...the final round of scoring will commence shortly and continue until early April. This round also includes data from Lightstone, which is used for automated scoring based on segment sales volumes and spec-adjusted competitor pricing…

Scans on LIVE are an indicator of “intention to sell”. Increased scans can be interpreted as increased activity from owners looking to sell and purchase vehicles. Pieter Wessels, Managing Director of Lightstone Auto, highlights a positive increase in scans…

SUVs are hugely popular in South Africa, with the SUV segment gaining large market share in the country over the past 10 years. In fact, according to data from Lightstone the SUV/Crossover body type was the most popular vehicle category in the country in 2021. This body type combined with...

The South African Car of the Year trophy, awarded since 1986, is South Africa’s most respected and sought-after motoring accolade celebrating automotive excellence.

Used vehicles are holding their value for longer in South Africa, according to the Lightstone Used Vehicle Value Retention Index...

With 2021 drawing close to an end, we now have final figures of how many Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-Max and Mahindra Scorpio Pik-Up units have been sold in South Africa. The sales figures supplied by Lightstone Auto account for single-cab, extra-cab and double-cab body styles.

Yes, we are already at the end of November but we finally have results for the double-cab bakkie race in South Africa with regards to the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux specifically, for October 2021. The information is based on what has been reported by Lightstone Auto.

Lightstone Auto, which provides data-driven insight, online market intelligence, and new vehicle sales data to the South African motor industry will, from November 2021, compile and distribute the Kinsey Report …

At this year’s InsurTech conference, Theuns Botha, Head of Design & Innovation at Lightstone was invited to present on the topic, ‘Is technology killing insurance?’.

...The automated scoring information was provided by Lightstone Auto, which provides data-driven insight, online market intelligence and new vehicle sales data to the South African automotive industry...

The month of August came to a conclusion three weeks ago but we finally have results for the double-cab bakkie race in South Africa with regards to the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux specifically. The information is based on what has been reported by Lightstone Auto.

"It is most satisfying to see that the work and investment that we put into our dealer network pays off. Lightstone, which conducts the research in the survey, has included various in-depth analyses including problem area analysis...

Pieter Wessels, Managing Director of Lightstone Auto says, “The ever-increasing spending power of women is driving their purchasing decisions, along with the option of safety and convenience. Buying preference has shifted from the small hatchback and sedan towards the bigger vehicles.”

Ask if the car has been in an accident. Use AutoTrader’s Vehicle Check or Lightstone Auto to find out if the police have any interest in the car or if there are any accident reports involving the car. You will need the car’s VIN number; ...

Lightstone is conducting an online survey to determine what consumers prefer in a single cab Light Commercial Vehicle (bakkie) – specifically wheelbase, dimensions, cab style and modifications. By participating in this survey your preferences, ideas and suggestions will contribute to developing the ideal South African bakkie of the future.

….there are signs of opportunity and growth that a changing country has to offer. While vehicle prices have risen year-on-year, the volume of sales have not. Lightstone data has revealed that 340,000 new vehicles were sold through the dealer network in 2011, but this dropped to 306,000…

The Panel Beater Directory has various platforms covering the different needs of its readers and users. It is linked to Lightstone CSI, making it great for a prospective client to find the best body shop for them in their area.

Cannings is one of Cape Town’s oldest and largest automotive refinishing specialists, and overall winner of the prestigious 2020 Lightstone EchoMBR award.

South Africa's automotive market appears to have regained momentum and activity is matching or exceeding pre-Covid-19 levels, according to data from Lightstone Auto's vehicle analysis and pricing platform Live.

The sales numbers are in for the first six months of 2021 and if we narrow the bakkie focus down to double cabs, it was a very close race between Toyota and Ford. According to Lightstone Auto, the Toyota Hilux emerged as South Africa’s best-selling double cab, with a total of 9 251 units sold…

Marius van Reenen, Chief Operating Officer of MiX Telematics Africa, joined a panel discussion with industry peers at the recent F&I Summit to talk about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry and how many business sectors in South Africa are starting to recover.

