, although Toyota is once again the only motor manufacturer that has successfully breached the 10 000 sales threshold in the last few years.

"Of interest though, is that Toyota has managed an average market share of 24.9% this – which is quite encouraging in the current economic climate."

https://www.news24.com/wheels/news/...over-10-000-new-vehicles-in-august-20210902-2
 
Increase in new vehicle sales for August continues monthly recovery

It’s another month of increased new vehicle sales as August comes to a close. Naamsa says that the gradual monthly recovery in the domestic new vehicle sales volumes continued during the month but that the decline, compared with the pre-COVID-19 first month of 2020, was in line with industry expectations.

Aggregate domestic sales for August at 34 784 units reflected a decline of 5 629 units, or 13,9 per cent, from the 40 413 vehicles sold in January last year. Export sales recorded a second consecutive month of solid growth in January 2021 and at 22 771 units reflected an increase of 6 468 units, or 39,7 per cent, compared to the 16 303 vehicles exported in January 2020.

Overall for August, out of the total reported industry sales of 34 784 vehicles, an estimated 28 716 units, or 82,6 per cent, represented dealer sales, an estimated 11,4 per cent represented sales to the vehicle rental industry, 3,5 per cent sales to government, and 2,5 per cent to industry corporate fleets. The January 2021 new passenger car market at 23 853 units had registered a decline of 5 220 cars, or a fall of 18,0 per cent, compared to the 29 073 new cars sold in January last year. The car rental industry accounted for a sound 16,1% of car sales in January 2021.

Naamsa says for the first quarter of 2021 trading conditions in the new vehicle market are expected to remain challenging due to slow demand compared with the pre-COVID-19 first quarter comparison, exchange rate volatility and the negative impact on household expenditure by fuel and electricity price increases.

https://www.carmag.co.za/news/industry-news/increase-new-vehicle-sales-august/
 
New Car Sales in SA: August 2021

The automotive sector showed some signs of recovery in August 2021 but the impact of the recent unrest and Transnet cyberattack is still having a negative impact particularly on exports, according to the Automotive Business Council (Naamsa).

The road to recovery is long and arduous for the automotive sector but despite the recent challenges the numbers for August 2021 aren’t all doom and gloom.

Year-on-year new car sales are up and both the passenger car sales and Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) sales also recorded positive results during August 2021. Exports, however, remained under pressure, registering a year-on-year decline of 15.6%.

New Car Sales in South Africa for August 2021

  • Aggregate new car sales of 41 425 units up by 24.6% (8 166 units) compared to August 2020
  • New passenger car sales of 27 157 units up by 40.5% (7 822 units) compared to August 2020
  • New LCV sales of 11 749 up by 3.6% (407 units) compared to August 2020
  • Export sales of 19 446 units down by 15.6% (3 583 units) compared to August 2020
Best-Selling Car Brands in South Africa for August 2021

  1. Toyota – 10 543 units
  2. Volkswagen – 6 930 units
  3. Nissan – 3 332 units
  4. Hyundai – 2 749 units
  5. Suzuki -2 470 units
  6. Ford – 2 201 units
  7. Renault – 2 010 units
  8. Haval – 1 885 units
  9. Kia – 1 703 units
  10. Isuzu 1 599 units
  11. BMW – 1 020 units
  12. Mazda – 728 units
  13. Mercedes-Benz – 631 units
  14. Mahindra – 501 units
  15. Stellantis – 452 units
https://www.cars.co.za/motoring-news/new-car-sales-in-sa-august-2021/100941/
 
These were the best-selling Toyota vehicles in August

It’s no secret that Toyota dominates the South African new vehicle market, often enjoying a considerable lead over its nearest rival Volkswagen.

In August Toyota sold a total of 10 543 vehicles, equating to a market share of 25.4%.

But which Toyota models were the most popular?

The Toyota Hilux, of course commands the lion’s share of the manufacturer’s sales, and last month saw it shift 3335 Hilux bakkies. Double cabs were the most popular body style, accounting for 1732 units, followed by single cabs (1058) and extra cabs (545).

The Toyota Hiace, which is the backbone of the country’s taxi industry, took second place with 1298 sales.

It was followed closely by the Suzuki-based Toyota Starlet hatchback, which recorded 1203 sales.

