Isuzu Botswana Has Talent: Bakkie Edition

Isuzu Botswana Has Talent!; Bakkie Edition

If there ever was a Botswana Has Talent but for bakkies, the Isuzu D-Max would enter with these all 21 of these talents. Some are obvious, some not-so-obvious, some are very South African and other talents are just downright brilliance fueled by ingenuity.

And there are of course more legitimate talents where these came from. Visit Isuzu to find out more about what makes this bakkie such a superstar.

Spotlight on the Bakkie’s Talents

We’ve put together this list (just for you) of all the reasons THIS bakkie has talent:

  1. ‘South Africanised’
    Your bakkie is so South African that if the hooter could speak it would know exactly when to say ‘howzit’ and when to beep ‘tsjek’. Did you know that the engineering brains behind the KB have South Africanised the Isuzu bakkie for not only our tough terrain and road conditions but also according to customers’ needs? Isuzu Motors SA understands that bakkie owners in South Africa and pick-up owners in Japan, for example, use the vehicle for completely different purposes and therefore small changes – such as the third hinge on the tailgate (on newest models) for extra toughness while loading mielies or a year’s worth of braai wors – have been added to make this vehicle more South African.
  2. Save-the-day Space
    Be the hero and save the day; whether you’re moving mountains or furniture, you can help thy neighbour, thy friend and thy auntie who bakes that delicious milk tart thanks to all that space in the load box.
  3. Keep-the-peace Ports
    Got kids? Do they fight? Are you struggling to keep them busy during long drives? If you’re travelling around Botswana and fear the kids getting bored easily, fear no more with the Isuzu D-Max which has keep-the-peace ports (also known as USB ports and 12V power outlet). Throw in a small camping fridge between the kids (also known as a peace barrier), keep the padkos and cold drinks in tip-top condition and find zen in the USB charging ports that will keep the peace because let’s face it, one can only play so many card games before someone starts asking, “Are we there yet?”.
  4. Entrepreneurial Seats
    Bakkie owner? Entrepreneurial brain? Bob’s your uncle!
  5. Living Room
    The Isuzu’s interior is comfortable, spacious and packed with the latest technology. It makes long-distance driving an absolute joy.
  6. HOT DAMN!
    Let’s not lie, it’s one fine bakkie; stylish, elegant and with curves in all the right places!
  7. Genius Cup Holder
    Cup holders are a fickle thing; some are too small, some are too deep and swallow coffee cups for breakfast (lid and all) and others are two cup holders morphed into one tiny space that makes the two drinks look as if they’re fighting over the armrest. Can we all just take a moment of silence and thank the genius – who values and understands coffee-on-the-go – who thought of a cup holder that pulls out, conveniently located just next to the driver’s right hand?
  8. DJ-on-Wheels!
    Everybody put your hands up, put your hands up, DJ Bakkie is in da street! With steering wheel audio controls, Bluetooth, MP3 and more you can play music to your heart’s content.
  9. Workhouse
    The bakkie is a workhouse but don’t think it will break a sweat quickly; this one’s theme song starts with “I’ve got the power…” (Torque: 380nm @ 1 800-2 800 r/Min).
  10. Heritage
    The Isuzu bakkie might originally hail from Japan but the KB is as South African as can be, firmly embedded like pap and wors into our bakkie culture.
  11. Red
    Go paint the town red; whether you have a red, white, black, grey or blue bakkie! Fun fact: Did you know that for 2017 Isuzu was the top-selling red bakkie in South Africa?
  12. With you, for the long run
    It’s more than just a tagline, it is a promise; from the beginning of your journey until you decide it’s time for a newer model, Isuzu will be there for you.


