Toyota Fortuner 48V (2024) Price & Specs

The locally built Fortuner range will soon welcome new mild-hybrid derivatives. Here’s pricing for the upcoming Toyota Fortuner 48V variants ahead of the launch in South Africa…

We’ve already brought you a pricing scoop on the new 48V mild-hybrid versions of the Toyota Hilux. Now, we’ll turn our attention to the likewise lightly electrified Toyota Fortuner 48V mild-hybrid derivatives, which are also scheduled to launch in South Africa at some point in March 2024.

Yes, Cars.co.za has uncovered local pricing for the new Fortuner 48V variants ahead of their official introduction. Our information suggests the popular Prospecton-built adventure SUV range – which may well also benefit from a specification change when the 48V models officially join – will welcome 4 mild-hybrid derivatives, resulting in an 11-strong portfolio.

*The 48V option will be available on all Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 6AT derivatives.*

The 48V mild-hybrid package will be available on all auto-equipped Fortuner variants that use the 2.8-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine. According to our information, the Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 6AT 4×2 48V will be priced at R834 800, making it R14 400 more expensive than the non-electrified equivalent (based on the latter’s current pricing; whether a general price increase will be implemented across the line-up at the time of the 48V launch remains to be seen).

Next will be the Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 VX 6AT 4×2 48V, priced at R879 300 (also a R14 000 premium), followed by the Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 6AT 4×4 48V at R918 600 and Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 VX 6AT 4×4 48V at R961 800 (both up R16 900 from the standard versions). As with the non-electrified derivatives, the new 48V variants will furthermore be available in bi-tone form, adding R10 500 to the base price in each case.

*The mild-hybrid system is capable of adding 12 kW and 65 Nm.*

As a reminder, the familiar 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine in the Fortuner 48V additionally drives a compact motor generator using a belt system, which in turn charges a lithium battery. We’re guessing the 48V battery supplies the 7-seater SUV’s 12V system via a new DC-DC converter, exactly as it does in the equivalent Hilux bakkie.

The battery pack is charged during deceleration, regenerating braking energy that would otherwise have been lost, while also seemingly adding braking performance. When fully charged, the 48V battery is able to deliver up to 12 kW and 65 Nm through the motor generator to the engine, in addition to the oil-burning unit’s standard outputs of 150 kW and 500 Nm.

We’ll update this story should any more specification details become available…

How much does the new Toyota Fortuner 48V cost in SA?

Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 6AT 4×2 48V – R834 800

Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 VX 6AT 4×2 48V – R879 300

Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 6AT 4×4 48V – R918 600

Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 VX 6AT 4×4 48V – R961 800

While we expect the Fortuner 48V to ship standard with the same 9-service/90 000 km service plan (with intervals of 10 000 km) and 3-year/100 000 km vehicle warranty as the standard models, it’s not yet known whether Toyota SA Motors will also offer a warranty specific to the battery pack.

R500k grand prize for CarsAwards Roadshow

Now that the winners of the 2023/24 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, sponsored by Absa have been revealed, YOU can share in the CarsAwards experience by attending the Consumer Awards Roadshow at Sandton City, where amazing prizes are up for grabs, including R500 000 towards the purchase of a new or used vehicle.

The winners of the 2023/24 #CarsAwards were announced at a gala event in Sandton on 29 February 2024. However, the 7th instalment of SA’s most authoritative automotive industry awards programme, which recently received an endorsement from the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa, concludes with the Consumer Awards Roadshow at Sandton City Mall from 1 to 3 March!

At the gala: All the winners of the 2023/24 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, sponsored by Absa

Established in 2015 by Cars.co.za – South Africa’s most-loved automotive platform – as part of the brand’s mission to help car buyers make informed purchasing decisions, the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards (known as the #CarsAwards) is now in its 7th – and most elaborate – iteration. Earlier this year, #CarsAwards concluded a partnership with leading bank Absa to take the awards programme into the future and, last year, it hosted its first Cars.co.za Consumer Awards Roadshow at the Mall of Africa.