The Toyota Urban Cruiser (also a Toyozuki) beat its larger Fortuner sibling to fourth place, with 876 sales, versus 856, while the Toyota Corolla Quest had a stronger than usual month to emerge in sixth with 806 sales. This was likely due to the surge in demand from the rental industry.

https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/indu...n-august-19c1476a-5271-4d5e-8b92-87b3fee57e50
 
SA vehicle sales gained momentum in August: These were the top-selling brands

Following a bleak July that was marred by the civil unrest in KZN and Gauteng, South African vehicle sales saw some encouraging growth in August.

According to Naamsa, 41 425 vehicles were sold last month, which represents a 24.6% improvement over the same month last year. It was the passenger car market that led the way here with an impressive 40% year-on-year gain, partly thanks to a resurgence in rental industry sales.

Light commercial vehicles and bakkies trailed with 3.6% growth versus August last year. The medium and heavy commercial vehicle segments, on the other hand, saw respective declines of 7.2% and 0.4%.

Month-on-month, passenger vehicle sales grew by 31.9% while the LCVs gained 14.4% versus the previous month.

While year-to-date vehicle exports are up 37.7%, August saw a 15.6% decline, thanks to knock-on effects of July’s civil unrest and the cyberattack on Transnet.

Sales by vehicle brand

Toyota - 10 543
Volkswagen - 6930
Nissan - 3332
Hyundai - 2749
Suzuki - 2470
Ford - 2201
Renault - 2010
Haval - 1885
Kia - 1703
Isuzu - 1599
BMW - 1020
Mazda - 728
Mercedes-Benz - 631
Mahindra - 501
Stellantis - 452

https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/indu...g-brands-668c13ad-f415-4761-82c2-6ec0e23c33a2
 
Top 10 Most Popular Used Cars in SA for the Past Decade

Fresh used-car data released by leading automotive portal Cars.co.za reveals just how much South Africa’s pre-owned vehicle market has changed during the past decade.

Working with local data journalism initiative, Media Hack, Cars.co.za has released a racing bar chart that shows how the make-up of the Top 10 list of most popular used cars in South Africa has changed during the past 105 months (from December 2012 to August 2021).

The data is based on actual user enquiries (known in the retail sector as “leads”) per month and the individual bar graphs reflect the percentage (for that brand/model) of the overall enquiries achieved. It is worth noting that Cars.co.za currently lists just shy of 70 000 vehicles for sale.

“I think the main take-away from the data is the sheer dominance of the Volkswagen Polo,” says Cars.co.za Consumer Experience Manager, Hannes Oosthuizen. “Not only was the Polo on top of the chart, every month, for the entire span of the 105 months measured, it was also the only model to achieve an enquiry share of over 5% (sometimes as high as 10%) every month.”

 
South Africans really want to buy new cars, but affordability remains a challenge

• New vehicle sales in August registered the second highest figure for 2021 so far.

• The sales figure is encouraging after the economic disruptions of July 2021.

• More than 41 000 new vehicles were sold last month.

The new vehicle market bounced back during August 2021 after being unsettled by a barrage of impacts during July.

Not only did sales show good growth over the same period last year, but August's new vehicle sales were the second-highest this year at 41 425 units, after March's figure of 44 217. According to Naamsa, the Automotive Business Council, new vehicle sales increased 24.6% over August last year.

Considering that July sales were significantly disrupted, the fact that sales were up 8.9% over June indicates some reparations from impacted July sales. August sales were up 25.3% over the skewed July new vehicle sales result.

WesBank shares the confidence expressed by motor industry CEOs during the first half of the year in a survey conducted by Naamsa. At Wesbank, we have consistently held the optimistic view of recovery for the industry during 2021, with various signs showing growing confidence from both consumers and businesses. Having this environment amplified by industry confidence will help build momentum in the market's recovery, preserving jobs and fulfilling demand.

https://www.news24.com/wheels/news/...ut-affordability-remains-a-challenge-20210903
 
Suzuki confirms record month of sales and top five ranking for August 2021

The success story of Suzuki in South Africa continues as the month of August comes to a close. Thanks to its accessible product line-up, the brand confirms that a record month of sales has been achieved which places it in the top five ranking manufacturers in the country.

Naamsa, the automotive industry business council, reported that Suzuki hit an all-time new high with total sales of 2 470 vehicles in August. Importantly, 74,2 per cent of the sales within the last three quarters were to private individuals and small businesses through the Suzuki dealer network. The balance of sales was sold to rental companies that are updating their corporate and rental fleets.

During August, the Suzuki S-Presso was the top performer, selling 754 new units. It was followed closely by the Swift with 602 units and the Vitara Brezza, which found 466 new homes in the same month. With these numbers, the Japanese brand has become the fifth best-selling manufacturer in the country, behind Toyota, Volkswagen, Nissan and Hyundai.

