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The Toyota Wessels Institute for Manufacturing Studies (TWIMS) is proud to announce that it has received a R70 million endowment from the Toyota SA Educational Trust to create a Manufacturing Ambassador Scholarship to fund promising students who want to complete a manufacturing-focused MBA.

The generous endowment will allow TWIMS to fund up to 90% of the total cost of a student’s studies, their boarding on campus during class and exams and their travel and expenses for the international learning module. In total, the value to each student is R450 000 over two years, leaving only R50 000 for each student or their employer to pay.

“With the endowment from the Toyota SA Educational Trust we can welcome more deserving students onto our programme and help deepen the appreciation for and understanding of manufacturing in South Africa,” says Professor Justin Barnes, Executive Director of TWIMS.

The endowment is one of the largest of its kind in South Africa and follows a previous endowment of R56 million, which helped to create the state-of-the-art TWIMS Campus and fund the purchase of high-tech teaching equipment.

Despite the seed funding and new endowment, TWIMS is independent from Toyota SA Motors and is incorporated as a not-for-profit organisation with academic affiliation to the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) in Gauteng.

“As Toyota we are deeply committed to South Africa and its future economic growth. We believe that manufacturing and industrialisation are paramount to long-term growth and job creation.

“We hope to stimulate this sector with our contribution to TWIMS and its goal of creating an industrial Africa, built on world-class manufacturing capabilities,” says Dr. Johan van Zyl, chair of TWIMS and CEO of Toyota Europe.

Using the funds donated by the Trust, TWIMS will recruit up to 10 students annually to study towards their GIBS Masters of Business Administration (MBA) with a specialisation in manufacturing. The programme for the sponsorship of deserving students will be called the Ambassador Scholarship and it will require recipients to actively champion the cause of manufacturing in South Africa, both during and after they have completed their studies.

To qualify for the grant, a student must successfully pass the strict entrance criteria set by TWIMS and its academic partner, GIBS. Aside from submitting their curriculum vitae, a motivation for participating in the MBA and passing all entrance exams, the applicants must also write an essay on manufacturing in South Africa and their vision for the sector.

“We are proud of our association with TWIMS and excited about the future contribution of our manufacturing-focused graduates. The large endowment by the Toyota SA Educational Trust will play a major role in growing the impact of this qualification and no doubt help us to stimulate and grow the manufacturing sector,” says Professor Nicola Kleyn, Dean of GIBS.

The GIBS MBA with manufacturing focus, as taught at TWIMS, includes all core GIBS MBA modules and a selection of at least five specialised manufacturing electives. These include subjects such as lean manufacturing, the green economy, African trade and industrialisation and Industry 4.0. Students will also join an international manufacturing-focused study trip to one of several countries, chosen to showcase a specific aspect of industrialisation and manufacturing. These include Japan, Turkey and Kenya.

TWIMS was first established in 2018 and welcomed its first cohort of students in 2019. It will produce its first graduates in 2020, the same year it will welcome the first of the Manufacturing Ambassadors.

Says Andrew Kirby, CEO of Toyota SA Motors: “Industrialisation is a primary driver for economic growth. This endowment from the Toyota SA Educational Trust will help to facilitate a deeper integration between the science of manufacturing and management science in general.”

For more information on the GIBS Manufacturing MBA or to apply for the Manufacturing Ambassador Scholarship, please visit twimsafrica.com.

• Enhanced Local Value Addition
• Ongoing Investment
• Safe2School, Safe2Home
• Hilux KD packs to Kenya

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) is proud to announce that it has made substantial enhancements to the local production of its popular Hiace Ses’fikile model, by increasing the local value addition. This was facilitated by a R454 million investment in the bespoke production facility in Durban. The announcement was made by Andrew Kirby, President and CEO of TSAM, at the historic occasion attended by various industry stakeholders and dignitaries – including the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel.