That event proved such a runaway success that Cars.co.za and Absa will present another Consumer Awards Roadshow, which will present all 39 of the finalist vehicles (in other words, the 13 category winners and 26 runners-up) of the 2023/24 #CarsAwards directly to consumers at Sandton City Mall from 1 to 3 March 2024. Everyone is welcome to attend the immersive and interactive experience.

The Consumer Awards Roadshow at Sandton City Mall will see all finalist vehicles – yes, the 39 best models in the South African new-car market – displayed under one roof. #CarsAwards-themed displays will be dotted throughout the mall and visitors will have opportunities to inspect some of the most highly rated new-car purchases for themselves, as well as enter #CarsAwards competitions to win prizes.

In other words, the Consumer Awards Roadshow will be much, much more than a pop-up car dealership; it will be like a giant multi-brand franchise (with no fewer than 18 brands represented among the 39 finalists) in the heart of Sandton City. There will be 2 display areas: the Centre Court, where gameshow-style giveaways will be hosted, and Nelson Mandela Square. And, to keep the little ones occupied while their parents have time to check out the shiny new vehicles on display, a colouring area will be provided.

Also, the Consumer Awards Roadshow at Sandton City Mall will go further than last year’s activation at Mall of Africa. Visitors will again be able to inspect, experience and possibly test drive cars that they’re interested in, plus they can engage with Cars.co.za advisers and car dealers’ sales representatives. But this time, Absa will also have a lounge and a pop-up bank so that buyers can purchase cars at the mall.

#CarsAwards judges such as Bongani from MrHowMuch, Muzi Sambo, Reba Semakane, Kumbi-M, Juliet Maguire, Jacob Moshokoa and Ciro De Siena will be in attendance to interact with roadshow visitors.

A grand prize worth R500k must be won!

During the 3 days of the Consumer Awards Roadshow at Sandton City Mall, Absa will award a grand prize of R500 000 to an eligible mall visitor (entry details will provided at the event). The winner will be able to spend that sum as a deposit for or to buy a new or used car of their choice (Terms & Conditions apply).

Our chief YouTube channel presenter Ciro De Siena will be there to help the winner make their decision and accompany them to one of Cars.co.za’s dealer partners, where they will be able to use the R500k to purchase the vehicle of their choice. Thereafter, the lucky winner will drive home in their new purchase!

The Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, sponsored by Absa utilises a unique scoring system that involves extensive testing by a panel of 20 expert judges, real-world input from car owners (not only concerning general product qualities but also reliability and after-sales service), as well as extra data provided by Lightstone Consumer, to recognise the best vehicles in 13 categories of the local new-car market.

Cars.co.za will announce the winners of the 2023/24 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, sponsored by Absa via traditional media platforms. Also, follow the #CarsAwards on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

McLaren Artura Spider Packs 515 kW

The compact and electrified McLaren Artura Spider has been revealed with a drop-top and enhanced performance.

The Artura is McLaren’s hybrid supercar and now the Woking-based brand has dropped the top and added more power. The McLaren Artura Spider is said to be the brand’s first high-performance hybrid convertible.

The 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 and electric motor make 515 kW and 720 Nm. The electric motor on its own is good for 70 kW and 225 Nm. The British supercar maker says this new model is its most fuel-efficient convertible ever, with a claim of 4.8 L/100 km. It also has a pure electric range of 33 km.

Impressively, the McLaren Artura Spider is said to be the lightest convertible supercar, with as much as 83 kg separating it from its nearest rival. It has a dry weight of 1 457 kg meaning performance will be sensational. McLaren claims a 0-100 kph of 3.0 seconds but we find the 0-200 kph time of 8.4 seconds impressive. A top speed of 330 kph is claimed.

Changes for the 2025 model-year include a revised gearbox calibration for 25% quicker gearchanges, new powertrain mounts, tweaks to the response rates of the adaptive dampers and suspension, new brake cooling ducts to name but a few.

