South Africans really love their cars – it is plain to see in everyday life here, but if you require further evidence you can look to the steady increase in the number of people with car insurance, this despite the costs of our cover being among the world’s most expensive. The global automotive industry has come a long way since the humble horse and carriage in the 1800s, and globalisation has played a huge role in the success and competitiveness of car manufacturers around the world.
Cars
have become a part of what we do every day. They are intricately entrenched in
our lifestyles and we often take them for granted, but how often do we don’t
stop to think where they actually come from?
One
of the most popular car brands among South Africans is the Toyota Hilux, with 2
739 sold here in the month of September 2013. Toyota originates in Japan and
has its headquarters in Tokyo. In South Africa, all Toyotas are made at Toyota’s
headquarters in the Kwazulu-Natal – these are then transported to Toyota
dealerships across the country. Another popular vehicle is the VW Polo, selling
2 634 models (September 2013) and the Polo Vivo (2435 sales). VW comes from
Germany and is still currently made in Wolfsburg, Germany. Locally, the VW
factory is situated in Uitenhage, an industrial town 35 km outside Port
Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. VW is then also transported to VW dealerships
all over the country.
This means that because Asia currently has the best industrial mix of low-cost technology and affordable labour, it is a firm favourite when it comes to the manufacture of motor vehicles. This is why most brands of vehicles have factory plants there.
Other
hugely popular vehicle brands in South Africa are Ford, BMW and Mercedes. While
the Ford it is a product of General motors, an American firm, it was likely
assembled in Asia. Silverton, Pretoria is the manufacturing home of all Ford
vehicles in South Africa. BMW and Mercedes Benz are German products. BMW is
headquartered in Munich, Germany and is locally based in Rosslyn, near
Pretoria. Mercedes Benz has its headquarters in the German city of Stuttgart,
while its local plant is in East London, Eastern Cape.
Peugeot
and Renault are French vehicles and if you’re lucky enough to drive a Ferrari,
your car was most likely hand crafted in Italy. Hyundai, Kia and Daewoo come
from Korea, while Honda and Mitsubishi have their origins in Japan.
Cars
and vehicles have evolved so much in the last century; we have gone from the
horse and carriage to multi-million rand luxury vehicles. People have also
changed their preference in automotive transport, and instead of expensive
super cars, which only the extremely wealthy can afford, they are moving toward
more practical vehicles. For example, the newest innovations in car
manufacturing are cars that can park themselves – Ford and Honda are among the
first to do this. It cuts parking time and is especially popular among women
and new drivers who haven’t yet mastered parallel parking.
Most
of the world’s cars come from China, with 14 485 326 produced in 2011 alone
(worldmeters.info). This can be attributed to the fact that the average car has
over 30 000 unique parts. Most of the additional pieces, such as seat covers,
music systems, lights, mirrors and new electronics such as hands-free kits are
made and installed in China. It’s cheaper and faster for the industry to
perform operations in this way, and the quality remains fairly good.
South
Africans spend a lot of time in their cars and are willing to spend a lot of
money on them. It is wise to get your car covered by
a decent insurance policy so that if something happens to it you’ll be safe in
the knowledge that you can restore it to its former glory.
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