Massilia Motors, sole distributor of Mitsubishi Motors in Nigeria, has officially unveiled the All-new Mitsubishi Pajero Sport SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) in a first of its kind virtual car launch in Nigeria.

The event was witnessed on YouTube by customers and other stakeholders who were shown the salient features of the 2020 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport SUV, and also taken on a 360° virtual tour, followed by a musical session.

Managing Director of Massilia Motors/Country Delegate of CFAO Nigeria, Mr. Thomas Pelletier stated that the new Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is tough, reliable and comfortable.

According to the MD, “it is a rugged vehicle, yet very comfortable. It is a proper 4×4, I had the opportunity to experience it here (Nigeria) during the rainy season. It has a comfortable suspension, powerful engine. It is simply rugged and smooth.”

The MD added that Massilia Motors, in sustaining its tradition of quality after-sales services, has unveiled a Service plan, if broken down, would cost only N12,500 monthly for Mitsubishi customers.

The new Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, comes with innovative features that are bound to be welcomed by the industry and eventual owners.

The General Manager, Sales of Massilia Motors, Mr. Olatunji Itiola took the event host, Bolanle Olukanni (a celebrity TV host) on a demo of the new generation Pajero Sport, and demonstrated how to open the tailgate (booth) with just a leg motion.

He said, “Even when your both hands are engaged with shopping bags, you need not worry as you only need a movement of the leg under the tailgate (booth) to open it.”

Also coming as an irresistible new feature is the Smartphone-linked Display Audio (SLDA). This infotainment feature is easier to see with its 8 inch display screen. The SLDA enables satellite navigation i.e. Google maps on touchscreen via Android Auto or Apple CarPlay apps.

During the launch, it was evident that Mitsubishi Motors has thought through improving driving pleasure and comfort in this 7-seater model with focus on driving comfort, roominess and intelligent and intuitive operations.

Additional features of the fourth generation Pajero include an 8inch LCD coloured meter cluster, an upgrade of the Electronic Parking Brake, now coming with the Auto Hold function, the Forward Collision Mitigation System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Warning etc. The 3.0 litre V6 petrol engine comes with remarkable fuel economy and an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The new Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is an All-Terrain champion, just as a Roof spoiler and shark fin antenna have also been added, with a variety of colours to choose from. The launch video is still available on the YouTube channel of Massilia Motors, and further details can be obtained via the website-https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com.ng/ or any of the company’s showrooms.

Head of Marketing and Communication for Massilia Motors, Funmi Abiola explained that the current Mitsubishi Motors tag line- Drive Your Ambition- is meant to underscore the fact that Mitsubishi is a Customer-centric force in global mobility, enabling customers attain their ambitions.

Massilia Motors is a joint venture of the CFAO group and the Chanrai group, uniting forces to offer ultimate customer satisfaction. Other Mitsubishi models available in Nigeria are ASX, Eclipse Cross, Pajero, Outlander and the L200 Pickup.

Kia Motors Corporation, one of the world’s largest automakers, revealed the Kia Sonet to the world in a digital presentation, recently.

Manufactured at Kia’s state-of-the-art production facility at Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, the Sonet is Kia’s all-new smart urban compact SUV, and the brand’s latest made-in-India global product after the Seltos. The new Sonet marks Kia Motors’ entry into the burgeoning compact SUV segment, and sets new benchmarks with its first-in-class features, according to the automaker.

The world premiere of the production-ready model follows the global unveiling of the Sonet concept at the Delhi Auto Expo in February 2020. Sales of the new car will commence soon in India, with sales in many of Kia’s global markets due to follow.

“Kia Motors continues to be recognised globally through products which offer exquisite design and world-class quality, along with ‘The Power to Surprise’. Everything about the all-new Sonet is uniquely Kia and is sure to delight both drivers and passengers,” said Ho Sung Song, President and CEO at Kia Motors Corporation. “With its aggressive and modern design language, fun-to-drive dynamics, and Kia’s latest high-tech features, the Sonet puts an exclamation point on our ambition to make Kia the brand of choice, especially among millennial and Gen Z consumers. The Sonet fills a need in the growing SUV market, in India and further afield, and will attract a wider number of consumers to the Kia brand.

