The History of Cars in South Africa

The story of automobiles in South Africa began in 1896 with the import of the first car, a Benz Velo, which was demonstrated in Pretoria in 1897 to President Paul Kruger.

Early Years and Establishment:

1896–1897: The first car, a Benz Velo, is imported and showcased in Pretoria.
1923: Ford opens the first assembly plant in Port Elizabeth, followed by General Motors in 1926.
1951: Volkswagen begins producing the Beetle at its Uitenhage facility.
1957: South Africa introduces its first locally designed and manufactured cars, the Protea and GSM Dart.

Expansion and Local Manufacturing:

Mid-1960s: International brands, including Toyota and Mercedes-Benz, establish factories in South Africa.
1968: BMW opens a plant in Rosslyn.
1973: Mercedes-Benz inaugurates an engine plant in East London—the first outside Germany.
1985: Ford merges with Sigma Motors (producing Mazda) to form Samcor.
1988: Ford temporarily withdraws from the country due to political and economic factors, but Samcor continues producing Ford and Mazda models.

Modern Era and Government Support:

1994: Ford returns by acquiring a stake in Samcor.
1995: The Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP) is launched to stimulate local manufacturing and exports.
2000: Ford becomes the majority shareholder of Samcor, renaming it Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa.

Present: South Africa’s automotive sector remains a key economic contributor, with models like the Ford Ranger and Everest produced for both local and international markets.

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