Tyre manufacturer Bridgestone Southern Africa has been announced as the new headline sponsor of the South African Car of the Year (COTY) competition, as the prestigious automotive awards prepare to enter their 41st edition in 2027.
The partnership with the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) comes at a time when the local automotive industry is experiencing increased competition from emerging manufacturers, particularly Chinese brands, alongside growing interest in hybrid and electric vehicles.
The announcement follows the historic victory of the Chinese-manufactured Jetour T2, which claimed the overall title in the 2025/2026 competition, highlighting the changing dynamics of South Africa’s automotive market.
Established in 1986, the annual competition recognises new vehicles introduced to the South African market, with an independent jury of experienced motoring journalists evaluating contenders against criteria including safety, technology, performance, quality and value for money.
Commitment to innovation and road safety
Bridgestone’s involvement is expected to provide financial and technical support for the competition, although the SAGMJ will retain full responsibility for administering the awards and overseeing the independent judging process.
Bridgestone Africa Middle East regional vice-president Jacques Rikhotso said the partnership reflected the company’s commitment to automotive innovation and road safety.
“The South African Car of the Year competition provides an important platform for recognising automotive excellence, innovation and engineering,” Rikhotso said.
“Our involvement also reflects our commitment to advancing safer, more sustainable mobility.”
SAGMJ chairperson Brendon Staniforth welcomed the partnership, saying independent vehicle assessments were becoming increasingly important as South African motorists faced a wider selection of vehicles and rapidly evolving technologies.
“With an increasingly competitive automotive market, the arrival of new brands and rapidly evolving vehicle technologies, independent and credible vehicle evaluation has never been more important,” Staniforth said.
Road to the 2027 title
The 2027 competition follows a busy year for the automotive industry, with more than 60 new vehicle launches recorded during 2026.
The process gets underway in November with the announcement of the competition committee and jury, followed by the unveiling of semi-finalists in early December. Finalists will be announced in January 2027 before undergoing comprehensive evaluations during dedicated testing days in March. The overall winner and category winners are scheduled to be announced in May 2027.
Independence remains key
While Bridgestone’s sponsorship introduces a new commercial partner, maintaining the independence and credibility of the judging process will remain central to the competition’s reputation. The competition continues to provide consumers with comparative assessments of vehicles competing in South Africa’s increasingly crowded new-car market.
- The announcement follows the historic victory of the Chinese-manufactured Jetour T2, which claimed the overall title in the 2025/2026 competition, highlighting the changing dynamics of South Africa’s automotive market.
- Tyre manufacturer Bridgestone Southern Africa has been announced as the new headline sponsor of the South African Car of the Year (COTY) competition, as the prestigious automotive awards prepare to enter their 41st edition in 2027.
- The partnership with the South African Guild of Mobility Journalists (SAGMJ) comes at a time when the local automotive industry is experiencing increased competition from emerging manufacturers, particularly Chinese brands, alongside growing interest in hybrid and electric vehicles.
- The announcement follows the historic victory of the Chinese-manufactured Jetour T2, which claimed the overall title in the 2025/2026 competition, highlighting the changing dynamics of South Africa’s automotive market.
- Established in 1986, the annual competition recognises new vehicles introduced to the South African market, with an independent jury of experienced motoring journalists evaluating contenders against criteria including safety, technology, performance, quality and value for money.
