
05-02-2003, 09:53 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2003
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Re: Once again...
Quote:
Originally posted by D15Bitch
Because of sanctions placed on South Africa during apartheid, many car manufacturers pulled out of South Africa. German car manufacturers, however, decided to finger the rest of the world, and capitalise on the situation. Thus, companies like Mercedes Benz refused to pull out of S.A., and make more money at the same time, by "importing" cars from other manufacturers, and selling it under the banner of Mercedes Benz South Africa.
The Honda Civic was one such car, and was imported into S.A. from it's second generation line up, the boxy shape civic...and following line-ups, until the 1996-2000 (7th gen) series.. These were all sold as "Honda Ballade", and not as civics, because Merc-Benz S.A. wanted to establish it as a luxury marquee. Honda South Africa only came into being in 2001 when it was decided that Honda would now go it alone in South Africa, and no longer be under the Merc-Benz banner. Only when Honda South Africa was established was the name "civic" given to these cars. Previous to this, all "civics" in South Africa were referred to as "ballades". During the control by Merc-Benz in S.A. every line-up of "ballades" had a perfromance model, tweaked, modded and kitted my AMG...hence the AMG badge...
We also did not get every model you guys got. We never got hatches until 1997. Only sedans and CRX's. We never got VTEC until 1996, 'coz we did not have unleaded back then. But...
...and this will bake your noodle...
we got the Integra 1800 (B18) motors AS STANDARD in the "ballades" as the top marquee for every series...
I could not understand what U guys were on about "swapping" B18's into your civics, until realised that it was only in South Africa that "civics/ballades" were fitted with B18's as standard.
Tha's cooool...
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Well fuk me runnin! I had no idea. I really hope you are not Bull Shittin tho!
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