With the comprehensive EQ portfolio, Mercedes-Benz SA is confident that it can make inroads into the premium EV segment. We also chat about the Mercedes-Benz facility in East London and the challenges facing the South African EV landscape.
The Ford Fiesta nameplate has been around for 46 years – spanning seven generations – but its time appears to be fast running out. According to a fresh report out of the United Kingdom, production of the Cologne-built hatchback is set to end by the middle of 2023.
Yes, Auto Express claims the writing is very much on the wall for the Fiesta, which traces its roots all the way back to 1976. Of course, the Blue Oval brand’s B-segment hatchback was discontinued in South Africa earlier in 2022 (along with the Figo), though the facelifted version of the seventh-generation hatch (including the ST version pictured above) has soldiered on in many other markets.
However, the British publication reports “select parties” will soon be informed of the Fiesta’s apparent demise as Ford continues to charge towards widespread electrification.
The last iteration of the Fiesta to be marketed locally was the pre-facelift seventh-generation model.
“We are accelerating our efforts to go all-in on electrification and therefore review our vehicle portfolio in line with our business strategy. We do not comment on speculation and will share more information in the coming months,” the Dearborn-based automaker told Auto Express when asked for comment.
Of course, there’s at least a chance the Fiesta badge will live on should Ford opt to affix it to a battery-powered vehicle in the future. Such a model would likely share much with the upcoming fully electric version of the Puma, which will start rolling out of Ford’s facility in Romania in 2024.
Ford previously announced plans to invest over $50-billion in electric vehicles through to 2026, while also aiming for more than half its global production to be electric by 2030. In addition, the company plans to be a fully electric brand in Europe by 2035.
The larger Focus (which was culled locally in the first half of 2019) is facing a similarly bleak global future, with production at Ford’s Saarlouis factory scheduled to end in 2025.
RIP Ford hatchbacks: Fiesta dead in SA, Figo to follow
Image courtesy of Nafisa Akabor
If there’s a person that has her finger on the pulse in the world of technology, it’s renowned technology and EV journalist, Nafisa Akabor.
Nafisa is no stranger to Cars.co.za and not only has she been a regular content contributor over the years but she has also been a judge in previous iterations of the #CarsAwards.
In a recent article published by TimesLive, Nafisa details the forthcoming introduction of what will likely be South Africa’s cheapest EV when it goes on sale in 2023, the Funky FE-1.
Earlier this year, the Eleksa CityBug was deemed to be the cheapest electric vehicle in South Africa and it’s currently priced at R237 000, but that crown will likely be passed on to the incoming Funky FE-1 which is expected to be priced at roughly R190 000.
Earlier this month, the Funky FE-1 made an appearance at the Smarter Mobility Africa summit in Gauteng and is expected to undergo homologation in November 2022. If successful, the Funky FE-1 will be available to local buyers in 2023.
The Funky FE-1 might appeal to consumers who commute short distances within a city environment.
Co-founder of Funky Electric (sole distributor), Adele Theron, commented, “It’s small, but big enough, it’s got a cuteness factor and it’s perfect for suburban use because of its top speed. We are targeting moms taking kids to school, students going to university, dads on a short commute to work or those on quick shopping trips. It’s perfect as a second car.”
The Funky FE-1 is powered by a 4kW electric motor and is equipped with a 100Ah lead-acid battery that offers a range of up to 100 km. Top speed is rated at 60 kph and the Funky FE-1 is said to weigh only 450 kg. Charging takes about 10 hours using a standard 3-point plug and the battery has a lifespan of 2 years after which it can be swopped for a new battery or replaced with a lithium-ion battery.
Some key features include a multifunction steering wheel, a touchscreen system with Bluetooth, reverse cameras, a rudimentary sound system, electric windows, central locking and an emergency stop button.
Funky Electric will be the sole distributor for the FE-1 in Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the UK while South Africa will be the first market to receive the Funky FE-1. Interestingly, due to its diminutive size and weight, the Funky FE-1 isn’t subjected to the same crippling import duties that plague a typical EV and pricing is therefore far more reasonable.
Is the Funky FE-1 something you are willing to entertain considering rising fuel prices and the increasing maintenance cost of ICE vehicles?
We will keep you updated as soon as more information becomes available.
GWM’s Ora Cat EV could offer 500 km range for only R600k
You want a car, but there are so many choices. Do you find it tough to choose what you want?