“We are extremely excited to introduce the Sonet, which is made in India for the world. After the success of the Seltos and Carnival, we are confident that Kia will revolutionise yet another market segment in India with the Sonet by addressing the unmet needs and aspirations of customers,” said Kookhyun Shim, MD and CEO at Kia Motors India. “The Kia Sonet is designed and developed to deliver a best-in-class experience in quality, design, technology, features and drivability to attract a wide spectrum of customers across segments. The Sonet will be produced at our state-of-the-art Anantapur plant to Kia’s exacting global standards, and we are sure it will be received with enthusiasm by new customers and existing fans of the brand alike.”

The all-new Sonet incorporates Kia’s DNA of emotive styling along with a premium and youthful appeal to create a strong road presence. Displaying a dynamic stance in a confident, compact body, the Sonet showcases a range of styling attributes to make it stand apart on roads around the world. This includes a fresh interpretation of Kia’s signature ‘tiger-nose’ grille, flanked by ‘heart beat’ LED DRLs (daytime running lights), shaped like the electric pulse of a heart, with a stylish front skid plate beneath. Its sporty silhouette is enhanced by the unique design and structure of its C-pillar, matched with a wraparound rear-windscreen. The ‘heart beat’ LED tail lamps also adorn the rear.

Inside, the Sonet is designed around the driver, with a well laid-out, easy-to-use connected infotainment and cluster interface, and high quality materials all around. Despite compact exterior dimensions, the interior of the Sonet offers ample, ergonomic space for all passengers.

The Sonet will be offered with multiple powertrain options to suit virtually all requirements in this segment. A choice of two gasoline engines – a versatile Smartstream 1.2-liter four-cylinder and powerful 1.0 T-GDi (turbocharged gasoline direct injection) – and an efficient 1.5-liter CRDi  diesel engine are available with a choice of five transmissions. This includes five- and six-speed manuals, an intuitive seven-speed DCT six-speed automatic, and Kia’s revolutionary new six-speed Smartstream intelligent manual transmission (iMT). The latter is a technological breakthrough from Kia, offering fatigue-free driving thanks to the absence of a clutch pedal, yet the same driver control as a conventional manual transmission. For the first time in this segment, the Sonet also offers its 1.5-liter diesel engine with the six-speed automatic transmission.

The Sonet’s dynamics and suspension set-up have been tuned by Kia engineers to match its exuberant design and Kia’s sporty and youthful brand image, offering high driving pleasure for enthusiasts.

To suit the requirements of a wide array of customers, the Sonet will be offered in a dual trim concept. This includes the sporty GT-Line trim which enhances the Sonet’s racy appeal for enthusiasts via its multiple design and functional elements, both inside and out. GT-Line models offer an extra dash of sportiness to the Sonet and highlight its dynamic presence on the road.

What’s more, the Sonet is loaded with multiple segment-first features offering complete comfort, convenience, safety and optimum driving pleasure to customers.

This includes: Largest and best-in-class 10.25-inch (26.03 cm) HD touchscreen with navigation and live traffic; Smart Pure Air Purifier with virus protection; BOSE Premium seven-speaker audio with sub-woofer; Ventilated driver and front-passenger seats; LED Sound Mood Lighting; Remote engine start for automatic and manual transmission via Smart Key; Over-the-air (OTA) map updates; Multi-drive & traction modes and grip control for automatic models; and Wireless smartphone charger with cooling function.

The all-new Kia Sonet is testament to Kia’s focus on consumer insight-driven product innovation and orientation. It is targeted towards the young generation who are tech-savvy, aspirational and highly connected socially. The Sonet will be launched in India this festive season, in line with Kia Motors India’s promise of offering an all-new product every six to nine months.

Key highlights

The Sonet is all-new, developed and engineered from the ground-up jointly between Kia Motors India and Kia’s global R&D headquarters in South Korea. The production Sonet has been built following extensive market input from India, especially relating to its design, engine and transmission tuning and characteristics, suspension attributes, and the high-tech features it offers. The Sonet has been through extensive road tests in India, where Indian and South Korean engineers in Sonet prototypes covered over 100,000 kilometers across diverse terrain, driving situations, and climatic conditions. The outcome is a compact SUV designed to turn heads on the road, engineered to offer driving pleasure, built to world-leading quality standards, and offered with segment-busting convenience, comfort, safety and features. 