Henno Havenga, manager for auto dealer sales at Suzuki Auto, says: “The record number belies the very hard work done by our dealer network, which has had to endure strict lockdown protocols, delays in vehicle shipments and an overwhelming demand from customers.

“We would like to thank all dealers for their tireless work to deliver vehicles to customers on our waiting list and to keep those yet to receive their Suzukis informed and happy.

https://www.carmag.co.za/news/industry-news/suzuki-record-month-sales-august-2021/
 
Toyota South Africa confirms 10 000 new vehicle sales for August 2021

Toyota South Africa has ended the month of August in first place yet again for new vehicle sales. This includes results from its Hino and Lexus sub-brands.

Leading the charge in the Toyota South Africa line-up yet again is the Hilux with a total figure of 3 335 units sold. This was made up of 1 732 double cabs, 1 058 single cabs and 545 extra cabs. The HiAce sold 1 298 units, the Starlet 1 203, Urban Cruiser 876, Fortuner 856 and Corolla Quest 806. With these figures, Toyota South Africa maintains its lead for the eighth consecutive month this year, recording a total of 10 543 units which equates to a market share of 25,4 per cent.

The company’s luxury arm Lexus had a few models that registered double-digit figures, including ES with 11 units, RX with 10 and 11 units for UX, all of which are hybrid variants.

Commenting on the market, Leon Theron, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Toyota South Africa, says that the “ongoing challenges in the domestic new vehicle segment are worrying, although Toyota is once again the only motor manufacturer that has successfully breached the 10 000 sales threshold in the last few years. Of interest though, is that Toyota has managed an average market share of 24,9 per cent this month which is quite encouraging in the current economic climate.”

https://www.carmag.co.za/news/indus...onfirms-10-000-new-vehicle-sales-august-2021/
 

Here are the six vehicles South Africans bought most in August 2021​

• August 2021 saw a welcome return to healthy new vehicle sales figures.

• The Toyota Hilux was the best-selling vehicle in SA, followed by the Volkswagen Polo.

• Consumer confidence is slowly returning after the disruptions in July.

New vehicle sales took a significant upturn in August 2021. It was incredibly encouraging, given the economic disruptions the market experienced in July 2021. So positive was consumer confidence that August returned the second-highest sales figure for the year so far, with 41 425 new vehicles signed off.

In March, new vehicle sales in South Africa registered 44 217 units, making it the best sales month to date in 2021. Yet, while these sales figures are encouraging, the local automotive industry is still reeling from the global microchip shortages and the staggering import of vehicles.

Despite these challenges, new vehicle sales remain as resilient as ever and have local consumers shown that it will take a lot to deter them.

Lebogang Gaoaketse, Head of Marketing and Communication at WesBank, said: "The market showed good recovery during August from the loss of momentum experienced in July. The outlook for the remainder of the year looks positive and will hopefully not be impacted by further lockdown restrictions or other unforeseen factors."

 
SA car sales | Volatile Rand leaves auto industry in a 'rollercoaster ride' - NADA

• New vehicle sales showed an improvement in August after the challenges faced in July.

• More than 41 000 new vehicles were sold - an improvement of 24.6% over August 2020.

• NADA encourages buyers to be patient as South Africa struggles against the lingering effects of Covid-19.

After analysing August 2021 sales figures distributed by Naamsa, the Automotive Business Council, South Africa's network of retail motor vehicle dealers again showed tremendous resilience in tough trading conditions, with numbers pointing to a much more resilient market, which is encouraging.

Overall sales were up to 41 425 units, which was a 24.6% improvement on the figure for August a year ago and a healthy 8 364 up on July 2021. The Retail dealer channel contributed a massive 83.6% of these sales - a testament to how vital franchise dealers are in the South African automotive ecosystem.

This was an outstanding performance as the economy is still recovering from the effects of the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July and the substantial disruptions at the ports as a result of the unrest, coupled with the cyber-attack on Transnet operations. We knew we had to deal with a loss of both business and consumer confidence and supply challenges, but still managed to deliver a strong recovery over the previous month. Year-to-date sales are up 32.4%, which is most encouraging.

 
Really? Online search data shows SA car buyers have an increased interest in used electric vehicles

• Online searches for electric vehicles increased by 77% year-on-year.

• These results are encouraging as South Africans show greater interest in EVs.