    Want to see the Isuzu D-Max in Action? Autocar features a post on the D-Max driving it up through Indian bush. Check it out here


  13. Bragging Rights
    You have official bragging rights: In 2010, during the 72-hour Endurance Challenge, a new world record was set by Isuzu in several distance categories. At the end of the 72 hours, the leading KB 300 D-TEQ bakkie had completed 12 243.385km km at an average speed of 170,047 km/h over 72 hours smashing the previous distance record by 722.721 km.
  14. Safety
    You’re in good hands. This one has all the safe words you could have ever imagined: *ABS, EBD, BAS, ESC, HAC and HDC. Plus six airbags.
  15. All-terrain Tyres
    The bakkie’s all-terrain tyres are not just any type of wam-bam-here’s-your-tyres-mam, but it is part of the ingenuity of Isuzu, chosen specifically for our conditions to make the vehicle move like Mick Jagger on any road surface, whether you are doing some urban cruising or bundu bashing.
  16. 4×4 Pro
    You can become an official off-roading pro thanks to the Isuzu Driving Academy, their team of pros and the hands-on learning experience.
  17. Step Ladder
    Not blessed in the height department? Don’t worry. You don’t have to do a pole vault to get inside, there’s a side step – or rather, a step ladder – for the shorties.
  18. Ground Clearance like a Boss
    The KB can easily manoeuvre over tricky terrain thanks to its lekker ground clearance. Always remember to get a decent idea of the obstacle ahead before attempting to Tarzan over it.
  19. Bleisure
    Business, leisure or both? Thanks to its comfort features and promise of durability, dependability and reliability you can use this vehicle for heavy-duty 8-5 jobs as well as family vacations. Driving around Botswana in your Isuzu D-Max be in the topline of comfort.
  20. To Tow (or not to tow?)
    You know what they say; a friend in need is a friend indeed, a friend that can get you freed is better. If someone’s stuck in the mud, they can rely on you! And whether you need to tow livestock, a caravan or that boat your wife is not too fond of, you’ll do it with power and ease. (Or let’s rephrase, the bakkie will do it with power and ease, you are on your own with your wife).
  21. Spy Camera
    Put that bakkie in reverse and there’s a spy badge with your name on it. Despite the Isuzu D-Max size, the wide-angle reverse camera combined with the Park Distance Control will help you to manoeuvre the bakkie in an easy and risk-free way around Botswana.

Visit Isuzu to compare models. If we’ve convinced you that you need to book a test drive, leave your deets and our amazing team will contact you.

The mu-X: Tried & Tested In Clarens

The mu-X Factor: Tried & Tested In Clarens:

The mu-X, a beloved Isuzu SUV with everything you need in one vehicle.

 

“The mu-what?” asks someone intrigued by the SUV that pulled up in the next parking space.

“The mu-X.”

Confused yet mesmerised by the mu-X SUV that kind of looks like the Isuzu KB bakkie but not quite, the stranger does a 360-walk around it.

In his hand, the steady favourite for a go-to-meal amongst the locals, a Garage pie. It starts to turn cold as he admires another local firm favourite; one he has never seen before in South Africa, let alone in a small town in the Free State.

With an invitation to peek inside, he opens the door and lets out a loud whistle.

On the other side of the car, his son is on the phone.

 

Jis man, we’re now standing next to the new Isuzu… what’s the name again?”

“The mu-X.”

Ja, the mu-X. You should see it! We first thought it was a bakkie but jis, it looks lekker man.”

The look of confusion accompanied by a head turn of almost disbelief have been a common sight on the road ever since the 18-inch alloy wheels of the launch Isuzu mu-X first made contact with South Africa’s roads.

South Africa may have been left behind a little, other countries have been enjoying this comfortable ride ever since the multi-utility crossover vehicle was first introduced to the market in Thailand in 2013.  And it has proved itself a fierce competitor in the SUV-market.


Before, the mu-X didn’t feature rear differential lock. A revamp saw it being boosted with American traction tech.


But it is only the sight of seeing an Isuzu in a different shape – other than a bakkie or a truck – that comes as a surprise; the mu-X is fitted with the same reliability, dependability and absolute durability as the KB bakkie, and it comes with the same promise: With you, for the long run.

The Free State admirer makes his way to the back of the SUV to see the space of the 7-seater.

 

“Does the Isuzu mu-X have the same engine as the KB bakkie?” he asks. The name of the vehicle is now firmly embedded into his memory.

“It has a 3.0 litre turbo diesel engine and a towing capacity of 3 000 kg.”

