THE global automotive industry produced more than 91-million vehicles in 2015, 1.1% up from 2014.Of that number, Africa accounted for 960,527 units, with SA producing the bulk of these at 615,658.In 2016, Ford announced a R2.4bn investment in SA to build its Everest sports utility vehicle (SUV). BMW is spending R6bn to switch production at Rosslyn from the 3 Series to the X3 in 2018. Chinese car maker Beijing Automotive Industry Company will invest R12bn in a new plant in the Eastern Cape.Nissan SA is expected to announce it will join its global counterparts in producing the new NP300 Navara. Renault SA CEO Nicholas de Canha has confirmed that his company is keen to see the Nissan factory also produce the future Renault Alaskan bakkie, which shares a platform with the Navara.All these investment announcements come a year after speculation was rife that SA was facing a threat from automotive manufacturing further north in Africa.Former trade and industry minister Alec Erwin has been ...
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