Rosslyn, 12 July 2024 – Daring Africa 2024, Nissan’s remarkable overland adventure, is gearing up for its final leg. This epic journey, spanning eight countries, features four Nissan Navara pickups and an X-Trail SUV, connecting Nissan’s LCV manufacturing hub in South Africa with its PV assembly plant in Egypt.
To date, Daring Africa has traversed 7,000 kilometers across seven countries, providing over 80 local journalists with immersive, real-time experiences of the all-new Nissan Navara. Their stories have reached an audience of 3,500 media professionals across the continent.
Maciej Klenkiewicz, Managing Director of Nissan South Africa and Independent Markets Africa, praised the journey’s success. “When you think about it, these vehicles have traveled 7,000 kilometers without a single mechanical issue – not even a flat tire – over some of the toughest road conditions imaginable. It is an incredible achievement,” he remarked. Klenkiewicz flagged off the convoy from the Rosslyn factory and greeted them in Nairobi during their penultimate stop.
Nissan Africa President Jordi Vila echoed this sentiment. “This journey set out to celebrate our African footprint and our 60-year LCV legacy on the continent with a vehicle designed for Africa, built in Africa, by Africans. We have undoubtedly proved our point,” he stated.
Daring Africa began its journey in Pretoria, heading east to Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, and then into Mozambique’s capital, Maputo. After a stop at the Nissan Mozambique showroom, the convoy headed north along the coast, showcasing the Navara’s capabilities on miles of beach sand.
From Mozambique, the adventure continued to Zimbabwe, passing through the Eastern Highlands and the stunning Mutarazi Falls. The convoy paused in Harare to demonstrate the Navara to key customers, then crossed the Kariba Dam into Zambia.
The journey took the team through the Luangwa Valley, onward to Lake Malawi, and into Tanzania. They navigated around Mount Kilimanjaro and traveled through Kenya’s Amboseli National Park, finally reaching Nairobi.
Nissan Africa Head of Communications Ramy Mohareb described the journey as “epic in every possible way.” He highlighted the invaluable experiences and strengthened relationships with media members and influencers. The outreach allowed local media to experience the Navara firsthand and showcased the vehicle to fleet owners and key customers across different markets.
Sherief Eldessouky, Managing Director of Nissan Africa, emphasized the significance of showcasing the Navara’s attributes in existing markets while opening new markets in North Africa, including Egypt, Algeria, and Libya.
The expedition also served as a platform for the Nissan X-Trail, launched in South Africa last year and in Egypt this year, demonstrating its prowess as a family adventure vehicle alongside the rugged Navara.
“I eagerly anticipate welcoming the expedition to Egypt, uniting the manufacturing teams from our African LCV hub in Rosslyn and our PV hub in Cairo. It will be a fitting finale to a bold and daring odyssey, just as we planned,” concluded Eldessouky.
