In this week’s automotive news you need to know…Toyota “borrows”another Suzuki in a bid to unlock huge sales numbers, Fiat remains the final stronghold of the hot supermini in Mzansi, Lexus introduces us to an even bigger-grilled Land Cruiser 300 and the new Ford Ranger is unmasked, well, partly.

Toyota Rumion – Friends or foes?

The Suzuki/Toyota partnership continues to bear fruit. You know the drill: Suzuki brings out a model, then Toyota steps in, rebrands it and sells more units of a product that its strategic partner developed. That happened with the Baleno and Starlet, followed by the Brezza and Urban Cruiser and the trend looks set to continue with the Ertiga and Rumion. At first glance, it seems Suzuki has taken a big swig from a poisoned chalice, but the agreement stems from Toyota’s quest to gain market share in India (where Suzuki reigns supreme), while the former benefits from access to TMC’s petrol-electric hybrid tech.

> Read more:Toyota Rumion (2021) Specs & Price

Toyota South Africa Motors’ (TSAM) success with the rebranded Suzukis demonstrates just how much brand loyalty is worth and how important it is to deliver a quality product in every segment, but that’s not the entirestory. Suzuki Auto South Africa’s sales have not petered out because its products are also being retailed by the mighty TSAM; in fact,Suzuki has discovered that the kind ofenviable brand loyalty Toyota enjoys can be fast-tracked by basking in theassociation with its strategic partner. The Hamamatsu-based brand continues to make progress in Mzansi with sales growingmonth on month.

Abarth 595 – Last of the hot superminis

It’s a telling moment in the history of front-wheel-drive cars thatthe era of the hot supermini has all but ended in South Africa.With the exception of the Polo GTI, the last bastion keeping the lights on arethe Abarthversions of the Fiat 500. Fiat has kept the 500 true to the original; it did not swayoff course as BMW did with the Mini, which, face it, has become a bit pudgy(it ateall the pies from the local garage).

> Read more:Updated Abarth 595 (2021) Specs & Price

Car buyers’ obsession with crossovers and SUVs (but mainly the former) could be blamed for themarket’s takeup of bigger and then much bigger compact cars– BMW’s Mini sub-brand is not the only culprit. The Volkswagen Golf (on which the 8th-generation GTIis based) departed supermini status a long time ago and found a new place in the world of sensible, but weighty,hatchbacks. It’s refreshing to see the Abarth 595remaining true to the roots of the supermini DNA… a wheel at every corner, no excessive overhangs and a punchy motor driving (and, occasionally, spinning) the front wheels.Forza!

Lexus LX600 – Why the long face?

The grille debate rages on. The latest face to get “a grilling” is that of the Lexus LX600. I’m all in favour of forward-thinking, futuristic design, but isn’t such a “stylistic shock tactic” just an elaborate attempt to garner attention and distinguish yourself from yourequally flashy rivals?Point made, Lexus. We get you, just like we got BMW with its large-snouted4 Series and, subsequently, M4 coupe and M3 sedan.

> Read more:Lexus LX600: A more luxurious ‘Cruiser

This newcomer from Toyota’s luxury brand will undoubtedly be a premium product with more plush finishes than its Land Cruiser cousin. Despite its hefty asking price, the LX600’s predecessor – the LX570 (based, of course, on the Land Cruiser 200) was, at times, Lexus’ top-selling model in our market! That Lexus gets overlooked remains one of the great sins of SA motoring; Audi, BMW and Benz seem glued to those top steps of the premium sector. Let’s hope the LX600 will repeat history and, who knows, perhaps change buyers’ mindsets towards other Lexus models.

New Ford Ranger – make or break?

It’s no secret that behind the hype build-up of camouflaged prototypes being paradedthrough the internet’s socialmedia channels and the (apparently accidental) unveiling of the new Ranger’s face lies amake-or-break moment forthe next chapter of Ford’s bakkiein South Africa. The Blue Oval not only wants to usurpToyota’s position in the pick-upmarket– it needs to keep a horde of newrivals in check!

> Read more:New Ford Ranger Shows Its Face

The brand loyalty that Ford has cultivated (tothe Ranger, much more than any other product to bear the Blue Oval badge) is based on decades of reliable, well-built capability that comesoff the back of hard work –Ford knows that. Ford also knows that every fault on build quality will be punished ten-fold so they can’t mess this one up. In thisfight, Toyota can afford an occasional slip,but it’s Ford that needs a flawless, quality product from the get-go(especially considering how long the platform will be in service). At the same time, send a localRanger team to Dakar to get the hype going. It worked for Toyota!