New guidelines coming into effect from 1 July 2021 include that for the first time, owners of new vehicles will be able to choose where they service their vehicles, without risk to their warranty.

This is not surprising, as data published by vehicle tracking company, Tracker, and data analytics company, Lightstone showed that vehicle activity plummeted by 75% nationally immediately after the implementation of hard lockdown.

Ever since the Motor Industry Development Plan (MIDP) was formulated in the 1990s, the South African vehicle manufacturing industry has shifted from its apartheid-era protectionist model that saw it produce many different variants at low volumes, to a producer of fewer model variants at higher volumes with an emphasis on exports.

When is a Mini-SUV a crossover? When it is a badge-engineerd model wearing two different brand identities….

It was the second year that the company participated as a member of Lightstone Auto in the Lightstone EchoMBR ranking awards. Lightstone awards motor body repairers on the bases of satisfaction...

The highly anticipated Finance and Insurance (F&I) Summit, which took place virtually on Tuesday 18 May, brought together the best and brightest executives in auto finance and insurance.

Although the Toyota Hilux is known to consistently outsell its closest rival, the Ford Ranger, by a fairly considerable margin, the race is actually a lot closer if we narrow it down to the double cab body style. According to our studious friends over at Lightstone Auto , the Toyota Hilux remained the most popular double cab bakkie choice in South Africa during the first four months ...

Look at the mileage. Ask if the car has been in an accident. Use Autotrader’s Vehicle Check or Lightstone Auto to find out if the police have any interest in the car or if there are any accident reports involving the car.

The final guidelines were published late last year (10 December) and have since caused some confusion among dealers, vehicle manufacturers and independent service providers. Part of the confusion was recently addressed at the first online F&I Conference, which was made possible by NADA, Absa, Mix Telematics, Lightstone and MotorVAPS.

We speak to Pieter Wessels, managing director at Lightstone Auto to get his view on the important role of F&I managers.

Analytics company Lightstone has launched an address search and location intelligence service to help businesses that rely on accurate geolocations. It anticipates that Lightstone Search will significantly improve delivery services to customers.

Join hundreds of F&I managers, auto dealers and insurers to learn about the latest trends, opportunities, and regulatory updates within the F&I space.

A 2019 report by data analytics group Lightstone found that the average person makes nine stops a month at a service station, so there is opportunity to diversify with a...

Lightstone Auto, a leading provider of data, analytics and systems, has launched the Lightstone Star Reachcr F&I Awards to recognise and reward Finance & Insurance (F&l) managers…

Lightstone Auto has launched the Lightstone Star Reacher F&I Awards to recognise and reward Finance & Insurance (F&I) managers in the auto industry.

Vehicle tracking specialist Tracker commissioned research into how the lockdown impacted vehicle movement during the lockdown.

Toyota South Africa Motors recently became the first automotive manufacturer to win the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank’s prestigious Brand of the Year title for a 3rd time

Clearly this is a minefield of potentially disastrous consequences and one that must thus be carefully navigated. Lightstone, a provider of comprehensive data, analytics and systems on property, automotive and business assets, is creating an...

The National Automobile Association (NADA) foresees an improved, but by no means smooth road ahead for South African car dealers in 2021.

According to Lightstone Auto the CX-3 the as well as the CX-5 featured quite prominently in the best-selling small SUV and the big SUV market.

Fifty percent of the final scores of the category finalists were determined by the ranking of the vehicles' respective brands achieved in the Cars.co.za Ownership Satisfaction Survey - in partnership with data specialists Lightstone Consumer. The data was based on owners' experiences of their vehicles…

In this year of Covid-19, a number of brands have done well. Niche brand Volva won two categories, Volkswagen three, Toyota five, Suzuki won the entry-level car category for the third time and BMW and Land Rover won one each.