For the McLaren Artura Spider, the exhaust has been redesigned for extra sound, which will make those who enjoy spirited top-down drives happy. The roof can operate at speeds of up to 50 kph and the entire opening/closing operation takes just 11 seconds.

Interestingly, the enhancements on the Artura Spider have been carried over to the coupe as well and current customers can head to their dealership for a complimentary power boost and software upgrade.

The latest McLaren news and reviews

Want to purchase a new or used McLaren? Browse units for sale

South Africa’s best-selling double-cab bakkies last month

Which bakkie was the best seller in South Africa’s hotly contested double-cab segment in January 2024? Well, we have the figures for the opening month of the year…

We’ve already brought you our list of South Africa’s best-selling bakkies for January 2024. Now it’s finally time to turn our attention to the double-cab bakkie sales race.

Yes, since Naamsa’s monthly sales figures unfortunately don’t include a breakdown of the 3 available bakkie body styles (single cab, extended cab and double cab), we’ve again turned to our colleagues over at Lightstone Auto for help identifying SA’s best-selling double-cab bakkies for January 2024.

As a reminder, though, when all 3 body styles are included, the Toyota Hilux led the charge in January, selling a total of 2 645 units sold last month. The Ford Ranger was 2nd on 1 914 units, with the Isuzu D-Max again taking 3rd with 1 336 units.

South Africa’s top-selling double-cab bakkies in January

*Ford’s Ranger took an early lead in 2024’s double-cab bakkie sales race.*

Right, now let’s break down the sales statistics by body style. According to Lightstone Auto’s figures, the Ford Ranger – which took the title of Mzansi’s best-selling double cab in 2023 – remained in pole position in January 2024, with 1 476 dual-cab units registered. For the record, that works out to 77.1% of the Silverton-built bakkie’s overall tally for the month.

As such, the Toyota Hilux found itself in 2nd position in South Africa’s double-cab sales race, with 1 205 units sold during the month. The latter figure – which is 271 registrations behind the Ranger – represented 45.6% of the Prospecton-produced stalwart’s overall figure in January.

As you’ve no doubt already gleaned, the final place on the double-cab podium went to the Struandale-manufactured Isuzu D-Max, which managed 479 dual-cab units last month. That’s just 35.9% of the Japanese contender’s aggregate for the opening month of 2024.

For the record, Lightstone Auto’s figures furthermore showed that all other 1-tonne double-cab bakkie derivatives (over and above the Ranger, Hilux and D-Max) collectively managed 1 158 registrations.

SA’s best-selling extended- and single-cab bakkies

*Toyota’s Hilux led the single- and extended-cab segments after the opening month of 2024.*

Now let’s examine the 1-tonne single-cab space (note, the soon-to-depart Nissan NP200 is not included in this exercise since it’s a half-tonner). The Toyota Hilux was the clear leader in this part of the market in January 2024, being the only single-cab contender to crack 4 figures (1 017 units). For the record, that represents 38.4% of the nameplate’s total.

The Isuzu D-Max retained 2nd position in the single-cab space with 678 units (or 50.7% of its overall tally), while the 2-door version of the KwaZulu-Natal-assembled Mahindra Pik Up (454 units or 78.5% of its total) remained in 3rd place. The Ford Ranger single cab, meanwhile, could muster just 153 registrations (8.0% of the Ranger total) in January, with all other 1-tonne single cabs collectively managing 578 units.

The Toyota Hilux also led the extended-cab sales race, with 420 units of its Xtra Cab registered last month. However, the Ford Ranger Super Cab (285 units) wasn’t too far behind in 2nd, just ahead of the Isuzu D-Max Extended Cab (179 units) in 3rd.

State of South Africa’s Motor Industry: Interview with Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa

In this exclusive podcast, Ciro de Siena sits with Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa on the state of the South African automotive industry.

Naamsa (National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA) is the trusted voice for and on behalf of the South African automotive industry. Its job is to support the local industry through engagement with the government on behalf of the automotive industry in South Africa.