His garage pie is now old news. In his eyes you can see he is already planning a family holiday with the mu-X; caravan in tow, kids in the back of the SUV.

 

He closes the door, lets out another loud whistle and says, “I can easily go for this.”

X might mark the spot, but the Isuzu mu-X marks the future for the SUV segment.

 

Isuzu Sponsored A World-Class Inspirational Sportsman

Quadriplegic Athlete Warms Up For Isuzu IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship:

PORT ELIZABETH ISUZU  South Africa sponsored a world-class, inspirational sportsman who planned to reach a new milestone at the previous Isuzu IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship, which took place on 1 & 2 September 2019, in Port Elizabeth.

Pieter du Preez, 38, an actuarial analyst from Johannesburg, was hoping to lead the way for more quadriplegics to follow when he participated in the previous Isuzu IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship.

Following his accident over 15 years ago in which he broke his neck, Du Preez can only move his wrists, biceps and shoulders and has no hand or finger movements, no triceps and is completely paralysed below the chest.

Being an aspiring semi-professional triathlete before the accident, Du Preez never gave up on his passion for being a sportsman – the only difference is that now he does the cycle part of the race in a hand cycle and the running part of the race in a racing chair.

Du Preez considers his greatest sporting achievement to date when he became the first quadriplegic in the world to complete an IRONMAN in Western Australia in 2013. Since then he has gone on to complete four full IRONMAN and three IRONMAN 70.3 races.

As there is no separate category for quadriplegics, Du Preez raced against paraplegics and amputees who on average have more than three times his muscle function during the previous Isuzu IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship – which was hosted in Port Elizabeth.

 

“I am ecstatic to be racing. I am paving the road for other quads to believe that ‘anything is possible’ and maybe it opens a door to get to Kona, which is my ultimate dream,” said Du Preez.

Port Elizabeth was the chosen venue for the IRONMAN World Championships, a first time in the history of IRONMAN World Championships. Usually held in Kona, Hawaii, since 1978. It was the first year that the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship got hosted in Port Elizabeth.

The IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship was sponsored by Isuzu Motors South Africa.

Isuzu Motors South Africa Executive Officer: Sales, Service and Marketing Craig Uren said as a trusted and reliable brand, the sponsorship to IRONMAN made sense since Isuzu’s tagline ‘With you for the long run’ is in line with the endurance and strength athletes like Du Preez show in competing in the gruelling event.

 

“Du Preez is an amazing sportsman and we are proud to be his sponsor. Isuzu South Africa wishes him and all the athletes the very best in the upcoming championship,” said Uren.

Du Preez said being an ambassador for the title sponsor was a huge honour.

 

“I am incredibly thankful towards Isuzu, who attributed to why I have the opportunity to race at the world championships right here on home-soil. I will give it all on race-day to make Isuzu and SA proud,” Du Preez said.

Du Preez is a formidable sportsman with a trophy cabinet to match. He is the four-time world champion in para-cycling, ten times world championship medallist in cycling and athletics, and the first quadriplegic person to swim from Cape Town to Robben Island.
Other than his dream of getting an IRONMAN slot for Kona, Du Preez also hopes to swim across the English Channel and participate in the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo.

 

“My biggest challenge, however, is being a great father to my 15-month old son, Pietman. We as people inspire each other and can do so every day, everywhere, anytime… and when a bad thing happens, even on race day, it is an opportunity to be Great,” Du Preez said.

Du Preez saw support from his wife Ilse, son, little Pietman. As well as his race partner coach Raynard Tissink. during the Isuzu IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship.

Follow him on social media @supapiet

 

Sweet Success Celebrated

Sweet Success of a Seventh Super Project Celebrated:

PIETERMARITZBURG – KEY Foundation in partnership with Isuzu ChildLife Foundation officially opened a brand-new crèche building in Sweetwater, Pietermaritzburg this month.

Umkhuleko Crèche has 87 preschool children who will now receive quality early childhood development in their newly built school, consisting of two spacious classrooms, a storeroom, and bathroom facilities. The new building was indeed the answer to many prayers, as the name of the crèche in Zulu “umkhuleko” means “prayer”. The children had previously been crammed into two small dark rooms, with no adequate bathroom facilities.