Bakkie sales in South Africa continued to show resilience in what was a turbulent year in 2020, accounting for three of the top five top vehicle name plates sold overall, led by Toyota Hilux, with Ford Ranger in third, and Isuzu D-Max fifth.

The new Land Rover Defender 110 D240 HSE drove away winner of the Premium SUV category at the annual Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank this week.

With the sixth edition of the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank, the largest and most influential awards event on the South African motoring calendar has made its television broadcast debut, thereby broadening its reach to a wider audience.

We’ve managed to get our hands on double-cab bakkie sales statistics for January 2021, allowing us to see which model is the first to push ahead in South Africa’s sales race for the year

In 2020, the South African motor retail industry registered its lowest aggregate new-vehicle sales total in almost 2 decades.

Isuzu Motors South Africa says the D-Max managed to grab a little extra share of the local bakkie market in 2020, despite a challenging year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although the first month of 2021 is already behind us, I would like to take this opportunity to wish...

Who was South Africa’s number one bakkie sales winner in 2020?

The release of the annual National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA), Dealer Satisfaction Index (DSI) survey, as conducted by the independent market research firm, Lightstone, has FAW as the most improved commercial vehicle brand for 2018.

Here are the top overall and segment performers in a pandemic-hit year which saw total sales dip nearly 30%

Wondering which bakkie won the double-cab sales race in South Africa in 2020? Well, we’ve laid our hands on information confirming the results.

Wondering which bakkie won the double-cab sales race in South Africa in 2020? Well, we’ve laid our hands on information confirming the results.

A recent study on Lockdown Traffic Patterns showed traffic levels fell by more than 60% in Gauteng and the Western Cape when the hard lockdown was enforced in April last year.

Covid-19 proved to be the kind of global disruption some have been warning could happen. It affected the global economy, the way people work and put tens of millions out of work.

According to a recently released study from Lightstone and Tracker, traffic levels fell dramatically by more than 60% in Gauteng and the Western Cape when hard lockdown was enforced in April, but traffic levels from certain areas to commercial nodes fell by between 10-15% less than traffic in more affluent areas.

Over the last three years Lightstone has hosted the EchoMBR (Motor Body Repairers) Ranking Awards highlighting the top Motor Body Repairers (MBR) in South Africa.

While our roads were eerily quiet during the Covid-19 hard lockdown, traffic has predictably increased as alert levels eased.

Commuters travelling from Pretoria to Johannesburg and back again in August spent 10 hours a month less on the road when compared to February as traffic volumes dropped by 33%, from 1.94m trips in February to 1.29m in August on the N1 South and from 2.02m to 1.35m on the N1 North.

If you are looking to buy or sell a property, or even just want to find out what the properties in your area are worth, Lightstone Property has introduced an easy, low-cost valuation service for individuals.

Riverside Panelbeaters has been voted the best panelbeaters in Mpumalanga...

The final phase of the 2020/21 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, powered by WesBank took place at Gerotek in early November when judges convened at the world-class testing facility to evaluate the finalist vehicles.

The Cars.co.za annual awards has become a mainstay in the local automotive sector, heralded for its slightly different approach to judging the best cars...

We’ve managed to get our hands on double-cab bakkie sales statistics for October 2020, which allows us to see which model is winning the sales race in South Africa after the first ten months of the year.

The automotive industry will take more than a year to recover from the negative impact of Covid-19 and the lockdowns.

The Lightstone EchoMBR Awards have been delivered and we would like to congratulate...

From 1996, Zonke-Unicode concentrated on developing the most comprehensive motor vehicle database with the purpose of facilitating the detection...

I'm an eternal optimist, but I have to admit that I'm having a hard time deciding whether or not the South African economy...

To understand more about how Covid-19 is impacting the automotive industry.

Now in its sixth iteration, #CarsAwards annually recognises the best purchasing propositions in 13 respective segments of the domestic new-vehicle market and is widely acknowledged as South Africa’s definitive automotive awards programme.

