While there have been several automakers over the past few decades that pulled out of South Africa for good, some have realised the error in their ways and have come back.
Since 2021, the country has re-welcomed at least three nameplates that once set up shop within our borders, left, and came back.
These include Chery, Proton, and MG.
Chery
Most road users today will be familiar with Chinese carmaker Chery’s modern-looking SUVs, but what they might not know is that Chery also used to sell cars in South Africa back in the early 2000s.
At the time, however, the public perception on Chinese cars was classified as indifferent at best, and Chery’s offerings – such as the QQ hatchback – left much to be desired in terms of quality and specification.
It spent about a decade on the market but faded into obscurity in 2018.
Back home, though, the manufacturer was on a roll.
It set up a joint venture with Jaguar Land Rover to produce models such as the Evoque for Chinese consumers, and launched several sub-brands such as Exeed and Omoda catering to a variety of niche segments.
It also ventured into other businesses such as financial services, real estate, and the service sector.
However, it kept an eye on South Africa and saw that its rival Great Wall Motors was starting to really gain momentum here in the late 2010s.
Now with much more sophisticated products, and through setting up a wholly owned South African subsidiary, Chery re-entered the domestic market in late 2021.
Initially, it only had the Tiggo 4 Pro in its stable, later adding the Tiggo 8 Pro, the Tiggo 7 Pro, and the Tiggo Cross, respectively.
Today, Chery sits among the best-selling brands in South Africa on a consistent basis, proving its return to the nation paid big dividends.
Proton
Proton first entered South Africa in 2005 but ceased delivering units to the country in 2012, selling a total of 5,295 vehicles during this time.
The reasoning for its departure was that it “could not survive as an independent original equipment manufacturer without strong [local] back-up,” the company said.
Since exiting the country, however, Proton has grown its global footprint significantly.
It was acquired by Malaysian conglomerate DRB-HICOM and got access to all of Petronas’ E01 engine technologies in the same year it left South Africa, allowing it to scale the business with more capital and improved products.
Things started accelerating even faster for Proton after China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group purchased a 49.9% stake in the automaker in June 2017.
Come the 2020s, Proton saw potential in South Africa once again.
It also learned from its past mistakes and partnered with CMH Group – which boasts almost 50 years of experience – to be its domestic distributor.
On 15 September 2022, Proton officially restarted operations on local soil with a portfolio of two SUVs – the X50 and X70 – and a network of some 20 dealerships.
It has since also added the Saga sedan as well as the seven-seater X90 to its catalogue, indicating growth for the Malaysian brand in South Africa.
MG
MG, on the other hand, didn’t so much pull out of South Africa as it did close down globally.
In 2005, the MG Rover Group went into administration with loans of over £1.4 billion, putting its assets up for sale to service its debts.
Come July of that year, the Chinese Nanjing Automobile Corporation (NAC) swooped in to purchase the rights to the MG marque as well as its production plant and tooling for £53 million.
NAC continued producing models under the MG brand which were mostly sold in the UK market.
A few years later, NAC became a subsidiary of the Chinese SAIC Motor Group, which remain the owners of MG to this day.
Under SAIC, the brand underwent a significant metamorphosis and moved its production to China and, later, Thailand.
In a joint venture with General Motors, SAIC also developed a new family of turbocharged petrol engines ranging from 1.0-litre to 1.5-litre in displacement, which would all be used by MG vehicles.
MG briefly came back to South Africa in the early 2010s with models such as the MG6, which at the time was touted as the “first all-new MG in 16 years”, but a lack of demand saw it retreating again in 2016.
Overseas, however, the manufacturer kept gaining traction and steadily expanded into regions such as Europe, Australia, and the rest of Asia.
It seems the stars aligned once again in 2024, as SAIC decided it was time to take yet another stab at the South African market.
Perceptions on Chinese vehicles have significantly changed since MG last competed in the domestic automotive industry, and price today trumps all other selling points.
Not to mention, SAIC is well aware that it can take advantage of MG’s century-long history to boost its image among its younger Chinese peers.
Come January 2025, MG officially opened its doors in South Africa for the third time, this time hoping it’s going to be for good.
It’s banking on two competitively priced SUVs and one electric sports car to keep it afloat, with more to come in the future should these first products prove successful.
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