“In terms of the South African Automotive Masterplan (SAAM), local automotive value addition needs to be exponentially increased. TSAM is committed to support the SAAM and has therefore proactively increased the local value addition of the Hiace Ses’fikile from 38% to 44%. This localisation has added R422 million per annum local value addition to the economy. Even more encouraging is the fact that we’ve been able to create an additional 80 jobs in the process.” says Kirby.

“The latest contribution places TSAM’s total investment in the Hiace Plant at over R1 billion since our initial investment in 2012. In 2012 TSAM switched from importing the Hiace Taxi as a Complete Built up (CBU) to a Semi Knock-down (SKD) vehicle, and in 2015 to a Complete Knock-down (CKD). Since the introduction of the local manufacture of this product we have seen the volumes increase from 9 300 units to 14 000 units per year, which equated to an increase of 37%. The most recent increase in demand from our customers to 15 000 units per annum has given us this opportunity to deepen our localisation, which will allow us to improve affordability over time.

“This investment of nearly half a billion rand by TSAM is another major vote of confidence in the capability of the South African automotive industry and the KwaZulu-Natal economy. Manufacturing is the largest contributor to economic output in the province, supporting more than 350 000 direct jobs.

“Since TSAM’s localisation programme began, more than 80 000 taxis have been assembled locally by Toyota. If each of those taxis opened their doors to commuters right now, more than a million South Africans would be able to climb in. The increased level of local content is an important part of the 2035 vision for the industry and will increase the participation of more South Africans in this thriving sector of the economy,” says Patel.

According to Kirby: “The minibus taxi industry plays a pivotal role within the South African transport system, and as such, is important in supporting the wheels of our economy. TSAM is proud to be a part of this Industry and is continually looking for opportunities to participate in Social upliftment programmes. Today we would like to highlight two of these programmes that have a direct bearing on minibus taxi commuters and those who operate them.

“The first of these is the Safe2School, Safe2Home project focusing on improving the safe transport of learners traveling by minibus taxis to school. This initiative is one that I am personally passionate about, in that the Taxi owners, drivers, parents and teachers will be better educated on road safety. This initiative, together with the eThekweni Transport Authority and Global Road Safety Partnership (South Africa), will impact 120 taxi drivers and operators within 24 schools and approximately 6 800 learners.

“We have a tailor-made Taxi Education Programme, with the expressed aim of empowering taxi operators by providing them with business, leadership and entrepreneurial skills.” About 600 taxi operators nationwide have already participated, with 645 planned over the next two years.”

TSAM also announced the start of its export operations to support local assembly of Hilux in Kenya. TSAM is embracing the direction of local assembly, and has therefore invested close to R20 million for the establishment of its packing plant to support this knock down business. The essence of manufacturing as intended under Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP) remains intact. There is no change to the value addition and employment has, however, with employment increasing by 20 additional people. Start of production in Kenya will be later in October 2019 and customers in Kenya will benefit by being able to buy their vehicles at a more competitive price.

TSAM is committed to the growth of the automotive industry and as such will continue its contribution to the social and economic development of Africa as a whole.

LCV: 5 360 units (39.8%)

MCV: 264 units (33.4%)

Total Sales: 11 891 (24.2%)

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM)

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) continued its admirable sales run, with 11 891 units finding new homes during the month of September – representing 24.2% of the total industry sales of 49 191 reported by the National Association of Automotive Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA). The country’s most popular bakkie, Hilux, has once again led Toyota sales volumes with 3 410 units, followed by Hiace Ses’fikile with 1 482.

While the local automotive industry sales remain a cause for concern, there was a slight increase in passenger sales last month. For Toyota, some of the notable performers in the passenger segment included Corolla Quest (1 353), Yaris (925) and Fortuner (918). NAAMSA agrees that there has been a slide in the performance of the overall new vehicle market, but welcomes the unexpected uptick in the passenger car segment.

Calvyn Hamman, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at TSAM, says: “New vehicle sales, especially through dealer channels, have slowed down – a situation that can be attributed to subdued economic growth and fluctuating fuel prices. The reduction in disposable income has led to consumers being more careful about committing to more debt.”