If you are looking to buy or sell a property, or even just find out what the properties in your area are worth, Lightstone Property has introduced an easy, low-cost valuation service for...

Now in its sixth iteration, #CarsAwards annually recognises the best purchasing propositions in 13 respective segments of the domestic new-vehicle market and is widely acknowledged as South Africa’s definitive automotive awards programme.

In an interview Paul-Roux de Kock, Analytics Director for Lightstone had with Warren Ingham from the Honest Money Podcast, he highlights that despite a dismal few months from a property and auto performance perspective, there is potentially light at the end of the post lockdown, 2020 tunnel.

We’ve managed to get our hands on double-cab bakkie sales statistics for September 2020, which allows us to see which model is winning the sales race in South Africa after the first nine months of the year.

Newest data from the South African Agricultural Machinery Association shows that September tractor sales were 23% higher...

Herewith the 65 semi-finalists of the 2020/21 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank.

Over the past two years the South African Motor Body Repairers' Association (SAMBRA). a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), has been lobbying hard to eradicate any unfair business practices which are impacting negatively on member growth.

We’ve managed to get our hands on double-cab bakkie sales statistics for August 2020, which again allows us to see which model is winning the sales race in South Africa after the first eight months of the year.

Transaction Capital has a proven track record of creating value by identifying, pricing and investing in businesses in resilient markets, that have the potential to achieve scale and leading positions in their market segments

South Africa exported 40% fewer vehicles in the first six months of this year compared with the first six months of last year, largely because Covid-19 restrictions caused demand for...

Rush hour congestion in the country’s major cities increased by about 21% in February this year - according to traffic congestion data released by TomTom. But recent data suggests that not only have these congestion increases been eroded - rush-hour traffic may never return to “normal”.

Tracker's anonymised vehicle tracking data, aggregated from the company's installed vehicle base and analytics from Lightstone, indicates that, on average, reduced use of passenger vehicles saved 1150 km of...

We’ve managed to get our hands on double-cab bakkie sales statistics for July 2020, which allows us to see which model is winning the sales race in South Africa after the first seven months of the year.

Ever wondered why Ferrari and the colour red are synonymous? What colour car tickles the fancy of South African's the most?

Motor body repairers in South Africa — as well as similar businesses in most other countries in the world — are taking a huge amount of strain due to the pandemic as it has limited travel and hence the number of accidents and subsequent body repairs.

Doing things the easy way is not always the best way, but the Easy Quote System designed for motor vehicle dealerships certainly is.

Yes, we’ve again managed to get our hands on double-cab bakkie sales statistics for June 2020, which allows us to see which model is winning the sales race in South Africa halfway through the year.

Lightstone is constantly looking at ways to support their clients, especially during the current pandemic. Here is how the MyEcho tool helps to do just that.

The automotive industry in South Africa has been especially hard-hit during COVID-19, but this resilient industry is preparing to recover in a big way.

It's generally well-known that Toyota sells the most bakkies in South Africa overall, but not many know which of the brand's double cabs are the most highly-sought.

Earlier this year, in February 2020, the website Green Car Reports, reported that for the first time ever in the US, electric vehicles outsold manual transmission combustion engine cars

It’s a question we’re often asked but seldom able to answer. Who’s winning the double-cab bakkie sales race in South Africa? Now, however, thanks to our friends over at Lightstone Auto (via our sister publication, Leisure Wheels), we’re able to shed some light on the matter

Only a few days into being in the hot seat at Isuzu, we speak to the Japanese marque's new local CEO and MD, Billy Tom.

The ongoing Cars.co.za Ownership Satisfaction Survey, conducted in partnership with Lightstone, asked vehicle owners to indicate how likely they were to recommend the car that they’d bought new from a franchised dealer (based on their overall ownership experience and using a 10-point rating scale) to friends and family.

Which models in the South African new-vehicle market are the most highly recommended by their owners, irrespective of price bracket?

