Navara set to tackle Africa
NISSAN is set to embark on an epic eight-country tour that will take some Navara bakkies the length of the continent, all the way to Cairo.
The Nissan Daring Africa 2024 expedition will visit Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, and Kenya before finishing in Egypt, in a celebration of the brand's African heritage.
Nissan is the only automotive manufacturer to have wholly owned manufacturing plants in Egypt and South Africa.
The Japanese automotive manufacturer has been selling vehicles on the continent for more than 60 years, and manufacturing vehicles in Africa for as long from its Rosslyn plant in Pretoria.
This is the company’s LCV manufacturing hub for the entire continent, while a Nissan plant in Cairo assembles passenger vehicles for the brand.
Represented in every country on the continent, Nissan recently opened new markets, bringing north Africa into the Nissan Africa fold for the first time in the company’s 90-year history.
“It’s all part of our mid-term growth strategy to unlock the potential this continent has as the world’s last automotive frontier by providing the best line-up of models to answer Africa’s mobility needs in a sustainable, safe and aspirational way,” said Sherief Eldessouky, Nissan Africa managing director.
“This odyssey from the African home of the Navara is a wonderful celebration of this vehicle,” he said.
The Navaras will be accompanied on their odyssey by a Nissan X-Trail as a support vehicle which, according to the carmaker, will give the X-Trail an opportunity to prove its adventure credentials on some of Africa’s highways.
“The expedition is also a wonderful showcase for the Navara,” said Nissan Africa marketing director Stefan Haasbroek.
“This is the best pick-up we have ever made, has a reinforced chassis, the suspension is different and the roll-over angle is the best in the market. It is the perfect vehicle to continue Nissan’s strong pick-up legacy in South Africa.
“We recognised that the Navara will be bought both by fleets and by individuals, and this is a vehicle that has proven itself to be as useful working on the road during the week as it is for relaxing during the weekend,” said Haasbroek.
Nissan said it regards Africa as the world's last remaining automotive frontier because of the low level of vehicle ownership, because the global motorisation average is 182 vehicles per 1 000 people, while in Africa it is 42 per 1 000.
“We believe in Africa, and we believe in this continent’s potential,” said Eldessouky.
“Our mantra for the region is 'Let’s Build', and this expedition really is proof positive of that.”