News in Short: South African Motoring and Automotive Industry Round-up

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News in Short: South African Motoring and Automotive Industry Round-up

This week's motoring headlines include developments in the automotive industry, consumer protection, new vehicle launches, recalls, fuel price expectations and manufacturer updates.

Tyre Price-Fixing Case Finally Begins

One of South Africa's longest-running competition cases has finally come before the Competition Tribunal. The Competition Commission alleges that four major tyre manufacturers held informal meetings and discussions between 1999 and at least 2007 to coordinate tyre price increases in contravention of the Competition Act. The tribunal has begun hearing the matter involving Goodyear and Continental.

FlySafair Faces Consumer Tribunal

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has referred FlySafair to the National Consumer Tribunal over allegations of flight overbooking. The airline is accused of contravening provisions of the Consumer Protection Act.

Toyota Land Cruiser FJ Launches in South Africa

Toyota has officially launched the new Land Cruiser FJ in South Africa following its debut at the Matsuri Festival at Kyalami. The adventure SUV is available in two derivatives:

·        Toyota Land Cruiser FJ 2.7 4×4 GX – R714,000

·        Toyota Land Cruiser FJ 2.7 4×4 VX – R761,400

Both models include a three-year/100,000 km warranty and a six-year/90,000 km service plan.

Jeep Recall Announced

The National Consumer Commission has announced a recall affecting 469 Jeep vehicles sold in South Africa.

The recall includes:

·        354 Jeep Grand Cherokee models

·        115 Jeep Wrangler models

According to Stellantis South Africa, certain Grand Cherokee vehicles may experience erratic illumination of the driver's seatbelt warning indicator due to the airbag controller, which could reduce occupant protection under certain conditions.

Mitsubishi Triton Range Expands

Mitsubishi Motors South Africa has confirmed that an updated Triton range is on the way, including an all-new Bi-Turbo derivative and additional engine options that will expand the local model lineup.

Diesel Prices Could See Significant Relief

According to the latest Central Energy Fund (CEF) data, diesel is showing an over-recovery of between R3.87 and R4.71 per litre, while petrol remains in an under-recovery position of between 13 and 20 cents per litre.