Its CEO, Mikel Mabasa chats with Cars.co.za’s YouTube presenter Ciro De Siena in this tell-all podcast ranging from its endorsement of the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards to dealings with the government surrounding EV taxes and local production. If you enjoy digging into the behind-the-scenes of big business, as well as the politics that go with it then this one is definitely worth a watch/listen.

Want to purchase a new or used vehicle? Start your search here

Read the latest Cars.co.za news and reviews

Naamsa Officially Endorses CarsAwards

With the winners of the 2023/24 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, sponsored by Absa due to be announced this week, Mzansi’s most authoritative automotive awards programme has achieved even greater significance by being endorsed by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (Naamsa).

The Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, sponsored by Absa (widely known as the #CarsAwards) is in its 7th – and, to date, most elaborate – iteration. Cars.co.za hosted its first Consumer Awards Roadshow at the Mall of Africa late in 2023 and recently concluded a partnership agreement with Absa, a leading South African Financial Services Provider (FSP), to take the #CarsAwards into the future.

Established by Cars.co.za in 2015 as part of the brand’s mission to help car buyers make informed purchasing decisions, the CarsAwards programme has now been bolstered by the endorsement from Naamsa – the voice and a trusted ambassador for, and on behalf of, the South African motor industry.

Naamsa is an association that represents the South African automotive industry, but not a lot of people know that Naamsa is 89 years old – it was established in 1935 and, at the time, it purely represented vehicle manufacturers, which is why it came to be known as the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (the name has stuck, even though the association’s role has changed).

That’s what Naamsa represented at the time, but the industry body began to incorporate other key stakeholders into its ecosystem because the automotive industry was becoming quite dynamic… South Africa also went into the retailing space in a very, very big way… and started importing quite a lot of vehicles in the 2000s. The biggest volumes of vehicles sold in South Africa country are imported.

In 2023, for example, 77% of all new vehicles sold in South Africa were imported brands. A total of 7 brands manufacture vehicles locally and there are 42 brands in the market.

Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa talks about the CarsAwards,

This week, Naamsa chief executive officer Mikel Mabasa told Cars.co.za video presenter Ciro De Siena that the association had decided to rebrand itself (as the Automotive Business Council) to represent “a multiplicity of different partners; not only brands that manufacture vehicles and those that import vehicles, but also those who have vested interests in the automotive sector”.

Naamsa wants to grow industry through CarsAwards

“Naamsa has evolved and we’re grateful to have Cars.co.za as a partner,” he added. “When Amasi Mwela became the Managing Director of Cars.co.za last year, he said: ‘Look, we can’t afford to be outside of Naamsa’, so we’re very proud that Cars.co.za is one of our members.

“We are working very closely with all our partners to take the automotive industry to greater heights. Although we took a decision a while back that Naamsa would no longer endorse awards events and activities, when we connected with Cars.co.za (to add gravitas to CarsAwards) it was a no-brainer…”

“For us, the CarsAwards represents a number of things that should be going right in the country. If you look at South Africa today, a lot of people are talking about a very subdued sentiment that is going around (because) the economy is not where it’s supposed to be.”

Mabasa added that business leaders and organisations involved in the motor industry could play a progressive role in turning the negative sentiment in the market into positivity.

“In the last 3 years, Naamsa has noted a downward trajectory in terms of new vehicle sales and we are now associating ourselves with products, brands and also with partners that can help us to bring this ‘mood’ back up because that’s what South Africa needs,” Mabasa said.

“I think South Africans are pretty much exhausted about hearing negativity and I think Cars.co.za can really play a very important role in lifting that mood,” Mabasa concluded.

“Naamsa endorsed the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, powered by Absa because our company is committed to using the programme to grow the motor industry,” said Cars.co.za’s managing director, Amasi Mwela, “and because we have worked hard to earn the trust of consumers, as well as invested in building the digital- and media capabilities to deliver the vision of the CarsAwards.”

