Maxus Autos brand has become the latest addition to one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing automotive companies- Mikano International Motors division.
Maxus joins the ZNA and Geely brands in an exclusive partnership with Mikano International, according to a company statement.
LDV-Maxus has become one of Europe’s most recognisable and reliable brands for commercial vehicles and in 2010, the brand was acquired by China’s largest automaker, SAIC Motors.
According to the company, the Maxus T60 comes in three gasoline variations; Comfort, Elite and Luxury with manual and automatic options. The Mitsubishi-powered engines are available in 2.4L or 2.0T, with a Borg- Warner 4WD system and other parts supplied by International Fortune 500 global companies.
At the launch event at Mikano Motors flagship showroom in Victoria Island, Lagos, the General Manager, Mikano Motors, Ralph Haidar, described the Maxus Autos as ‘a brand with great potential to become a market leader.’
Haidar, at the launch event, revealed that like the other brands under Mikano Motors, the Maxus T60 would be assembled locally at Mikano Motors’ auto-assembly plant located in their Karameh Industrial City in Ogun State.
Haidar shared that the Maxus T60 is the only Chinese pick-up vehicle permitted to be sold in European markets like Spain and Italy and also is the first Chinese-manufactured utility pick-up truck to score five stars on the Australian ANCAP rating.
The National Sales Manager for Mikano Motors, Chijioke Mbonu, added, “From Mikano Motors, the T60 offers a five -year/ 130,000km warranty- the highest warranty offer for any pick-up brand in the Nigerian auto industry.”
He added that this warranty and the Maxus brand legacy have led to impressive pre-launch sales figures, stating that “over 150 units had already been sold to state governments and private sector fleet purchases.”
Following the official reveal in the Mikano Motors showroom, guests, including Nollywood stars, Jemima Osunde and Akah Nnanni; and car enthusiasts, Ladi Okunola of Super Cars of Nigeria, Akpovire Okugbere of Car Continent and Dionette Ezimorah of RideWithMiee, were chauffeured to the site of the test drive activity on the shores of the prestigious Eko Atlantic City.
The T60 was put to the test on the sand dunes where it showcased the strength of its McPherson suspension system and the Bosch electronic stability control system.
Born in 1896, Maxus Autos epitomises the positive benefits of British heritage, having begun in the United Kingdom in 1896 under the ‘Leyland’ marque with the production of commercial vehicles.
Subsequently, the company expanded its line-up to include passenger vehicles and a wider array of commercial vehicles such as buses, delivery vans, etc. By then, the name had evolved to Leyland Daf Vans’, through mergers.
Drive to the Max.
