In episode 2 of Watts & Wheels, Duncan McLeod and William Kelly dig deeper into the forces reshaping South Africa’s automotive industry – from the growing dominance of Chinese brands to how legacy manufacturers are fighting back.
The show also looks at some of the most interesting new vehicles heading for local roads, and features highlights from Duncan’s recent interview with BMW Group South Africa CEO Peter van Binsbergen.
The team unpacks additional insights from SA Auto Week, where the pressure on local manufacturing, exports and policy certainty took centre stage – and where concerns about competitiveness were aired openly by industry leaders.
Watch Watts & Wheels S1E2 now
Chinese car makers continue their rapid push into the South African market, raising uncomfortable questions for incumbents. With aggressive pricing, fast product cycles and increasingly polished vehicles, the competitive landscape is shifting faster than many expected.
There is also an update on Stellantis’s manufacturing plans and what they could mean for South Africa’s position in global automotive supply chains.
The discussion turns to plug-in hybrids, which are emerging as a key battleground. The Omoda C9 PHEV and Haval H6 GT PHEV are discussed as examples of how Chinese brands are targeting buyers not yet ready to go fully electric.
Duncan and William chat about two new vehicles in South Africa: the Leapmotor C10 (and why William hates the term REEV) and the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica (which William is prepared to give a kidney to own).
And then there’s the Toyota GR GT. Duncan explains why this supercar has him seriously questioning his principles – and why some petrol cars are still capable of making rational people do irrational things.
The episode features clips from Duncan’s recent interview with BMW’s Van Binsbergen, the full version of which is available here. Don’t miss any of it!
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