Now, let’s get real for a second. Deciding which car you WANT is, in actual fact, EASY. Every time I drive to work I see cars that I want! The tricky bit is whether you can AFFORD it on your salary. Cars cost a lot of cash and vehicle-finance agreements can be 6 years long – that’s a serious financial commitment.
This article deals with the logic you should apply before making a vehicle purchase decision. Of course, you don’t necessarily need to apply logic – you can just go with your feelings and follow your dream. “Fake it till you make it,” as they say. You would not be the first person to do this – or the last – but, if you want to live with less stress for the next 6 years, I suggest you read on!
Quick Fix: Cars.co.za has created a handy Affordability Calculator to help you work out the value of the car you can afford, plus enable you to draw up a realistic monthly budget, which I describe below. The best advice is to quickly read the article below and then use the Calculator.
Start with your “net income”, which is your salary AFTER the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has taken its cut (deducted pay-as-you-earn tax). In other words, it’s the amount at the bottom of your payslip and the line on your bank account which says “salary”.
Are you paying off a car right now? If so, how much is that per month and does it seem easy – or a real burden – to meet those payments?
To be completely honest, this is the toughest question to answer, because working out what you spend on things that you HAVE to do, versus things that you WANT to do, can be difficult.
Start with things where you have signed a contract. Think about credit agreements such as loans, store cards, credit cards etc. You cannot avoid them because you have committed to them; they’re also the first things banks will look at to decide whether you can afford more credit.
Then think of everything else. If you are going to buy a car, then the monthly instalments on the vehicle finance agreement (car loan) might mean that you have to live without some of these.
Tip #1: As a general rule, your car budget should not be more than 20% of your net income. That is the figure you got in Step 1 minus the things you MUST pay in Step 2.
Tip #2: If you have too many credit commitments already, the bank will start to get nervous and regard you as a higher-risk candidate for a vehicle finance agreement. This will result in you paying a higher interest rate (the Cars.co.za Affordability Calculator takes this into account).
Read More: How to get a good credit score for vehicle finance
This is a reality check for a couple of reasons. If the answer to this question is not a clear YES, then you need to ask yourself a hard question. Car Finance generally starts at R3 000 to R4 000 per month. If the current bills are making you sweat each month then how do you expect to pay that kind of moola each month in car payments, as well as insurance-, fuel- and servicing costs.
Tip #3: If you are not regularly keeping up with your current payments, then your bank (or other banks) may think of you as a “high risk” candidate. You may be refused a new loan, or at least have to pay a high interest rate. The Cars.co.za Affordability Calculator takes this into account.
I hope this article has given you some background. Now jump across to the Cars.co.za Affordability Calculator and start your search for a car that will fit your monthly budget.
If you are considering selling your car, you can sell your car fast, easily and safely on Cars.co.za
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The recent M Fest held at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit was a raging success for BMW. Not only did the brand manage to rack up over 100 sales at its pop-up dealership but the German firm also used the event to introduce new models such as the highly-anticipated new-generation M2, M4 CSL and the mighty BMW XM.
Due to go on sale in South Africa in the second quarter of 2023, the BMW XM with its plug-in hybrid powertrain combines a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine (360 kW/650 Nm) and a powerful electric motor (145 kW/280 Nm) to produce staggering combined outputs of 480 kW and 800 Nm! Those numbers are delivered to all four wheels via an 8-speed M Steptronic transmission and BMW says zero to 100kph will happen in just 4.3 seconds with an optional top speed of 270 kph when you opt for the M Driver’s Package.
Impressed? You should be.
However, if you are disappointed by what you have just read then hang onto your hat because the crazy M boffins have an Ace up their sleeves. Enter the BMW XM Label Red!
Yes, the XM’s wildly divisive styling is personified with red detailing seen around the grille, window surrounds and wheels but much like its standard XM sibling, the magical wizardry under the bonnet pushes the performance boundary ever farther outwards.
That’s because the XM’s powertrain has been tickled and massaged to produce even more craziness. How does 550 kW and 1000 Nm grab you? Official performance figures have yet to be divulged but you can expect the XM Label Red to easily shave more time over its standard sibling, which in and of itself is remarkable if you consider that we are talking about a car with a tare mass (unladen) of 2 785 kg. When the XM Label Red comes to market in 2023, it will arrive as the most powerful production car ever built by BMW.
