Angela's Picnic, Turbochargers and AfCFTA: South Africa's Car Culture Unpacked
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Craig Anderson (SAMCA | Chairman)
Paul Williams (Alfa Romeo Club South Africa | President)
Bob Brown (Jaguar Club South Africa | Chairman)
Eric Schenini (Stellantis South Africa | Brand Communications Manager)
Chris Lambourne (Turbo Direct | CEO)
Colin Windell (Motoring Journalist | Industry Analyst)
Johnny Shand (Bike Man | Owner)
Classic car clubs, turbo tech and continental trade for petrolheads
This episode of Motoring Today is pure fuel for South African petrolheads, especially Gen Xers who grew up with Alfa GTVs, Jaguar E-Types, and the smell of race-day paddocks. Hosted by Roger McLeary on Radio Today, this episode covers classic car clubs, heritage brand marketing, turbocharger technology, motorcycle retail, and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement's impact on the local auto industry.
Craig Anderson, chairman of SAMCA (the umbrella body for over 35 South African motor clubs), joins Alfa Romeo Club president Paul Williams and Jaguar Club chairman Bob Brown to talk about the Angela's Picnic event: a 43-year-old charity gathering that this year raised over R100,000 for Hospice, making it the charity's second-biggest single annual donation. Stellantis brand communications manager Eric Schenini explains why the company sponsored the picnic and how heritage, community, and club ownership are Stellantis's competitive weapons against new market entrants who lack history and cachet. The Jaguar Club's upcoming 50th anniversary, the Alfa Romeo 116th birthday, and the iconic Alfa GTV6 3-litre all get their moment.
Chris Lambourne, CEO of Turbo Direct, calls in from OR Tambo Airport before a 31-hour trip to Nevada, Turkey and beyond. He breaks down how turbochargers work, why BorgWarner leads the market, how his team built a 1000-horsepower BMW M140i with xDrive conversion that runs a 9-second standing quarter mile, and why turbo impeller wheels spin faster than a 9mm bullet. Lambourne distributes BorgWarner, IHI, Mitsubishi, Continental, Holset and Garrett turbos across South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, and the Seychelles.
Colin Windell's regular industry column covers the AfCFTA automotive rules of origin: the 40 percent African content requirement, the 60 percent interim ceiling on non-originating materials, and what it means for South African vehicle exports that hit a record R205.4 billion in 2024. He discusses the Volkswagen Polo, Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux as prime beneficiaries, Isuzu's hub strategy for African truck production, and why non-tariff barriers, specifically border post delays and paper-based customs, remain the single biggest threat to the agreement's success.
Listeners also get a motorsport results round-up covering MotoGP, Formula One Austria, and IndyCar; a listener poll on the greatest racing disciplines (MotoGP first, WRC second, IndyCar third); a World War Two motoring history segment on the Volkswagen Beetle and wartime car rationing; and practical driving tips on mirror use, tire compounds, road rage, and roundabout right-of-way rules in South Africa.
Paul Williams (Alfa Romeo Club South Africa | President)
Bob Brown (Jaguar Club South Africa | Chairman)
Eric Schenini (Stellantis South Africa | Brand Communications Manager)
Chris Lambourne (Turbo Direct | CEO)
Colin Windell (Motoring Journalist | Industry Analyst)
Johnny Shand (Bike Man | Owner)
Classic car clubs, turbo tech and continental trade for petrolheads
This episode of Motoring Today is pure fuel for South African petrolheads, especially Gen Xers who grew up with Alfa GTVs, Jaguar E-Types, and the smell of race-day paddocks. Hosted by Roger McLeary on Radio Today, this episode covers classic car clubs, heritage brand marketing, turbocharger technology, motorcycle retail, and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement's impact on the local auto industry.
Craig Anderson, chairman of SAMCA (the umbrella body for over 35 South African motor clubs), joins Alfa Romeo Club president Paul Williams and Jaguar Club chairman Bob Brown to talk about the Angela's Picnic event: a 43-year-old charity gathering that this year raised over R100,000 for Hospice, making it the charity's second-biggest single annual donation. Stellantis brand communications manager Eric Schenini explains why the company sponsored the picnic and how heritage, community, and club ownership are Stellantis's competitive weapons against new market entrants who lack history and cachet. The Jaguar Club's upcoming 50th anniversary, the Alfa Romeo 116th birthday, and the iconic Alfa GTV6 3-litre all get their moment.
Chris Lambourne, CEO of Turbo Direct, calls in from OR Tambo Airport before a 31-hour trip to Nevada, Turkey and beyond. He breaks down how turbochargers work, why BorgWarner leads the market, how his team built a 1000-horsepower BMW M140i with xDrive conversion that runs a 9-second standing quarter mile, and why turbo impeller wheels spin faster than a 9mm bullet. Lambourne distributes BorgWarner, IHI, Mitsubishi, Continental, Holset and Garrett turbos across South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, and the Seychelles.
Colin Windell's regular industry column covers the AfCFTA automotive rules of origin: the 40 percent African content requirement, the 60 percent interim ceiling on non-originating materials, and what it means for South African vehicle exports that hit a record R205.4 billion in 2024. He discusses the Volkswagen Polo, Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux as prime beneficiaries, Isuzu's hub strategy for African truck production, and why non-tariff barriers, specifically border post delays and paper-based customs, remain the single biggest threat to the agreement's success.
Listeners also get a motorsport results round-up covering MotoGP, Formula One Austria, and IndyCar; a listener poll on the greatest racing disciplines (MotoGP first, WRC second, IndyCar third); a World War Two motoring history segment on the Volkswagen Beetle and wartime car rationing; and practical driving tips on mirror use, tire compounds, road rage, and roundabout right-of-way rules in South Africa.
Chapters
- 00:00 Introduction and Motorsport News
- 02:00 Upcoming Races and Local Motorsport Events
- 03:00 Historic Motorsport Crashes: Earnhardt, Wheldon, Zanardi
- 04:15 SAMCA Chairman Craig Anderson and the Motor Club World
- 06:30 Angela's Picnic: 43 Years, R100k for Hospice
- 08:15 The Club Network: Alfa, Jaguar, Rolls Royce, MG and More
- 09:55 Alfa Romeo Club History Back to 1973
- 11:10 Jaguar Club: E-Types, V12s and the Electric Rebrand
- 14:55 Stellantis Sponsorship: Why Heritage Brands Back Classic Events
- 18:40 Eric Schenini on Stellantis Brands and Heritage Marketing
- 21:50 Alfa Romeo 116th Birthday and the GTV6 Legacy
- 25:35 Listener Poll: The Greatest Racing Discipline
- 31:05 Chris Lambourne of Turbo Direct Live from OR Tambo
- 35:00 Inside a Turbocharger: Revs, Bearings and Bullet Speeds
- 38:00 The 1000hp BMW M140i Build
- 40:40 Colin Windell on the AfCFTA Automotive Rules of Origin
- 43:00 Border Posts, Logistics and the Real AfCFTA Threat
- 45:10 Priority Actions for South African Automotive Trade
- 47:00 Wartime Motoring: The 1940 Controversy and the VW Beetle
- 49:55 Johnny Shand of Bike Man on Suzuki Sales and Delivery Bikes
- 54:00 Chinese Motorcycles and the Competitive Threat
- 55:55 Roundabout Rules and Final Driving Tips
- 57:30 Show Wrap and Sponsor Thanks
