Go! Drive & Camp

At the recent Caravan Show, I was once again amazed by the quality, passion and innovation in South Africa's camping and outdoor-living market. The show was bursting at the seams, and it was encouraging to see the growth in exhibitors, floor space and visitors. Our local manufacturers truly stand second to none in the world, and if you listen to how busy they are, it's clear that the market is growing, with a host of new campers being welcomed with open arms. Leon practically ran his legs off over the three days of the show trying to get to everything and everyone, and his full report on the caravans that caught the eye starts on page 14. While I was walking among the stands and admiring the gleaming new products,…

I thoroughly enjoyed the article and photographs on the history of the bakkie in your December 2025-January 2026 issue. In the article, you mention that the Toyopet Stout first arrived in South Africa in 1966 as the country's first modern bakkie. I actually saw that bakkie from Japan much earlier, in the 1950s, at the Mariental Agricultural Show in what was then South West Africa. It was something between a small and a larger bakkie, painted in what we used to call “PWD brown” – the dull brown shade the Public Works Department seemed to use on just about everything. Not the prettiest colour, I must admit. My grandfather, Jakobus Visser, bought a Ford Model T bakkie – according to your article, the first bakkie ever sold in South Africa…

This is now the third year in a row that I'm sharing our annual visit to the campsite at Tietiesbaai with Drive & Camp readers. It's the one camping trip I look forward to all year, mostly because I rarely get the chance to camp at any other time. Maybe over Easter, but that almost never works out. Our previous visit was supposed to be the end of a 10-year tradition of staying on the same stand. My life partner, Willie Dreyer, had bought a small piece of land beyond Laingsburg, where we planned to set up our own campsite. But those plans came to an abrupt end when Willie passed away unexpectedly. And so, I found myself back at Tietiesbaai for my December holiday. As always, a group of…

The annual Caravan Show is like the industry's hypermarket – everything under one roof. It is, after all, one of the largest indoor and outdoor living shows in the southern hemisphere. Just short of 40 caravan manufacturers displayed their latest products, and visitors were treated to a packed showcase. It was the biggest show of its kind yet, says Hampie de Kock, the show director. Last year's 25 000 m² of indoor exhibition space was expanded to 30 000 m², and an impressive 25 000 visitors attended the show over the three days. It was a successful event, and some manufacturers have already requested even larger exhibition space for next year. It wasn't only the new products that made this year's show stand out but also the new directions several…

This marks the Chinese brand's first entry into one of the most competitive vehicle segments in the world. The new model, currently known as the KP31 (it may receive a different name in South Africa), is expected to arrive locally in late 2026 or early 2027. Initially, it will be powered by a diesel plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drivetrain. What do we have here? Diesel-hybrid vehicles are fairly uncommon, and Chery says it combines a 2,5 ℓ turbodiesel engine with electric motors to generate maximum torque. The bakkie will be built on Chery's new Kaitan ladder-frame chassis. This platform has been designed to accommodate internal-combustion engines, electric motors or a hybrid of the two, as in this case. Chery also notes that the KP31's chassis focuses on structural strength, durability and…

This new brand is the result of a collaboration between Chery and SmartMi Tech. iCaur was established two years ago in China, where it is known as iCar – the slightly unusual spelling of the name iCaur is due to copyright restrictions outside China. The model on this page is called the iCaur V23, and it is the company's second vehicle since the iCaur 03, which is sold mainly in Indonesia and Thailand. What do we have here? The V23 is said to introduce a new approach to electric SUVs. According to iCaur, the square bodywork combined with modern electric components blends nostalgic design with contemporary technology in a package aimed at buyers looking for something different. Two trim levels will be available at launch in May this year: the…