According to NAAMSA, sales of new LCVs, such as bakkies and mini-buses at 13 473 units, recorded a decline of 894 units or a fall of 6.2% from the 14 367 units sold in this segment during the corresponding month last year. Despite dropping from 5 498 in September last year to 5 360 in September 2019, Toyota sales in the LCV segment recorded a market share increase of 1.4% from 38.4% (September 2018) to 39.8% (September 2019).

There was a commendable sales showing by the truck division too – with both the Hino 300 Series (156) and 500 Series (99) producing segment-leading sales in MCV and HCV categories, respectively.

“Despite the economic outlook remaining uncertain, with unemployment figures continuing to rise, we are grateful for the resilience shown by Toyota sales. The locally-built Hilux is once again a segment and overall leader in the local market year-to-date, and this is – of course – testament to what a good product this vehicle is. We are also grateful to our customers for the continued support of our brand as well as our dealers who ensure we continue to create customer smiles,” Hamman concludes.

The Netherlands-based lubricants manufacturer, Eurol, has decided to renew its partnership with the Dakar-winning Toyota Gazoo Racing SA team for the 2020 Dakar Rally. Eurol has been supplying top-quality lubrication products for more than 42 years, with outlets in more than 80 countries around the globe.

The Netherlands-based lubricants manufacturer, Eurol, has decided to renew its partnership with the Dakar-winning Toyota Gazoo Racing SA team for the 2020 Dakar Rally. Eurol has been supplying top-quality lubrication products for more than 42 years, with outlets in more than 80 countries around the globe.

“We are very excited to have Eurol on board again for Dakar 2020,” said Toyota Gazoo Racing SA Team Principal, Glyn Hall, of the renewed partnership. “Eurol supported us during the very tough Dakar Rally in Peru, which we won with Nasser Al Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel in a Toyota Hilux. Eurol’s products proved invaluable during that race.”

While Eurol supplies lubricants and specialty products to a wide variety of industries, it has a strong focus on delivering only the best quality products. These are often tested not only through professional circuit racing, but also during the rigorous Dakar Rally, thanks to its partnership with Toyota Gazoo Racing SA.

“We are still building up to Dakar 2020, making refinements to our Toyota Hilux, and finalising the team,” continued Hall. “Part of this build-up is our participation in the 2019 Rally of Morocco, and we are pleased to have Eurol on board as a partner for the upcoming event.”

Martijn Pfeiffer, Managing-Director of Eurol about the partnership: “It’s a great pleasure to work with such a professional team and bring added value with our high quality lubricants and knowledge of lubrication under the most extreme circumstances.”

Toyota Gazoo Racing SA will be fielding a three-car team at the race, spearheaded by Nasser Al Attiyah and Mathieu Baumel. Also in action will be Giniel de Villiers, now partnered by Spanish co-driver Alex Haro; as well as Dutch star Bernhard ten Brinke, with Belgian Tom Colsoul beside him. The team will also be joined by Fernando Alonso and Marc Coma of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, in their continued quest to prepare for a possible entry to the Dakar Rally in 2020.

The Rally of Morocco is widely regarded as the final precursor to the Dakar Rally, thanks to its harsh terrain and placement on the race calendar, which means it offers unparalleled opportunities for testing and validation. The rally is also the final round of the FIA’s World Cup for Cross-Country Rallies, which Toyota Gazoo Racing SA’s Al Attiyah/Baumel currently lead.

The pair have won the World Cup three times together, while Al Attiyah also secured the title in 2008, partnered with Tina Thorner. Al Attiyah has also won the Rally of Morocco five times, and will be aiming to add to that tally at the upcoming event.

Toyota Gazoo Racing SA will be conducting a pre-event test in Morocco, in preparation for the rally, which takes place during 3-9 October, 2019. The race HQ will be based in the Moroccan city of Fes, while the bulk of the racing stages will take place in the area near Erfoud, in mixed terrain including rocky tracks, sand dunes and dry river crossings. The race will conclude on October 9th, back in the city of Fes.

