While Pieter Steyn, CITO at Luxaviation Group, and his team gear up for the future of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, his passion remains firmly on solid ground – his beloved VW MK7.5 Golf GTI, aptly named ‘Dark Knight’. Whether carving through mountain passes or fine-tuning its performance, this project brings him endless joy.
As CIO South Africa has discovered over the years, South Africa’s IT leaders often have a penchant for DIY projects, but some take it to the next level with car builds and restorations. Pieter Steyn is one such leader, balancing his role in shaping cutting-edge IT solutions with his love for crafting high-performance ‘hot hatches’.
Q: As a CIO, you’re used to solving complex problems in the tech world. How does that mindset translate when you’re building or restoring cars, and do you approach both pursuits similarly?
A: Absolutely. Both tech leadership and car builds require patience, vision, and a real appetite for problem solving. In both worlds, things rarely go exactly as planned. You learn to diagnose issues, map out solutions, and adapt when things change midcourse. You work with technology as well. When you are using tools like an OBD11, you need to know your stuff or you can end up doing real damage. Whether I am tracking down a bug in a legacy system or figuring out why a rebuilt engine is not running quite right, the thinking process is similar. Structured, iterative, and detail focused. But in the garage, I get to use my hands more, and that shift from digital to physical work is both refreshing and grounding.
Q: Can you share details about your latest car build or restoration project? What made this one particularly special or challenging compared to your past projects?
A: My latest project was working on my VW MK7.5 GTI. I did a lot of bodywork repair and painting. I imported Racingline 360 rims from the UK, fitted Racingline titanium exhaust tips, did a muffler delete, and had a custom exhaust built to my specs by VAG Motorsport. I also installed the R600 cold air intake and upgraded both the TCU and ECU to Stage 2. It has been a fun balance between performance and precision. Getting just the right mix of responsiveness and drivability on 95 Octane fuel. The car will still reach 400 HP once the turbo is replaced and the intercooler installed.
What made it special was how much I learnt about tuning, transmission behaviour, and the clamping forces on the DSG gearbox. The performance orientated TCU tune gives it a punchy feel, but you really notice it in low RPM shifts. Every small adjustment taught me something new about how systems talk to each other. Which, funnily enough, is also what I deal with as a CIO.
Q: Do you have a pet name for your car, and how did that name come about? Does it hold any personal significance to you?
A: Yes. She is called Dark Knight. It is funny because the car is white, but I love driving at night. She is quick, agile, and always looks calm, even when moving fast. The name reminds me of presence without noise. There is power in that, whether you are leading a team or cruising a mountain pass.
Q: If you had unlimited resources, what would be your ultimate dream car build or restoration project? What features or modifications would make it truly unique to you?
A: I would really love to get my hands on a bit of muscle. I have always wanted to have my own garage with all the tools and lifts. My grandfather was a mechanic, and I took motor mechanics as a subject back in school. A Hellcat or a Shelby Mustang would be a dream to work on.
That said, I would also love to build something more accessible, like an Audi RS3. I would take it from stock and go full build. Bigger turbo, forged internals, E85 map, upgraded intercooler, full exhaust, carbon intake system, and suspension to match. I would design a digital cockpit display that gives you live data feeds from every angle of the car. The idea would be to build something that looks subtle but performs like a track weapon. Beyond that, if I could, I would take a Porsche GT2 and do a full restomod with lightweight panels, race tuned suspension, and modern interior tech that still keeps the classic 911 soul intact.
Q: How has your love for car building and restoration influenced your approach to leadership or your professional career as a CIO? Are there lessons or inspirations from this hobby that you apply in your day to day work?
A: Definitely. Restoring a car teaches you to respect the process. You do not rush through a rebuild. You plan, test, and constantly learn. That same patience and curiosity applies in leadership. I have also found that doing hands-on work reminds me how important it is to stay connected to the people who work behind the scenes. The engineers, the builders, the testers. It is a reminder that true leadership is not just about strategy. It is about understanding the craft.