• According to AutoTrader, the used car market continues to grow in SA.

Electric vehicles (EVs) were the star of the show in a positive month for the used car market in South Africa. In keeping with previous trends, EV searches continued to show growth in the country with a 77% increase in searches year-on-year and a 4% increase month-on-month.

These figures come courtesy of AutoTrader. Its CEO, George Mienie, says that the stats are in line with the 2020 South Africa EV Car Buyer Survey findings.

He points out: "The survey established that 68.31% of respondents were likely to purchase an EV in the near future. It is clear that demand exists, and we're now seeing this reflected in the used car search results. Over 285 000 EV searches were conducted by car buyers in the first six months of 2021, indicating an increase of over 64% vs. the same time a year ago - and this growth trend has continued in August."

 
Mercedes design boss: ‘electrification will kill the three-box sedan’

Plus: how Merc’s cars will become less aggressive, and less traditional

You’d struggle to place a single box on the new Mercedes EQS, let alone three. Now we’re in the era of Electrify All The Things, the humble saloon car – a staple of the motoring world for decades – appears to be coming to an end.

At least according to Daimler’s design boss; the man responsible for how the products of one of the world’s largest and most influential carmakers look. “Electrification will kill the three-box sedan (saloon) for several reasons,” Gorden Wagener tells TopGear.com.

“Aero is one. Secondly, with a six-inch battery pack a three-box sedan simply doesn’t look good, it looks s***. You have to do something that visually digests the height.

“That’s why we came up with that bold design with the EQ models, because it looks stretched, it looks stylish. So that [electrification] will change the proportions of cars. We have to make sure they don’t all look alike, but that fear has existed for 30 years or so. We managed to make them look different [before], and I’m confident we can do that in the future.”

Something else will change the proportions too; something a little more philosophical. We put it to Wagener that with the world’s social conscience rightly becoming ever more vocal, will cars have to become less… aggressive, less in-yer-face, for future generations?

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/fu...oss-electrification-will-kill-three-box-sedan
 
How long will the chip shortage last? Carmakers weigh in

As carmakers gathered in Munich this week to launch almost exclusively zero- or low-emission vehicles, an ongoing semiconductor shortage cast a long shadow over the first major car show since before the pandemic began.

Forced to shut down plants last year, carmakers now face increasing competition from the consumer electronics industry for chip deliveries. That problem has been compounded by a series of supply chain disruptions during the pandemic.

Cars have become increasingly dependent on chips - for everything from computer management of engines for better fuel economy to driver-assistance features such as emergency braking.

Speaking during the launch of a couple of electric vehicles (EVs) on Sunday evening, Ola Källenius, CEO at premium German carmaker Daimler AG, said that while the company is hopeful its own supply will improve in the fourth quarter, soaring demand for chips means the industry could struggle to source enough of them into 2023 - though the shortage should be less severe by then.

"Several chip suppliers have been referring to structural problems with demand," Källenius said. "This could influence 2022 and (the situation) may be more relaxed in 2023."

https://www.iol.co.za/motoring/indu...weigh-in-aecf44bb-4fd1-53cb-a106-b34fc2be4cbd
 
Top 3: South Africa’s best selling bakkies and cars in August 2021

Following a tumultuous July that was marred by civil unrest, the South African new vehicle market showed some encouraging signs of recovery in August.

A total of 41 425 vehicles were sold last month, Naamsa reported, and it was passenger cars that led this growth, gaining 40% year-on-year, largely thanks to a rebounding rental industry. Light commercial vehicle sales grew by just 3.6% versus August last year.

Although LCVs were down overall, the Toyota Hilux was still by far the best-selling vehicle in South Africa last month, accounting for 3335 sales, according to WesBank. The Toyota Hiace emerged as the second best selling light commercial, with 1361 sales, followed by the Isuzu D-Max. Interestingly, for the first time in recent memory the Ford Ranger was not in the LCV top three, and this appears to be as a result of the upgrades that Ford is making at its Silverton plant as it gears up to produce the next-generation Ranger.

In the passenger car race, the Volkswagen Polo enjoyed a strong sales month with 2563 units finding homes, WesBank reported, and this in spite of a facelifted model being on the horizon for early 2022. The Volkswagen Polo Vivo was SA’s second best-selling car in August, with 1724 units, followed by the Toyota Starlet, with 1203 sales.

Footnote: As much as we would love to provide you with a more comprehensive list of best-sellers, Naamsa unfortunately no longer releases the full list of individual sales figures to the media.


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