Month: November 2019

TOYOTA’S AYGO SIPS ITS WAY TO CLASS WIN AND 2nd OVERALL PLACING

Toyota’s compact city car – the funky-styled Aygo – has claimed victory in the inaugural Wesbank Fuel Economy Tour which concluded on Saturday 16 November in Cape Town.

The Aygo uses a three-cylinder, 1-litre, normally-aspirated petrol engine with record-winning thermal efficiency to achieve excellent fuel consumption. Piloted by experienced motoring journalist and Women on Wheels (WOW) editor; Carri-Anne Leathern and joined by yoga instructor Roxanne Jones as navigator – the all-ladies team proved to be a formidable force, consistently placing in the top three over the course of the five-day event.

The Aygo impressed by delivering very consistent fuel consumption figures – despite the varied terrain, altitude and climate – with very little deviation in its fuel index versus some of its peers.

In the end the Aygo duet took out the class win for I1 (Petrol Saloons and Hatches Normally Aspirated sub 1199cc), beating the Suzuki Swift 1.2 GLX MT and Renault Kwid Climber.

With an average fuel index of 4.8328 l/100km over the duration of the competition, the pairing were also rewarded with an impressive 2nd overall placing as well as being the highest-placed all-female crew.

Carri-Anne had the following comment on achieving the 2nd place overall finish:

“Our strategy going into the Fuel Economy Tour was to drive the Aygo in as real-world a manner as possible – so that the numbers would be achievable by anyone behind the wheel. In shakedown testing, we saw only a small variance in fuel consumption between slow, efficient driving and driving normally at the speed limit. We decided that driving normally to get to each check point within the time-frame allocated, and not accrue penalties was our main priority.

The conditions and routes we drove perfectly simulate realistic holiday drives and thus fuel consumption numbers. I’m incredibly happy with the Aygo’s performance, winning its class and mixing it up in 2nd place flanked by diesel engines in the overall results. We hope this event continues to gain traction and attendance from other manufacturers.”

HILUX LEGEND 50 2.8 GD-6 ACHIEVES IMPRESSIVE FIGURES

South Africa’s best-selling vehicle, the celebrated Toyota Hilux, showed its mettle in 2.8 GD-6 4×2 D/C Legend 50 guise by recording an impressive 6.9412 //100km fuel consumption figure in class D2.

The driver/navigator pairing of George Smallberger and Jaco Britz, showed that the 2.8 GD-6 variant of the Hilux could easily compete against the smaller displacement turbodiesels of class D1 and in turn claimed class victory for Turbo Diesel Double-Cab Bakkies over 2500cc.

LEXUS UX HYBRID CLAIMS HYBRID VICTORY

The Lexus UX luxury cross-over entrant of Khulekani Dumisa and Sala Masindane (of Khulekani on Wheels fame) flew the flag for Hybrid-powered vehicles in the competition. The Lexus UX 250h SE showcased its acclaimed blend of sharp looks, luxurious appointments and low fuel consumption. Propulsion is provided by an Atkinson cycle 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, accompanied by an electric motor driving the front wheels through a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT).

Whilst Hybrid powertrains tend to favour low-speed urban commutes to maximise the electric power usage – the UX realised laudable fuel consumption figures, ending on 6.0348 l/100km. This figure also beat out the bevy of turbodiesel SUV entrants over 2000cc.

Toyota SA Motors would like to congratulate all the competitors in this maiden Fuel Economy Tour challenge and also thank each one of our participating teams.

In the spirit of Kyōdō, Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) and Isuzu Motors South Africa have joined forces in a Black Supplier Development programme with Algoa Components Manufacturers (ACM). When the Port Elizabeth-based, black-owned supplier of fuel fillers, side impact beams and instrument panel carriers reported concerns about the future sustainability of its business, the two original equipment manufacturers (OEM) intervened. TSAM and Isuzu have partnered with Propella, a Port Elizabeth-based business hub, to offer skills transfer and mentoring support to ACM.

The mentoring process is well underway in a bid to improve ACM’s production capacity as well as its future business sustainability. TSAM and Isuzu have committed to assist ACM in the overall improvement and optimisation of product process flows, plant layout, space utilisation and the determination of material and manning standards – all in support of creating a more efficient production system.