A Cars.co.za poll rates the bakkie brand best for purchasing experience and product knowledge - here's why

Which vehicles come the most highly recommended by the people that know them best, their owners? The Cars.co.za Ownership Satisfaction Survey, conducted in partnership with Lightstone, reveals the top 10.

Tracker’s anonymised vehicle tracking data aggregated from the company’s installed vehicle base and analytics from Lightstone indicate that on average, reduced use of passenger vehicles saved 1,150km of driving, 30 hours on the road and R1,350 in fuel, during the first month of lockdown.

Lightstone, a data provider to the South African property and vehicle industry, has announced that its Property and Vehicle Valuation reports used by business clients will be made available to all South Africans at a heavily reduced rate. Car valuations will cost R20, and property valuations R90.

In today's ultra-competitive and cutthroat car sales environment, which brands have the best salespeople? We consulted Cars.co.za's annual Ownership Satisfaction Survey – conducted in partnership with Lightstone Consumer – to find out.

The coronavirus outbreak could bring about dramatic changes in South African car owner's behaviour that outlast the pandemic itself

Vehicle tracking company, Tracker, together with Lightstone, has analysed anonymised and aggregated data from client vehicles that shows a dramatic shift in driver habits during South Africa’s initial and extended lockdown periods.

Joanne Joseph speaks with Linda Reid (Head of Data at Lightstone) on whether South African motorists are following the call to stay at home during the Covid-19 lock down.

South Africans have been ordered to stay at home until midnight on April 16 at the earliest, but how many have actually heeded the President’s call?

The reality of the indefinite lockdown measures will start sinking in this week as organisations around the country endeavour to find alternative avenues to keep their businesses afloat and maintain their customer base beyond the isolation period.

AutoMatrix has once again organized and hosted their 2ndannual Industry Conference cruise to Mozambique island. Focused on the Motor Body Repair (MBR) sector, the 340 delegates participated in interactive presentations and discussions tackling industry issues, with an impressive array of speakers from NAAMSA, RMI, SAIA, Honda South Africa, Isuzu Motors South Africa, Suzuki Auto South Africa, Lightstone, Axalta and Marouns Group.

It is safe to say that people are still buying new cars per month despite the ever-increasing price of fuel and our fragile economy. Gauteng, KZN and the Western Cape have seen healthy numbers for the month of May, compared to places like the Free State, North West and Northern Cape where passenger cars aren't that much in demand, mostly because of population tallies being a key factor.

While countries and indeed companies around the world are shunning so-called “dirty diesel”, it seems South Africans continue to embrace diesel-powered vehicles, according to new data from AutoTrader.

Analytics group Lightstone recently released a report detailing the value of the type of second-hand car you can afford based on your monthly salary in South Africa in 2018.

New research by analytics group Lightstone shows the value of the car you can afford based on your monthly salary in South Africa in 2018.

Despite fewer selling days in March due to public holidays, the new vehicle industry made an upward swing, with a total of 49 233 new vehicles sold.

Research and data group Lightstone has published a new report showing how South Africa auto export industry has changed since 1994 – which car brands we’re exporting, and which countries are getting them.

Although South Africa has seen its share of economic hard ships in the last several years, the Automotive Industry on the other hand increased exponentially since 1994.

The most popular vehicle colour in 2017 was white, followed by silver and grey, according to Lightstone Auto.

Mazda Southern Africa is pleased to announce that the Mazda CX-5 has been voted the 2017 MSA Car of the year by MSA staff. A finalist in the 2018 World Car of the Year and MSA's flagship SUV; the Mazda CX-5 accounts for 29% of Mazda sales volume with an average sales volume of 320 units a month

New data shows which service stations and destinations in South Africa proved to be the most popular for travellers over the December festive season.

You may be seeing a lot more bakkies and SUVs on SA's and the world's roads in the not-too-distant future reports AutoTrader...

