The South African automotive manufacturing sector is well-established and robust. Aside from the commercial aspect of the national motoring story, our citizens have a love for cars that is arguably unrivalled.
From home-grown motorsport homologation specials to colourful nicknames for otherwise mundane models, distinctive, sometimes questionable modifying trends, curious brand-based subcultures and more, our expression of love for the car is varied.
September being Heritage Month, it is fitting to contemplate this rather difficult question: what is the most South African car out there? You know, the product that best represents our unique collective identity, our national spirit, the four-wheeled mascot that sums up motoring in Mzansi.
It is a question to which there could be hundreds of answers. We are a wonderfully diverse country after all. Your suggestions might also depend on when you were born. There was a time in the pre-democracy era where General Motors’ advertising executives punted “braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet” as the ultimate South African aspiration. Not quite a reality for everyone.
My quest for insight began on the avenues of X (née Twitter). I posed the question to the greater community of the X-sphere and the responses were expectedly diverse, though common threads were evident. The main requirement — and this is an obvious one — is it needs to have been produced on home soil.
Truth be told, my own answer to the question was perhaps a predictable one. The BMW E30, particularly in 333i and 325iS guises, make excellent candidates. Our own unofficial takes on the first BMW M3 never sold here as it was only produced in left-hand drive.
BMW South Africa told its German parent firm to keep their highly-strung four-cylinder M3 — the local arm developed their own high-performance versions of the E30 — and also went racing. Even South Africans not all that interested in cars need no introduction to the E30 or terms such as “Gusheshe” and “Botsotso” — the mystique of the boxy BMW is well understood.
OPINION
What is South Africa's most patriotic car?
In Heritage Month, Brenwin Naidu looks for the model that best represents Mzansi
The South African automotive manufacturing sector is well-established and robust. Aside from the commercial aspect of the national motoring story, our citizens have a love for cars that is arguably unrivalled.
From home-grown motorsport homologation specials to colourful nicknames for otherwise mundane models, distinctive, sometimes questionable modifying trends, curious brand-based subcultures and more, our expression of love for the car is varied.
September being Heritage Month, it is fitting to contemplate this rather difficult question: what is the most South African car out there? You know, the product that best represents our unique collective identity, our national spirit, the four-wheeled mascot that sums up motoring in Mzansi.
It is a question to which there could be hundreds of answers. We are a wonderfully diverse country after all. Your suggestions might also depend on when you were born. There was a time in the pre-democracy era where General Motors’ advertising executives punted “braaivleis, rugby, sunny skies and Chevrolet” as the ultimate South African aspiration. Not quite a reality for everyone.
My quest for insight began on the avenues of X (née Twitter). I posed the question to the greater community of the X-sphere and the responses were expectedly diverse, though common threads were evident. The main requirement — and this is an obvious one — is it needs to have been produced on home soil.
Truth be told, my own answer to the question was perhaps a predictable one. The BMW E30, particularly in 333i and 325iS guises, make excellent candidates. Our own unofficial takes on the first BMW M3 never sold here as it was only produced in left-hand drive.
BMW South Africa told its German parent firm to keep their highly-strung four-cylinder M3 — the local arm developed their own high-performance versions of the E30 — and also went racing. Even South Africans not all that interested in cars need no introduction to the E30 or terms such as “Gusheshe” and “Botsotso” — the mystique of the boxy BMW is well understood.
But there are other candidates from the BMW stable that deserve credit as honorary Mzansi citizens. You could even say the de facto original M-car was created here with the 530 Motorsport Limited Edition (MLE). The 745i of the 1980s E23 generation is also something of a home-grown legend.
The European 745i used a turbocharged engine, but the mechanics created packaging difficulties for right-hand drive configuration. So, BMW SA deployed a version of the M88 motor from the M1, creating an unofficial M7 of sorts. It competed in the national Modified Saloon Car Championship against rivals such as the Alfa Romeo GTV6 3.0 — another racing legend bred on local soil.
At this point we should give production models with similar Mzansi motorsport roots credit: Chevrolet Firenza Can-Am, Ford Capri Perana, Ford Cortina XR6 Interceptor, Ford Sierra XR6 and Opel Kadett GSi 16V Superboss, to name a few.
But these are all exclusive, pedigreed performers. A real champion of the people needs to be attainable and mainstream. A pickup of some variety could make for a respectable candidate as the most patriotic steed in the country. Single- and double-cabs form the backbone of monthly new vehicle sales, supporting businesses, catering to families wanting a steed for work and play.
Ford South Africa has a unique history in this arena, with players such as the Cortina single-cab specifically developed for our market. It was such a hit that the local outfit exported it to Europe. Today, the Ranger takes the main spot on Ford’s bakkie mantle and made history as the first double-cab to win the South African Car of the Year competition in 2023.
Nissan played a major role in the light commercial vehicle end, with the plucky 1400 and in the modern era with the NP200, whose run has now come to an end. The company continues to build the Navara in Tshwane.
Isuzu’s status among enduring South African bakkie favourites is solid, with local production dating to the 1970s. But there is only one sales leader. Toyota’s Hilux has enjoyed decades of sales supremacy in the country, an enviable achievement. From farming specimens replete with livestock rails, to suburban varieties pumped-up by aftermarket regalia, to fleet workhorses in that shade of Kelvinator white, the Hilux is a popular sight in any region.
Toyota has more than a few fighters in contention for the title of definitive South African car. The Corolla is a passenger car mainstay, beloved in all its guises, from the “Kentucky Rounder” shape of the 1990s, to the more contemporary 11th generation on which the current Quest is based. A Cressida or Camry of any kind is still coveted as a used buy and as for the Hiace, well, it quite literally continues to keep the nation moving.
Speaking of moving the people, Volkswagen has had various local hits over the years that did just that. The Beetle was a biggie, so was the original Golf, but most will argue the firm really got into stride when it gave Mzansi the cheerful Citi Golf.
Many South Africans owned one as their first car or learnt to drive in one — and the Citi remains desirable as a canvas on which to execute all manner of enhancements. During its 25-year production run, more than 370,000 examples were sold. Volkswagen kept it fairly fresh throughout the life cycle, with continuous tweaks and special editions.
The spirit of the Citi lives on in the Polo Vivo as an affordable, sturdy compact car. Now in its second generation, the Vivo continues to perform as the best-selling passenger car in the country. We will leave aside comments about the distinct reputation for over-confidence wielded by Polo drivers.
Some suggested the Mercedes-Benz C-Class as an unlikely representative of all that is good with the South African car tapestry. The East London plant has been producing the model since the original W202 and still manufactures the W206 for local consumption and export markets.
Most people aspire to owning a model from the three-pointed star brand and for many, this ambition was achieved with the C-Class. The brand has a firm rooting in our market, building cars here since the 1950s. And gestures such as the iconic red W126 built for Tata Madiba have earned Mercedes-Benz a special place in many hearts.
There are many candidates to cite — and arguments to be made — for the most South African car ever made. The motoring landscape in the country is changing with the emergence of electric vehicles and increasing popularity of Chinese brands, who surely have plans for local production in years to come. The people's favourites of tomorrow might come from these emerging carmakers.
Share your views with the author: brenwin@sundaytimes.co.za
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