Cars.co.za managing director Amasi Mwela has applauded Naamsa for endorsing the CarsAwards.

“This endorsement is a big win for Cars.co.za. It gives us a voice in the industry,” he added.

Drawing on input from car owners, rigorous test drives by a panel of 20 judges, plus extra data provided by Lightstone Consumer, the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, sponsored by Absa, recognises the best vehicles in 13 categories of the new-car market. Its unique scoring system involves extensive testing at Gerotek and real-world input from car owners about product quality, reliability and after-sales service.

The winners of the 2023/24 #CarsAwards will be announced at a gala event in Sandton on 29 February 2024, where the prestigious Brand of the Year award will be presented by none other than Mikel Mabasa.

In addition to announcing the winners via traditional media platforms, Cars.co.za and Absa will present the second Consumer Awards Roadshow of the 2023/24 #CarsAwards at the Sandton City Mall from 1 to 3 March 2024. With all 13 category winners and 26 other finalist vehicles on display under one roof. Visitors will have the opportunity to inspect Mzansi’s most highly recommended new-car derivatives for themselves – and one lucky roadshow visitor will win R500 000 to buy a new or used car of their choice.

Follow the #CarsAwards on Cars.co.za, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

Ford EcoSport Revived? New SUV Patent Registered

The patent image shows off a smart-looking compact SUV and Ford looks set to return to India. Could this be the return of the EcoSport?

Remember the Ford EcoSport? The cute crossover from the Blue Oval was a popular model in South Africa and once production ended in India in July 2022 and Romania in December 2022, the SA market had a void. Sure, the Puma is a pleasant enough vehicle, but its pricing is out of reach for EcoSport customers.

With production ending in India, Ford had a staged departure from the Sub-Continent and put its manufacturing plant in Chennai up for sale in 2021. Now things have taken an interesting turn, with Ford retaining the plant and indications of an Indian market relaunch are strong.

Along with the registration of the Endeavor (Everest SUV), a patent of an interesting-looking SUV was also discovered. Like all patents, a basic design is shown, but there’s not much detail. We believe this new product will be the next-generation Ford EcoSport. It’ll be pitched against the Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser and Honda Elevate.

If you cast your mind back to 2020, there was talk of a collaboration between Ford and Mahindra, and the above leaked image of a prototype looks very similar to the patent image.

It’s too early in the development and production process, but we can speculate that Ford’s 1.0-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder engine will be used in this new SUV. Some renders have given us a potential look at what the newcomer will resemble and if they’re anything like this, well consider us excited.

Ford EcoSport Active (2022) Launch Review

Looking for a used Ford EcoSport? Find one here!

Indian-built Skoda Previews New VW Compact SUV for SA

The Volkswagen Group subsidiary plans an affordable compact SUV for March 2025 and we believe this model previews the all-new AO VW to be built in SA.

What you’re looking at here is a teaser image released by Skoda India of a new MQB A0 compact SUV that will be hitting showrooms in India in 2025. The name hasn’t been decided yet, but Kwiq, Kymaq, Kylaq, Kariq, and Kyroq are in the running.

What has this got to do with Volkswagen Group Africa (formerly Volkswagen South Africa)? Well, it is no secret the carmaker will be changing strategy as its European market for internal combustion engine-powered Polo and Polo GTIs dries up. The focus will be on retaining manufacturing capability and selling cars into the rest of Africa.

At the start of November 2022, Volkswagen South Africa announced plans to build a 3rd product – alongside the Polo hatchback and the Polo Vivo – at its Kariega plant in the Eastern Cape. Thanks to economies of scale and modular platforms, developing an all-new vehicle isn’t the outrageously high expense it used to be, as both the VW Group powertrains and MQB platform are off-the-shelf items. The list of vehicles using MQB as a base is extensive, but things like the Audi A1, Q3, Volkswagen Polo, Golf, T-Cross, Tiguan and many more all have one major thing in common: platform.

