Big car dealerships like CMC Motors, Toyota Uganda, Nissan, Spear Motors and Tata all peg their rates to the dollar.   Mark Kass, the CMC Motors chief executive officer, said this week the decision to quote car prices in dollars was influenced by the high depreciation rate of regional currencies.   “East Africa’s currencies are depreciating at around two and half per cent every 10 years. For this reason, all our.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 25th July 2015

 Japan’s Honda Motor Company has begun manufacturing cars in Nigeria, said the new chief executive Takachiro Hachigo   According to Hachigo, a part of Honda’s motorcycle factory in Nigeria has been retooled to manufacture Accord Sedans. The company plans to make 1,000 cars annually and hopes to increase production if the local market is responsive to the new car.   The Japanese car maker is one among many others to.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 25th July 2015

The cost of importing used motor vehicles into East Africa will go up by five per cent from next month after EAC ministers adopted new car importation and valuation rules.   The ministers agreed to enforce the new rules, including standardised depreciation rates with effect from July 1.   In the new rules the depreciation rate for all motor vehicles imported to the region will range from 20-80 per cent (which is five per cent lower.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 14th July 2015

DUBLIN - The Middle East & Africa automotive sensors market is expected to increase to $1.45 billion by 2018 at a CAGR of 6.08% over the period 2014-2020 The low cost & compact size, ecofriendly & bulk manufacturing capability, and energy efficient are the key drivers which are making the automotive sensors market to grow lucratively. Development of new applications for technologies which utilize nano and micro technology will.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 2nd July 2015

Honda Cars India has started exporting its small Jazz [Fit in some markets] to South Africa from its plant in Rajasthan where it increasing production of the model from 120,000 to 180,000 units a year. Senior vice-president for sales and marketing, Jananeswar Sen, said exports to South Africa from the Tapukara factory had already started. The third generation Jazz goes into production there in July. Tapukara also produces the mid size City.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 3rd June 2015

Daimler's South African Mercedes-Benz plant in East London, Eastern Cape province, has built its one millionth passenger car - a white, right hand drive, C-Class sedan. The latest generation has been produced since May 2014 in East London - one of four factories world wide making the model line - and this is the fourth generation to be built in South Africa. Bremen, Germany, is the lead plant and the others are Tuscaloosa, Alabama and Beijing.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 2nd June 2015

Indian automobile manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has opened a business unit in Africa with a view to capitalizing on the emerging market opportunities in the continent. The company, which has opened its local office in South Africa, will come up with three more similar units in Egypt, Nigeria and Kenya. The new additions will work with local companies and employees. Playing the role of internal distributor for the carmaker,.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 2nd June 2015

Chinese car maker, Foton, is setting up a car show room and after-sales service centre worth $10m (about sh30b) at Namanve Industrial Park, in Mukono district. This was revealed last week by Chinese ambassador to Uganda, Zhao Yali, while handing over a donation of an executive van and partition screens to the acting minister of Foreign Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem, at the ministry’s headquarters in Kampala. Yali said Foton has already.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 27th May 2015

Arusha — TANZANIA has started manufacturing special cars and going to the extent of exporting them to as far as South Africa and Europe. The Arusha-based factory, Hanspaul Automechs Limited, which fabricates specially designed 'Safari' vehicles, has started exporting its products, popularly known as 'War Buses' to the neighbouring country of Kenya, South-Africa and European countries. Vice-President, Dr Mohamed Gharib Bilal, recently.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 23rd May 2015

SELF driving cars which may come to Tanzania by 2027 will help reduce deaths on local roads, experts from an online car marketing portal, Carmudi Tanzania Limited said. In a statement, Carmudi said although the idea of a self driving car seems to be distant for the local market which is one of the most deadly when it comes to driving in Africa. "In addition to cutting costs, self driving cars can save lives. The majority of crashes in.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 23rd May 2015

The Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Limited (IVM) made history late in November 2014, when it unveiled 500 made-in-Nigeria cars, built at its plant in Umudim, Nnewi, Anambra State, thus becoming the first indigenous manufacturer to achieve this milestone. The vehicles – the IVM Fox hatchback and the IVM Umu saloon cars – are built mainly with local content and are priced lower than imported brands. The Fox, a five-seater,.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 27th April 2015

The government has once again expressed its commitment to reviving the Arusha-based General Tyre East African Limited (GTEA) factory before the end of this year.   Janeth Mbene,  the  deputy Minister for Industry and Trade was last week here to brief on the government’s plans on reviving the tyre-making plant.   “As government, we are interested to see the factory resumes operation as soon as possible. But, I.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 27th January 2015