As far as the interior is concerned, logic dictates that the XM Label Red will share the same architecture as the standard XM, but will likely be differentiated by trim and design elements to match its overtly extroverted design.
You can expect more official details and images to be revealed in the coming months and we will certainly keep you updated as soon as more information becomes available.
Indian brand Force Motors has announced that its range of vehicles will be arriving in South Africa. The Pune-based brand has appointed Export Trading Group (ETG) to distribute the products locally.
So, what’s on offer? Force Motors is bringing quite the product portfolio, which will appeal to different interests and commercial needs. For the offroad enthusiasts, the Force Motors Gurkha 4×4 looks capable with its independently controlled diff locks and ground clearance as well as a 700mm wading depth.
Under the bonnet is a 2.6-litre diesel engine with 67 kW and 250 Nm. Power goes to all 4 wheels via a 5-speed manual gearbox and there’s a diff on each axle. At just over 4000 mm, the Gurkha is smaller than a G-Class, but larger than the Suzuki Jimny.
Yes, it does resemble a Mercedes-Benz G-Class, but this is no copy. Force Motors has worked with Mercedes-Benz for many years and supplied over 143 000 engines and 128 000 axles to Mercedes-Benz India since 1997, when Daimler started manufacturing vehicles on the Sub-Continent.
Other noteworthy vehicles earmarked for our market included the Traveller midi-bus and panel van, as well as the Kargo King bakkie range.
More: Want to buy a new or used vehicle? Browse stock for sale now
Right now, homologation of the new Force vehicles for the South African market has begun and you can expect the first units hitting the SA roads in the first quarter of 2023.
Stay tuned for specs and pricing for the entire Force range in the coming months.
Given the imminent change in the bakkie-based 7-seater market after the arrival of the brand-new Ford Everest and a potential upgrade in the Toyota Fortuner, its understandable that the best-of-the-rest are scrambling.
More: Compare the Isuzu MU-X to the Toyota Fortuner and Ford Everest here
The Isuzu MU-X may be overshadowed in terms of sales, but its still a capable, practical and well thought-out vehicle. For 2023, Isuzu Australia has given its MU-X range some enhancements to help it keep pace with the current segment changes.
It is expected that Isuzu South Africa will follow a similar strategy, seeing as both markets source their MU-X units from the same plant in Thailand.
Visually, the updates include a revised front grille, a darker design aesthetic, LED rear combination lights and there’s a new Galaxy Blue Mica paint on offer. There are new wheel designs on offer and depending on the model, 17-, 18- and 20-inch units are on offer.
Inside, some derivatives get some new-look trim on the door and dashboard. Tyre pressure monitoring and an automatic tailgate is now standard across more derivatives. Finally, Isuzu has confirmed it has disabled blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert when a trailer is fitted.
“Similar to the 2023 D-MAX stablemate—in which it shares much of its DNA with—these updates have been fuelled by Customer feedback, adding more value and features to an already value-packed vehicle, without the need of a price increase.” said Isuzu UTE Australia Managing Director, Hiroyasu Sato.
As a reminder, the Isuzu MU-X is available in South Africa in 4 levels of trim, with the range starting from R725 500. Under the bonnet is a 3.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder developing 140 kW and 450 Nm.
More: Isuzu MU-X Specs and Prices here
Want to buy a new or used Isuzu? Browse stock for sale here.
We caught up with him to get his thoughts on the season as a whole, and what is next for him and the sport going forward.
Cars.co.za: How would you rate your season from what you were aiming for and what you achieved?
ZE: I set myself a pretty high standard with the ultimate target from the beginning; to win the championship! Unfortunately, the last two races did not go to plan, and I just fell short in the final race to finish 2nd overall in the championship, but the highest-placed SA driver. I am tough on myself, so I am of course disappointed that I did not go on to win it, but I still had great success in the championship and fell to a worthy winner.
Cars.co.za: Every driver has favourite tracks and favourite race conditions. What were some of your highs and lows in this regard over the race series?
ZE: I would say the first race was the highlight for me. I probably enjoy Kyalami the most, and the grid was the most stacked for the first race with the highest competition. With no clue how I would perform in a car I had never driven previously, I went on to win our home race which was quite a surprise! The low moment was, without a doubt, the final race of the season. It was a showdown with my title contender Harry Spiers. Whoever beat the other would win the championship. In a freak accident so early in the race, I lost control of the car and damaged it heavily. It was tough to deal with, especially because I feel I perform best in the actual races and this turned out to be the championship-deciding moment.