Where does India come in? Well, its common knowledge that Volkswagen India and Volkswagen Group Africa have a relationship, our market sources its Polo sedans from the factory in Pune, India. Interestingly, the product is known as the Volkswagen Virtus in its home market. Volkswagen/Skoda have two factories in India which produce numerous Skoda, Volkswagen and Audi products.

It is therefore not unreasonable to think that Volkswagen Group Africa will be using the new Skoda compact SUV blueprint/know-how in India for the new A0 product which will be assembled in South Africa. You could ask why doesn’t VW just source the vehicle from India? Right now, there’s no indication from Volkswagen India of a new product coming.

We expect Volkswagen to follow its naming convention for all of its SUVs and crossovers, so the new A0 entry-level model’s name will start with a “T”. We won’t be surprised if Volkswagen uses its tried-and-tested 1.0-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder petrol engine either. The choice of transmission is still vague, as the Virtus is offered with a 6-speed torque convertor as opposed to the quick-shifting dual-clutch transmission. We won’t rule out a manual gearbox for the new sub-4-metre SUV either.

Of course, South Africans will be excited to hear there’s a potential small bakkie on the cards too…

VW’s mystery ‘made-in-SA’ model: fresh details emerge…

VW Udara? Trademark filing hints at new small bakkie’s name

2024 World Car Awards: top 3 finalists announced

And then there were 3! Yes, the top trio of finalists in each of the 2024 World Car Awards categories have been announced. Here’s which models made it through…

The 2024 World Car Awards jury has whittled down the list of finalists in each of the competition’s 6 categories to just 3 vehicles. And we can confirm the overall winner to be announced next month will indeed be fully electric.

As a reminder, the World Car Finals (powered by Brembo) boasts a jury of over 100 judges from 29 countries, including Cars.co.za’s very own Hannes Oosthuizen. The winners will be announced at the 2024 New York International Auto Show on 27 March 2024.

*The Volvo EX30 is a finalist in 3 of the 6 categories.*

So, which models – drawn from an initial list of 70 eligible vehicles across all categories – made the cut? Well, fascinatingly, all 3 finalists in the running for the overall World Car of the Year title are fully electric vehicles: the BYD Seal (aka Atto 4), the Kia EV9 and the Volvo EX30.

Meanwhile, the BMW 5 Series (including the battery-powered i5) will battle it out with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the electric Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV for the title of World Luxury Car. Munich’s premium automaker dominates the World Performance Car category, where the BMW M2 and hybrid-powered BMW XM will take on the electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

*The BMW M2 is in the running for the World Performance Car category.*

The World Electric Vehicle class will be contested by the BMW i5, Kia EV9 and Volvo EX30 – models that all feature in other categories, too. The top 3 finalists in the running for the World Urban Car gong are the BYD Dolphin, hybrid-powered Lexus LBX and Volvo EX30.

Finally, the Ford Bronco, Ferrari Purosangue and Toyota Prius will square up for the World Car Design of the Year title. In this category, a design panel consisting of 6 “highly respected world design experts” was asked to review each candidate before establishing a shortlist of recommendations for the jurors’ final vote.

Check out the list of finalists in each of the categories below…

World Car of the Year top 3 finalists

BYD Seal/Atto 4
Kia EV9
Volvo EX30

World Luxury Car top 3 finalists

BMW 5 Series/i5
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV

World Performance Car top 3 finalists

BMW M2
BMW XM
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

World Electric Vehicle top 3 finalists

BMW i5
Kia EV9
Volvo EX30

World Urban Car top 3 finalists

BYD Dolphin
Lexus LBX
Volvo EX30

World Car Design of the Year top 3 finalists

Ford Bronco
Ferrari Purosangue
Toyota Prius

New BMW 5 Series (2024) Price & Specs

The 8th-generation new BMW 5 Series will be launched to the media this week and we have specs and pricing for the executive sedan. Here’s how much you can expect to pay.

The new BMW 5 Series is an executive sedan going up against the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (also recently facelifted) as well as the Audi A6.