The 2017/18 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards – powered by WesBank, concluded with the announcement of the 13 category- and prestigious Brand of the Year winners at a red carpet event hosted at The Galleria in Sandton, Johannesburg on 25 January 2018.

Whether it is to navigate a potholed terrain, facilitate the type of work you do, or to cater for your outdoor oriented lifestyle, the bakkie has long been a popular mode of transport in South Africa.

Data group Lightstone has provided the sales figures for vehicles in South Africa for 2017, showing which brands and makers topped out as the country’s favourite sport-utility vehicle (SUV).

New data from analytics group Lightstone shows that 375 electric vehicles have been sold in South Africa since the inception of electrically powered vehicles (EV) in the country.

2017 was a tough year for South Africa’s economy, which fed into all sectors of the market. Low consumer and business confidence led to low economic activity, which ultimately pushed the South African economy into a brief recession in the second quarter of the year, as households came under financial strain.

New data from Lightstone shows the rise in popularity of the double cab bakkie in South Africa over the past several years.

Toyota is weer die topverkoper van passasiers- en ligte handelsvoertuie in November. Volgens die jongste motorverkoopsyfers wat Lightstone Auto gistermiddag uitgereik het, het Toyota in November 11 441 voertuie in Suid-Afrika verkoop. Hy word gevolg deur Volkswagen en Ford, wat mekaar opkeil vir die tweede plek.

A new joint venture between data and research group Lightstone and car tracking company Tracker, has provided insights into the driving habits of hundreds of thousands of motorists in South Africa, and related industries.

If you’re shopping for your next car, it’s wise to base your purchasing decision on the most up-to-date market insights at your disposal.

When you are looking for a new car, you might turn to various people for advice on what is the best car, or the best manufacturer. Hopefully you rely on Motor News for insight, but you might also ask your colleagues, friends, family or that bloke in the pub who seems to know everything about everything

Publikasie: RAPPORT SAKE24 - Son 30 Julie 2017. Europa neem voortou, hier pla pryse, infrastruktuur. Terwyl Westerse lande verwoed teenmekaar meeding om die einde van die binnebrandenjin aan te kondig, is Suid-Afrika nog louwarm oor elektriese motors, waarvan slegs 100 verlede jaar hier verkoop is, volgens syfers van Lightstone Auto.

Research by analytics group Lightstone in 2016 showed the value of the car you could afford on your monthly salary in South Africa – this is how much more you would need to earn now to afford the same vehicles.

Europe has access to a catalogue of impressive performance cars built and developed on its own soil, which is why it may come as somewhat of a surprise that the best-selling sportscar in its market in recent times is actually American.

Pretoria - The administrative capital of South Africa also happens to be the car crime capital, with the heart of the Pretoria CBD having recorded the highest number of vehicle-related crimes, followed by Sunnyside.

A home is more than a house and the land on which it is built, it is a place where memories are made and a safe place in which we can genuinely express ourselves. Consequently, the choice of home and its location are decisions that need to be carefully considered.

Annually published stats reveal the most popular individual models sold...

In 2016, South Africa’s new vehicle market shrunk by 11,4% to 547 442 units, when compared to 2015. Passenger vehicle sales made up 361 273 of that figure. But what sort of impact did the rental industry have? Well, according to figures from the folks over at Lightstone Auto, some 57 407 passenger vehicles were sold to rental companies during the year, which translates to around 16% of South Africa’s total passenger car market. Not an insignificant number at all, then…

The 2016/17 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards programme – powered by WesBank – concluded with the announcement of the thirteen best-considered new purchases in their respective categories of the South African new vehicle market, as well as the overall Brand of the Year, on 19 January 2017. Established to be the most prestigious, credible and influential awards programme in the South African motor industry, the second iteration of Cars.co.za Consumer Awards was distinguished by two significant factors: it was backed by the biggest provider of vehicle finance in South Africa and, in conjunction with the 13 judges’ scores, the findings of the Cars.co.za’s Owner Satisfaction Survey (in association with Lightstone Consumer) had a substantial (50%) weighting on the final results, excluding the Brand of the Year award, which was based entirely on the Survey data.