Senior Manager of Enterprise and Supplier Development at TSAM, Kim Nisbet, says: “At TSAM, we value supplier relationship management and are proud to be working with our suppliers on a one-to-one basis to improve their performance for their benefit as well as ours. We value this opportunity to work with Isuzu in jointly developing and supporting this black supplier and it is important to both OEM’s in terms of increasing local manufactured content but more critically, it is our responsibility to ensure the sustainability of our local suppliers. We also believe that skills transfer and mentoring are essential elements in order for ACM to build its production capacity.”

Nisbet adds that in order for the local automotive industry to comply with the South African Automotive Masterplan (SAAM), local content needs to be increased from just under 40% to 60% over the next few years, and small and medium black-owned businesses must be brought into the supply chain to help the country succeed in transformation. Toyota’s strategy to support SAAM is clear and developing black-owned business suppliers is a priority.

Isuzu Motors South Africa adds that it is equally committed to broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) and embraces opportunities to accelerate the transformation of the automotive value chain. “We are fully committed to the upliftment, transformation and growth of our country’s economy. We should always remember that an economy cannot grow by excluding people and that an economy which is not growing, cannot integrate all of its citizens in a meaningful way. It is thus vital that Original Equipment Manufacturers are actively supporting the long-term sustainability of the automotive supply chain,” says Gregory Wood, General Manager of Purchasing at Isuzu.

“We are confident that the collaboration will yield meaningful process improvements thereby improving on ACM’s high quality standards and driving further cost efficiencies. We are also proactively engaged in initiatives to help grow this supplier and to this end supported ACM to showcase their production capabilities at the Naacam Show which was held in Durban earlier this year,” concludes Wood.

During the course of the past 6 months, ACM has shown very good progress in terms of process improvement, efficiency levels and have further plans to improve. Toyota and Isuzu have committed to continue their support into 2020 and aim to conclude the Kyōdō initiative as early as the first quarter in 2020.

TOYOTA TOTAL SALES – 13 694

Passenger VEHICLES SALES – 6 727

LIGHT COMMERCIAL VEHICLES – 6 640

TOYOTA Market Share – 26.3%

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) recorded its highest sales month with a total of 13 694 vehicles sold in October – effectively claiming a 26.3% market share. The industry total of 51 978 also marked the first time that local sales went past the 50 000-mark this year.

According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), out of the total industry sales of 51 978 vehicles, an estimated 38 558 units or 74.2% represented dealer sales, 20.3% vehicle rental industry, 3.7% corporate fleets and 1.8% government sales. NAAMSA confirmed that aggregate domestic new sales reflected a marginal increase of 122 units or 0.2% from the 51 856 vehicles sold in October last year.

Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at TSAM, Calvyn Hamman says: “Despite market detractors, such as shrinking disposable income as well as volatile trading conditions, the local automotive industry has shown tremendous resilience against the backdrop of an ailing economy. We understand that these are trying times for the consumer, yet we value the continued support from the local market. We are also grateful to the rental, corporate and government sales for the huge role they play in supporting the industry.”

In the TSAM stable, it was once again the evergreen Hilux that led the sales charts with a laudable total of 4 377 – recording its second best aggregate since the record-breaking 4 770 units sold in June. South Africa’s most popular people-mover Hiace sold no less than 1 738 units, thereby contributing to the total of 6 640 models sold by Toyota in the LCV category – or a 49.7% market share for TSAM.

TSAM’s sales in the passenger segment totalled a respectable 6 727 units – mostly attributable to notable performances by Corolla Quest (1 313), Yaris (1 065), Fortuner (1 018), Etios (957). Avanza (610) and RAV4 (558). On the truck front, the Hino 500-Series recorded a 21.5% market share in the Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) segment while the 300-Series posted a 15.4% share in the Medium Commercial Vehicle (MCV) category.

“We are grateful to the entire TSAM team and dealers across the country for their continued efforts towards making Toyota a market leader, but we cannot be complacent because there is always room for improvement. Our mandate is to create customer smiles and to continue making Toyota, Lexus and Hino brands of choice for our market,” concluded Hamman.