The #Bold experience - Part 1
Love, work and leisure
Isuzu's range of light commercial vehicles has long been regarded as some of the hardiest cars on the market, boasting high return on investment.
Built on a legacy of building industries, agribusinesses and small- to medium-sized enterprises, Isuzu's reputation as a workhorse is second to none.Now in its seventh generation, the latest iteration of the wildly successful bakkie range, which was just launch locally at a glamourous affair in the heart of the Dorob National Park, has expanded into wider offering with the growing leisure market squarely in its sight. Especially when the introduction of the second generation of the luxurious and supremely capable MU-X is thrown into the mix.
“We’ve taken a different approach to what we’ve done in the past and now offer a 24-strong line-up of single cab, extended cab and double cab models available with two engine options, five specification levels, manual and automatic transmissions and in 4x2 or 4x4 guise.
"Also the fact that among those, there are 12 double-cab options underscores our current focus on the leisure segment of the market,” Kevin Fouche, Isuzu SA's executive for product planning and programme management, said.
"I must also add that after years of development and nearly four million kilometres of testing, we can confidently say that these are the toughest Isuzus in the world," he boasted.
Built in Africa, for Africa
Gerhard Vermeulen, managing director of Auas Motors, also emphasised the continued focus on bringing to market the most dependable bakkies for the African environment.
”These vehicles are built in Africa for Africa. On face value, these vehicles look identical to those you’ve seen in the international media, however, believe me when I say that Kevin and his distinguished team of engineers have committed countless hours to specifying and strengthening this new range to meet harshest conditions the continent can throw at it.
“It’s a completely new platform - from the tyres touching the road and up. New chassis, new technology, new driver assistance and safety systems. That and other advancements have made this range of vehicles among the only light commercial vehicles to boast a five-star NCAP safety rating,” he added.
#Bold new era
The excitement was palpable at the big reveal of the D-Max V-Cross and MU-X Onyx, which were soon swarmed by the visually charged crowd of attendees, who inspected the vehicles with appreciative inquisition.
Addressing the crowd, Nictus Holdings CEO Philipus Tromp expressed the group’s excitement at this bold new chapter in the evolution of the Isuzu and Auas Motors brands.
“We as Nictus are a family business, but consider our family to include all our wider stakeholders, customers and Namibia as a whole. This is why this bold new chapter is very exciting as we can see how we can continue to grow as a country, especially after the difficult time we’ve gone through of late.”
He further invited the attendees to enjoy the #Bold launch the following day, and also invited the wider motoring community to visit an Auas Motors branch across the country to experience these exciting new vehicles first-hand.
Catch next week’s My.Na Cars for part two, chronicling our thrilling Isuzu driving academy experience after the launch weekend.