Research and analysis group Lightstone Auto has published a list of the most expensive cars in South Africa as at the end of 2016. According to Lightstone’s data, the 20 most expensive cars in the country come from only five manufacturers – Ferrari, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover and Porsche.

Research by analytics group Lightstone shows the value of the car you can afford on your monthly salary in South Africa.

Do you know what salary you need to be earning to purchase a property and a car in a particular area of South Africa?

It’s no surprise that the South African economy has taken a bit of knock over recent months, and with that a domino effect – of a negative kind - on sales figures across industries. The latest research of new vehicle sales from Lightstone Auto reveals that the motoring industry has been particularly affected by the weak Rand and economy

The winners of the annual Cars.co.za Consumer Awards were announced at an awards ceremony at Shine Studios in Johannesburg last night (Thursday 14 January 2016.) The awards recognised the best cars available in the South African market across various categories, using a unique, multi-faceted judging process, including valuable consumer input, and analysis by Lightstone.

The Cars.co.za Consumer Awards was established to be the most prestigious, credible and influential awards programme in the South African motor industry. It recognises nine vehicles that represent the best-considered new purchases in their respective categories of the South African new vehicle market and names three special category winners: Game Changer, Design and Brand of the Year.

Whether you call him Santa Claus or Father Christmas, he is still scheduled to visit millions of children on December 25th. Traditionally, he arrives on a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer. However, following a book club session earlier this year, Mrs Claus read a book on Reindeer Rights, and decided that Santa needs to utilise his magic powers in a Reindeer friendly manner. Being a frequent user of Zoopa (www.zoopa.co.za) Mrs Claus referred Santa to SA’s leading authority on vehicle statistics and specifications to source a more appropriate mode of transport

Of all the trends we’ve analysed in the South African auto space over the past year, one of the most noteworthy is that of pick-ups and 4X4’s which has revealed some rather interesting trends when it comes to different preferences for this vehicle type.

The latest Lightstone data looks at weighted average fuel consumption of vehicles between 2006 and 2015, and it is interesting to note that vehicles across the board have streamlined processes and efficiency to provide motorists with more bang for their (fuel) buck.

Weak new vehicle sales, together with the 1.3 percentage contraction in gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter and the drop in the latest purchasing manager's index, are signalling that South Africa's economy is already in recession.

South Africa's vehicle sales took another knock in August as the weak economy weighed down the local market while exports continued to surge.

The latest data from Lightstone shows that white is still the most preferred colour when it comes to vehicle purchases between women and men. When looking at colour car preference between 2010 (where white, silver and black were the most popular choices) and 2015 (where white, silver and grey cars are at the top of the list) there isn’t much difference. Of all of the white colour cars purchased, approximately 43% of them are owned by females, which is not far off from their male counterparts who own 57%. When it comes to silver colour vehicles, females own about 44% and males own 56%.

Every so often, a new development emerges that sets out to revolutionise a particular industry. In this instance, it is an app that is proving to be a game changer when it comes to combating fraud within the insurance industry. The Lightstone LIVE Inspect app, which is specifically tailored for insurance companies to perform a pre-inspection at policy initiation, is already winning awards for its innovation...

User role customisation is even easier with our latest mobile App release. As a manager or Super User you can now set roles for all the users in your company to perform different actions - from only scanning a vehicle to scanning and generating reports on vehicles and people...

"This is more than a name change and signals an aggressive thrust into the market to grow the business," says newly-appointed managing director of the Lightstone Auto, Mike von Hone, who previously headed up TransUnion Auto Information Services...

The two largest asset purchases with on-going expenses that typical middle- to- high income consumers are faced with are houses and vehicles. Lightstone, a provider of comprehensive data, analytics and systems on automotive, property and business assets, identified comparable market segments across properties and vehicles and have seen significant changes in preferences between the two over 2012 and 2013...