It was an excellent weekend for Toyota Gazoo Racing SA’s Michael van Rooyen, when the Toyota Corolla driver tackled Round 7 of the 2019 Global Touring Car (GTC) championship at the Killarney Raceway in Cape Town. The “Rustenburg Rocket” finished third in Race 1, and improved to second in Race 2 – leaving him tied for second in the title fight, just two points adrift.

It was an excellent weekend for Toyota Gazoo Racing SA’s Michael van Rooyen, when the Toyota Corolla driver tackled Round 7 of the 2019 Global Touring Car (GTC) championship at the Killarney Raceway in Cape Town. The “Rustenburg Rocket” finished third in Race 1, and improved to second in Race 2 – leaving him tied for second in the title fight, just two points adrift.

“It was a great weekend for us,” said the affable racer after the event. “In hindsight we could probably have bagged one or two more points, but the reality is that we are now within reach of the title, and anything can happen at the final round in October.”

The weekend started with a tough qualifying session for the Toyota Corolla driver: “It was a highly competitive session, and the top 5 cars were separated by less than 0.1 s. I managed to peg fourth place on the grid, which was far from ideal, but acceptable in the circumstances.”

When the lights went green, Van Rooyen pulled off a magnificent start, and quickly moved up to third place. The Toyota Gazoo Racing SA driver shot past VW’s Keagan Masters, and quickly caught up with privateer Johan Fourie, in his BMW.

“But getting past Johan was tricky, and eventually Keagan caught up with us again,” explained Van Rooyen. “After a bit of a tussle, Keagan and I went through the fast Malmesbury corner side-by-side, with me on the outside – never the best place to be.”

As a result, Van Rooyen arrived at the next bend – Cape Town Corner – carrying debris in the tyres of his Corolla. He tried to slow the car down, but ended up leaving the track, and losing a number of positions as a result.

“But luck was on my side, as a couple of the leaders ran into trouble – and each other. There was a penalty too, for Masters, after he and Robert Wolk collided, and suddenly I found myself scoring points for third place.”

This meant that Van Rooyen would start Race 2 from fourth on the grid, in the reverse-grid configuration. Volkswagen’s Masters again offered stern resistance, but after a ding-dong battle, Van Rooyen managed to pass the VW driver.

“Next up was Daniel Rowe, also in a VW,” continued Van Rooyen. “I had saved a push-to-pass for the end of the race, and used it before the final corner – which meant I overtook Rowe after the last bend, and ended up second in Race 2.”

Victory on Race 2 went to Robert Wolk (BMW), but a second place, together with the points from a third place in Race 1, saw Van Rooyen close the gap to log leader, Masters significantly. As a result, the Toyota Gazoo Racing SA driver is now just two points behind Masters, tied for points with Audi’s Simon Moss. The final round of the season promises to be a cracker-jack, and the action is set for the weekend of 25-26 October, at the Red Star Raceway in Delmas, Gauteng.

Toyota Gazoo Racing SA’s Guy Botterill and navigator Simon Vacy-Lyle accomplished their mission of finishing in the Top 3 at the TracN4 National Rally, Round 6 of the 2019 South African National Rally Championship. Botterill had already won the drivers’ title for the year – making it six titles in a row – but the Toyota Etios crew had to attain a podium spot in the penultimate event of the year in order to secure the navigators’ title for Vacy-Lyle. This they achieved, despite a tumultuous event.

Toyota Gazoo Racing SA’s Guy Botterill and navigator Simon Vacy-Lyle accomplished their mission of finishing in the Top 3 at the TracN4 National Rally, Round 6 of the 2019 South African National Rally Championship. Botterill had already won the drivers’ title for the year – making it six titles in a row – but the Toyota Etios crew had to attain a podium spot in the penultimate event of the year in order to secure the navigators’ title for Vacy-Lyle. This they achieved, despite a tumultuous event.

