Chery names its first bakkie Grootman
Chery has named its first bakkie for South Africa Grootman, a name chosen by South Africans. The model is planned to make its local debut in the first quarter of 2027.
- Product News
- 2 October 2026
Bridgestone will continue as the title sponsor of the World Solar Challenge 2023 to be held in Australia during October this year.
This competition is about the design, build and competing with solar-powered vehicles in the world’s foremost solar technology and advanced engineering challenge over 3 000 km across Australia.
The aim is for the different teams to showcase their engineering skills and commitment to sustainability.
Bridgestone's sponsorship of the World Solar Challenge aligns with the company's commitment to sustainability and innovation. It is all directly linked to our environmental targets – to achieve carbon neutrality and work with 100% recycled and renewable materials by 2050, as well as advance sustainable tyre technologies and solutions that preserve the environment for future generations,” said Koji Takagi, Management Board Member and Chief Sustainability Officer, Bridgestone EMIA.
As part of the sponsorship, Bridgestone is also supporting nine university teams in its region. For the competition, the company will equip the university teams with Bridgestone tyres that make use of pioneering technologies that can enhance the performance of their solar powered vehicles.
An example is the ENLITEN tyre technology platform, Bridgestone’s innovative approach to premium tyre development. The combination of multiple cutting-edge technologies provides maximum safety and outstanding tyre performance for drivers, while improving the sustainability characteristics of the tyre. Additionally, ENLITEN makes the Bridgestone tyre portfolio more adaptable to the latest mobility evolution, making all Bridgestone tyres fully EV ready.
Bridgestone’s support of the World Solar Challenge aligns with the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, the broad global corporate commitment that clearly defines the value the company is promising to deliver to society, customers and future generations in eight focus areas.
Chery has named its first bakkie for South Africa Grootman, a name chosen by South Africans. The model is planned to make its local debut in the first quarter of 2027.
South Africa’s new vehicle market recorded aggregate domestic sales of 61 645 units in September 2026, an increase of 12.7% compared with the 54 706 units sold during September 2025.
SA Auto Week 2026 is scheduled to take place in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, from 13 to 16 October, with the event marking five years of SA Auto Week.
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Cars are the ultimate symbol of freedom, independence and individualism. They offer the freedom to ‘go anywhere,’ whenever it suits and with whom one chooses.
Sarah Redshaw
South Africa’s new vehicle market recorded aggregate domestic sales of 61 645 units in September 2026, an increase of 12.7% compared with the 54 706 units sold during September 2025.
SA Auto Week 2026 is scheduled to take place in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, from 13 to 16 October, with the event marking five years of SA Auto Week.
South Africa’s domestic new-vehicle market strengthened in September, recording 61 645 sales, its highest monthly total of 2026. Sales increased by 3 747 vehicles, or 6.5%, from August’s originally reported total and were 12.7% higher than in September 2025.