Cars.co.za: After your start at Kyalami as you mentioned, you were very much the driver to beat throughout the series. What were some of the elements that made the final few races that much more challenging?
ZE: Things were very well placed with 3/5 races completed. Unfortunately for the 4th race, I was out of the country for a couple of weeks and had no practice or preparation time – which, for those not involved in sim racing, means I would not realistically be challenging for any top spots in this high-class field! That put me on the back foot for the final round, and of course, the way the final race ended was terribly unlucky. It goes to show that no matter how things are going, you have to push to the end and never know where you will end up.
Cars.co.za: What is it about the ATK Pro Series that you think makes it such a strong racing prospect for the future, and how can it continue to make progress?
ZE: It’s always been a high level of production from them, and this season it was open to international competition. They will only continue to build on this success to maintain their premier class category in the South African sim racing scene and expand beyond.
Cars.co.za: As the top South African finisher, what are some of the things that local drivers can look to do to not only become more competitive in the ATK Pro Series but also in taking on more international fields in future?
ZE: Exposure to the highest levels of competition is always an eye-opener. But it is the only way to improve once you see how you fare against the ultimate benchmark. The championship could have gone either way right to the final round, so it is good to know that South Africans are already competing at the highest levels of pace already!
Cars.co.za are proud of Zaahir’s achievements in this year’s series and is confident that the example he set will pave the way for more local Sim Racers to make their mark in the sport.
Look out for more content coming soon with Zaahir, as he continues to work with us in sharing his racing expertise and vast experience in Sim Racing.
Candice, a mega-successful South African entertainer and entrepreneur has a definite love of cars, but opens up about the anxiety she has only recently overcome to start the process of getting her licence… and eventually buy a car.
What car does Candice Modiselle want to buy? Well, DBN GOGO’s BMW 128ti seems very appealing to her. But she grew up in a Golf family, and so has fond memories of her dad’s GTI, too.
For Candice, cars represent a very intimate space where you get to learn the true nature of your fellow passengers. So, if you’d like to see whether you can get along with a person, just take them on a road trip!
If you’ve missed the first 6 episodes of #CarCulture, check out our interviews with PROVERB, Lasizwe, DJ Speedsta, DBN GOGO, Chrizz Beats, and our very own Ciro De Siena.
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The CEO of the Volkswagen brand has suggested the German automaker will soon ditch the controversial touch controls it has implemented on the steering wheels of certain high-end models, returning to traditional push-button items instead.
Thomas Schäfer, former head of VW Group South Africa but these days CEO of the global Volkswagen brand, announced the news in a LinkedIn post (first spotted by the eagle-eyed folks over at CarExpert).
In a post all about “listening carefully” to customers of the brand, Schäfer said VW had plans to “sharpen” its portfolio and design, while also “creating a new simplicity in operating our vehicles”.
“For example, we are bringing back the push-button steering wheel! That’s what customers want from VW,” he wrote, adding the Wolfsburg-based firm was “continually working on offering our customers what they really want”.
Will the upcoming facelifted version of the Golf 8 GTI revert to push-button steering wheel controls?
Volkswagen has in recent years made a big push towards digitalisation, with models such as the Golf 8 GTI, Golf 8 R and Tiguan R (plus high-end non-performance derivatives in certain model ranges, such the Tiguan R-Line) featuring touch-sensitive controls on their respective tillers.
Covering functions such as infotainment, cruise control, steering wheel heating, voice control and the make-up of the digital instrument cluster, many complained these sensitive touch controls – which respond to both swiping actions and more deliberate prods – were prone to inadvertent activation.
Interestingly, Schäfer’s post makes no mention of the similarly divisive digitalised controls – which include illuminated touch panels and sliders rather than physical knobs and buttons – used to manipulate the air-conditioning systems of such models. A separate digital panel is also used for light and vision functions.
It’s important to note Volkswagen certainly isn’t walking away from the idea of digitalisation in its vehicles, as Schäfer’s post mentions “electrification and digitalisation” as two of the most pressing automotive topics of the current age. Still, it now seems almost certain the upcoming facelifted version of the Golf 8 performance twins will to revert to push-button steering wheel controls.
Why is the Volkswagen Golf 8 R delayed in South Africa?