“Things started well for us,” explained Botterill after completing the Gauteng-based event. “We ended Day 1 with a lead, despite struggling through some very thick sand caused by the extremely dry conditions.”

All the crews battled in the sand, which made it very tricky for the front-wheel-drive rally cars to set a good pace. Overheating was a constant threat, as was the possibility of snapping a side-shaft due to excessive wheelspin in the loose sand.

“Unfortunately, we fell foul to exactly that problem early on Day 2,” continued Botterill. “We snapped a side-shaft on the Toyota Etios, and suddenly found ourselves with just one-wheel-drive. We considered abandoning the rally, as getting through the very thick stuff was almost impossible in the circumstances.”

But with their eyes on the prize for Vacy-Lyle, the pair pushed on. They cleared one stage, and then drove at nothing more than limping pace through another stage, before reaching the service park mid-way through Day 2.

“Our crew did an amazing job repairing the car. They fitted a new transmission, and also replaced the diff and both side-shafts. With the work done, we were right back on the pace,” says Botterill.

Unfortunately, the pair had lost a bundle of time, and had slipped down to fifth in the standings – too far down the order to secure the championship for Vacy-Lyle. But then fate intervened: “Chris Coertse rolled his car in the third-last stage – nothing spectacular, but unfortunately the car came to rest in some extremely dry grass. The hot exhaust set the grass alight, and soon the Mazda was on fire.”

The competitors behind the stricken Mazda stopped to assist, using their fire-extinguishers to try to save the car. One spectator even attempted to push the car out of the burning grass with his own car, but sadly the spectator’s car also caught fire, and both cars had to be abandoned.

“In the end, the organisers had no choice but to stop the event at that point, simply because many competitors had exhausted their fire-extinguishers, and couldn’t race without them for safety reasons,” explained Botterill. “With Chris out, and one other competitor excluded for a technical infringement, we suddenly found ourselves promoted from fifth place to third – just what we needed!”

As a result, the Toyota Etios Crew scored enough points to seal the deal for Vacy-Lyle, with one round in hand. The final event for 2019 is the Ermelo Rally, which is scheduled for the weekend of 25-26 October.

Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) and Subaru Corporation (Subaru) have agreed on a new business and capital alliance with the aim of further developing and strengthening their long-term partnership.

Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) and Subaru Corporation (Subaru) have agreed on a new business and capital alliance with the aim of further developing and strengthening their long-term partnership.

Ever since concluding an agreement on business collaboration in 2005, partnership between Toyota and Subaru has included contract production by Subaru of Toyota vehicles and supply by Toyota of vehicles to Subaru, as well as joint development of the rear-wheel-drive Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ sports car models.

Also, with vast changes enveloping the automotive industry, which is being called on to respond to the new domains of CASE (connected, autonomous/automated, shared, and electric), Toyota and Subaru disclosed in June this year that they have agreed to jointly develop a platform dedicated to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and to jointly develop a BEV model, both of which will employ Subaru’s AWD technologies and Toyota’s vehicle electrification technologies.

In this once-in-a-century period of profound transformation, by strengthening their bonds and aligning their capabilities, Toyota and Subaru aim to pursue driving enjoyment in the CASE era and to make ever-better cars beyond what either company has been able to achieve thus far. Furthermore, to deepen their relationship and to strengthen their ties toward advancing to the next stage while respecting the identity of each other’s brand, the two companies have agreed that Toyota will increase its equity stake in Subaru and that Subaru will acquire shares in Toyota.

Details of business activities in the new alliance

     1. In pursuit of making ever-better cars beyond that achieved thus far by Toyota and Subaru

1. Bringing together both companies’ strengths to jointly develop all-wheel-drive models that offer the ultimate sensation in all-wheel driving

2. Joint development of the next-generation Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ

     2. Expansion of the scope of partnership to survive this once-in-a-century period of profound transformation

3. Following the Crosstrek Hybrid*, expanding use of the Toyota Hybrid System in other Subaru models

4. Cooperation in the domain of connected vehicles and technical collaboration in the field of autonomous driving