When the new BMW 5 lands locally, the lineup will consist of two models initially, the 520d and the all-electric i5 M Performance. The new 2024 BMW 5 Series and its all-electric i5 sibling have grown in size in comparison with the outgoing generation. The newcomer is longer than before at just over 5 metres, and its wheelbase has increased too, by 20 mm.

Inside, the new BMW 5 Series gains the curved infotainment screen setup that we’ve experienced in other products from the Munich-based brand. In this application, a 12.3-inch digital cluster is connected to a 14.9-inch central screen that runs BMW’s iDrive 8.5 operating system.

New BMW 520d Engine

The first model to reach showrooms will be the diesel-powered 520d. The 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder diesel motor features mild-hybrid technology and has outputs of 153 kW and 400 Nm. BMW claims a 0-100 kph time of 7.3 seconds and it will consume 5.6 L/100 km.

Electric i5 M60

Right now, there’s no confirmation of any other powertrains, other than this diesel and the all-electric i5 M60 xDrive which packs 442 kW and 795 Nm. It’s good for a 0-100 kph in just 3.8 seconds and run to a top speed of 230 kph. It has a range of 516 km based on the WLTP cycle.

Options

A quick glance at the BMW SA configurator shows that customers can choose from 12 colours, 6 wheels and your usual BMW packages like M Carbon exterior (R35 000) and Equipment package professional (R40 000) are on offer.

How much does the new BMW 5 Series cost in South Africa?

BMW 520d – R1 247 894

BMW i5 40 – R1 842 500

BMW i5 M60 – R2 190 000

Toyota Fortuner 48V (2024) Price & Specs

The locally built Fortuner range will soon welcome new mild-hybrid derivatives. Here’s pricing for the upcoming Toyota Fortuner 48V variants ahead of the launch in South Africa…

How much does the new Toyota Fortuner 48V cost in SA?

Related content

R500k grand prize for CarsAwards Roadshow

A grand prize worth R500k must be won!

Related content:

McLaren Artura Spider Packs 515 kW

The compact and electrified McLaren Artura Spider has been revealed with a drop-top and enhanced performance.

South Africa’s best-selling double-cab bakkies last month

Which bakkie was the best seller in South Africa’s hotly contested double-cab segment in January 2024? Well, we have the figures for the opening month of the year…

South Africa’s top-selling double-cab bakkies in January

SA’s best-selling extended- and single-cab bakkies

Related content

State of South Africa’s Motor Industry: Interview with Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa

In this exclusive podcast, Ciro de Siena sits with Naamsa CEO Mikel Mabasa on the state of the South African automotive industry.

Naamsa Officially Endorses CarsAwards

With the winners of the 2023/24 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, sponsored by Absa due to be announced this week, Mzansi’s most authoritative automotive awards programme has achieved even greater significance by being endorsed by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA (Naamsa).

Naamsa wants to grow industry through CarsAwards

Related content:

Ford EcoSport Revived? New SUV Patent Registered

The patent image shows off a smart-looking compact SUV and Ford looks set to return to India. Could this be the return of the EcoSport?

Indian-built Skoda Previews New VW Compact SUV for SA

The Volkswagen Group subsidiary plans an affordable compact SUV for March 2025 and we believe this model previews the all-new AO VW to be built in SA.

2024 World Car Awards: top 3 finalists announced

And then there were 3! Yes, the top trio of finalists in each of the 2024 World Car Awards categories have been announced. Here’s which models made it through…

World Car of the Year top 3 finalists

World Luxury Car top 3 finalists

World Performance Car top 3 finalists

World Electric Vehicle top 3 finalists

World Urban Car top 3 finalists

World Car Design of the Year top 3 finalists

Related content

New BMW 5 Series (2024) Price & Specs

The 8th-generation new BMW 5 Series will be launched to the media this week and we have specs and pricing for the executive sedan. Here’s how much you can expect to pay.

New BMW 520d Engine

Electric i5 M60

Options

How much does the new BMW 5 Series cost in South Africa?