#Newsmaker: Vusi Machie drives Volvo Car South Africa's product and pricing strategy

Vusi Machie | image supplied

We caught up with Machie to find out more about his role and the vehicles VCSA plans to introduce in South Africa...

Congratulations on your appointment. How are you feeling about it?

Thank you so much. I am very humbled by the confidence shown in me by the Volvo team and very excited for the journey ahead. I am most certainly looking forward to adding as much value as possible and contributing towards growing the Volvo brand locally.

Could you tell us about your roles and responsibilities as the product and pricing manager at Volvo Car South Africa?

My roles and responsibilities are centred around ensuring a healthy product portfolio for the Volvo brand and securing competitive price positioning in the market.

This involves market, competitor and trends analysis, and then providing strategic feedback to ensure Volvo’s continued competitiveness. This is key to the success of the company locally and at the centre of my role.

Tell us about your experience working with different automotive brands and how it has prepared you for your role at Volvo...

My experience has been quite different with every OEM so far, as one can expect, however, the end goal has always been the same. The Germans have taught me a lot of finesse while the Japanese have given me the much-appreciated attention to detail and systematic way of operating. This has prepared me for my role at Volvo in that all of what I have learnt is coming together in a way I didn’t think possible.

Can you provide any insights into the upcoming innovative fully electric vehicles that Volvo plans to introduce in South Africa?

Absolutely. We have two new EVs in our market that I would love to talk about.

1. We recently expanded our EV offering by launching the C40 Recharge. The car has all the benefits of an SUV but with a lower roofline and a sleeker design. This is our first ever fully born EV model, and I know our local customers will love it.

First drive impressions: Unveiling the power and style of the new all-electric Volvo C40 Recharge

Imran Salie  5 Jun 2023

2. Then we have the recently revealed EX30, our small yet mighty SUV. The car delivers everything you’d expect from a Volvo, and so much more, in a small and compact package. This car is important for our local market, not only because it is our entry into the B-segment, but it will also be our most affordable EV, giving our customers the best of Volvo in a small, compact package and driving the adoption of EVs in South Africa.

3. We then have the amazing EX90 that will also make its debut locally (exact date to be communicated closer to launch). This is a true seven-seater, all-electric SUV that further raises our standards in safety and a more sustainable lifestyle. The EX90 represents a new era for us as a company; it defines what future Volvo cars will represent, from safety, technology and design, the vehicle will feature some of the most advanced driving and audio features found in a vehicle, and so much more features that will be of great use and importance for our local customers.

What are some key challenges you foresee in your role and how do you plan to address them?

The biggest challenge facing the industry today is the move towards electrification and the anxiety that comes with it. More still needs to be done to communicate and educate on the overall benefits of moving to EVs, and I am dedicating myself towards educating our network and customers about the benefits of EVs (to the customer and the environment) and highlighting some of the lifestyle changes that come with owning an EV.

What are some of your career highlights?

There are many to name, but I’ve had the privilege of launching a few products locally that have gone on to win some coveted awards in their categories, and introduced some amazing technologies in the process. This for me is a testament of the amazing work done with the teams I’ve worked with, and the appreciation of the technologies that came with those products and their overall reception in the market.

What do you love most about your career and the industry you are in?

I’ve always loved cars from a very young age and having the privilege of choosing what comes to our market is special to me. The opportunity to give our customers the same experience as other markets is very rare and satisfying, and seeing your work come to fruition through product launches is a feeling like no other. Winning awards in their respective categories is a cherry on top of course.

Take us through a day in the life of Vusi Machie...

Starting off the day strong: My day starts off at the gym to prepare for the day ahead. I usually spend about two hours a session listening to either some podcasts or catching up on current affairs. This helps prepare me for the day ahead and have an idea of what to expect.

The workday: I usually go through some emails and sift through what’s important while checking on any commitments that are due for the day. This is then followed by the normal project-filled day that is determined by our timings, be it product-related or pricing. Liaison with both internal and external stakeholders also forms part of the workday. This is one of my favourite parts of the day as this gives a clear indication of where we are as a team, and we can have a full view of what’s to come. This is the heart of the day.

After work: I usually take this time to catch up on missed conversations, industry and other related news, follow-ups etc. that I may have missed.

Family time: I use this time to connect with my family, spend as much time as possible and prepare for the following day. This is also the time for self-development through reading and studying and sometimes playing games and having fun with my family.