Makazole Mapimpi's Car Collection: From a VW Polo to a Luxury Volvo XC90
- Makazole Mapimpi grew up in the Eastern Cape with no elite academy backing before becoming a two-time World Cup winner
- The Springbok winger drove a Mercedes-AMG C43 4MATIC as part of a brand deal with Mercedes-Benz South Africa in 2023
- Mapimpi's current ride is a black Volvo XC90, a luxury SUV that caught media attention earlier this year
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Makazole Mapimpi's journey from a small Eastern Cape town to Springbok royalty is written not just in tries and trophies, but in the cars he has driven along the way.
The 36-year-old winger grew up in Tsholomnqa and attended Jim Mvabaza SS School in King William's Town. With no elite academy behind him, he came through the Border U19 structures in 2009 and only broke into senior provincial rugby with the Border Bulldogs in 2014.
From the Eastern Cape to World Cup Glory
What came next was remarkable. Mapimpi became the first South African to score a try in a Rugby World Cup final when the Springboks defeated England in Yokohama in 2019. He was also part of the squad that lifted the trophy again in France in 2023, though injury cut his involvement short.
His motoring story mirrors that rise. Before the Springbok caps and brand deals, Mapimpi's first car was a Volkswagen Polo, a modest start that reflects where his journey began.
Mercedes-Benz Deal and the Volvo upgrade
In March 2023, Mercedes-Benz South Africa named Mapimpi and fellow Springbok Lukhanyo Am as Friends of the Brand. Both players received a grey Mercedes-AMG C43 4MATIC for a year. The locally assembled saloon produces 300kW and 500Nm of torque through an AMG all-wheel-drive system, reaching 100km/h in 4.6 seconds.
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Take a look at the post below on Instagram.
For Mapimpi, the partnership carried real personal weight. He said at the time that linking up with Mercedes-Benz had been a dream he had held since his Border Bulldogs days, long before any Springbok recognition came his way.
Take a look at the picture on the post below on Instagram.
His current car, however, takes things in a different direction. A black Volvo XC90 is now the vehicle most associated with him, after it was featured in a News24 "My Wheels" profile in January 2026.
The large luxury SUV trades the AMG's aggression for Scandinavian restraint, offering a seven-seat interior and a composed, premium ride. The understated black finish perhaps says something about how the man himself has evolved since driving that first Polo out of the Eastern Cape.
Have a look at the picture in the Instagram post below.
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Source: Briefly News