It is the seventh super project that the Key Foundation has undertaken, with another five crèches and one school already built and forming part of the legacy that the foundation has created by facilitating long-term value for all its stakeholders in the KwaZulu-Natal region.

The Key Foundation was officially launched in 2006 to invest directly into the upliftment of various communities in which The Key Group operates in and impacts on. The Key Group has operations in Durban, Pinetown, New Germany and Pietermaritzburg. They operate three Isuzu dealerships, three Isuzu truck franchises and a truck hire and leasing operation.

Key Foundation Chairman, Dale Southern, was made aware of the needs of the crèche by one of the foundation’s corporate social investment partners, iThemba Projects.

iThemba Projects Director Stu Walker and Southern identified Umkhuleko Crèche as the neediest and desperate of all the early childhood development facilities being mentored by iThemba.

*iThemba Projects focuses on improving access to quality early childhood development in Sweetwaters by mentoring teachers and parents. Through their partnership with the Key Foundation, they have been able to extend their assistance to the local community of Sweetwaters with infrastructure development.

Key Group Chairman Paul Emanuel said Isuzu was invested in adding value to local communities by providing sustainable solutions through solid partnerships.

 

“This investment in the establishment of a crèche building shows long-term sustainability for the future. The children who will benefit from the crèche are given an early opportunity to develop their educational foundation in a safe and comfortable environment,” said Emanuel.

The local Nkosi (Chief) Zamathuli Melody Zondi provided suitable land for the building of Umkhuleko Crèche, which is now located close to a high school to assure easy access to water and electricity. Building operations commenced on October 1, through Elangeni Builders who used a unique process to allow for the completion of the building in just five weeks!

 

Keep up to date with all Isuzu related news, With You For The Long Run.

 

Isuzu Truck Techs In Top 6 At International Competition

Isuzu Truck Technicians End In Top 6 In International Competition

PORT ELIZABETH – Isuzu’s truck technicians recently held the South African flag high at the Isuzu World Technical Competition, also known as I-1 Grand Prix held in Japan.

SA’s team ended in sixth place in the Commercial Vehicle division where they competed against 22 other countries.

SA’s team was represented by Miles Swanepoel from the Isuzu Truck Centre in Cape Town and Donovan Murray from Bates Shelly Beach in Durban. They were coached by Stevan Smith, Isuzu Motors SA (IMSA) Field Service Engineer. They also won a new award, the Star Distribution and Dealer Award for aftersales performance.

The South African flag was further raised by Miles Swanepoel who came fourth in the individual mechanic’s competition which featured 64 mechanics from around the world.

Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director of Isuzu Motors SA, Michael Sacke, said the company was honoured to receive these awards and to be rated amongst the very best in the world.

 

“The winning technicians certainly embrace our mission to be a highly motivated team who deliver the best customer experience.”

“We are extremely proud of the technicians at our dealerships who continue to raise the bar in delivering quality service. We are also delighted that our technicians have been recognised for their focussed, agile and flexible approach to finding innovative solutions to ensure that truck customers vehicles remain in operation,” said Sacke.

The competition consisted of a written and practical component of vehicle inspection and repair, as well as a single unit inspection and repair, conducted by Murray and Swanepoel, with guidance by Smith.

South Africa has improved its ranking every year in the I-1 Grand Prix for Commercial Vehicles. In 2014, the first year SA participated, the team finished 19th overall. In 2015 the team received the “Jump Up” Award for the most improved team, finishing 15th overall and the teamed reached 7th place in 2016.

Isuzu has hosted the I-1 Grand Prix for 13 years. Technicians compete against each other by testing their technical skills and expertise to motivate and elevate their service skills levels.

The bakkie technicians also represented IMSA in the Light Commercial leg of the I-1 Grand Prix competition in Thailand where they came third out of 24 participating countries.

 

Looking for reliable a truck (maybe even one that Miles Swanepoel assembled?) F-Series trucks hold all the aces in the heavy commercial vehicle segment. If you would like to know more, leave your details so we can call you back.