Design

The youthful and energetic design of the Kia Sonet is the outcome of a collaborative effort between the Kia Design Center in Namyang, South Korea and the design team located in India. Kia’s entry into the compact SUV market was first seen by the world at the Delhi Auto Expo in February 2020, where the Sonet smart urban SUV concept was showcased. The brief for the production-ready model was to make it distinctive by design in this highly competitive segment, and present a sporty, youthful outlook. Inspired by modern styling trends, as well as traditional Indian heritage and culture, the Sonet’s exterior styling truly stands apart – not just in its category, but amongst SUVs in general.

Kia’s award-winning design strengths have come into play to make the Sonet every inch a Kia SUV, exemplifying the brand’s confident, young-at-heart attitude, a sporty, rebellious spirit, and a wild-by-design approach. The outcome is a striking SUV design and irresistible road presence that will turn heads in countries around the world.

At the front, the brand’s signature design trait – the Kia ‘tiger-nose’ grille – is reinterpreted to suit the Sonet’s personality. Flanked by ‘heart beat’ LED DRLs and stylish front skid plates below, the wild nature of the Sonet comes alive. Within the tiger-nose grille, with its classy chrome and diamond knurling pattern, is the distinctive grille mesh featuring a three-dimensional geometric design inspired by India’s iconic stepwells. The grille mesh design pays respects to India’s historic strengths in sophisticated mathematics, science and architecture.  

The profile is imparted a strong, sporty character thanks to the shape of the hood and bumper, with a cowl point pushed back for an upright stance, a strongly raked A-pillar, and a round roofline that reflects styling. At the rear, ‘heart beat’ LED tail lamps and its unique reflector garnish give the Sonet even greater presence and impart a wider look. Additional highlights at the rear include a sporty dual muffler design and diffuser fin rear skid plate.

The Sonet’s lighting makes it stand out from everything else in this segment. Jewel-like LED headlamps frame the ‘face’ of the car, with ‘heart beat’ LED DRLs with integrated indicators and similar LED tail lamps make the Sonet’s wild personality come alive through its design. Riding on sharp-looking 16-inch crystal -cut alloys in a racy design, the overall impression of the Sonet is that of a strong, powerful and sporty silhouette with a dynamic stance that is hard to miss.

Furthermore, the Sonet is offered with up to eight monotone and three dual-tone exterior colour options.

The Sonet will be offered in a dual trim concept which includes a sports-inspired GT-Line trim, a visible manifestation of Kia’s spirit and luxury appeal, for customers who want an extra dash of sportiness, luxury, safety and attitude with their Sonet.

Interior

Inside, the Sonet offers a sophisticated and lively cabin with a smooth, flowing dashboard to appeal to young-at-heart and always-connected consumers. Keeping the comfort of the driver and passengers in mind, the Sonet’s interior offers a modern, dynamic and bold outlook. Intelligent packaging has liberated plenty of leg room, head room and shoulder room for all passengers, and created a large trunk.

The stylish and clutter-free center console offers a hi-tech feel and easy access to many of the Sonet’s segment-busting features. The Sonet is trimmed in high-quality material throughout, with its dashboard displaying unique detailing. GT-Line models are finished with contrast red stitching on the steering wheel, seats and door armrest, while a D-cut steering wheel adds to its sporty appeal. Ventilated driver and front passenger seats are one-of-a-kind in this category, reinforcing Kia’s ‘Power to Surprise’ philosophy.

Taking center stage on the dashboard is the largest-in-segment 10.25-inch (26.03 cm) HD touchscreen with infotainment and navigation system – a display that confirms Kia’s premium positioning in the compact SUV segment. Additionally, the 4.2-inch (10.66 cm) instrument cluster presents important information to the driver in vivid color and clarity, such as turn-by-turn navigation instructions, Highline Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and drive mode and traction mode selection.

The Sonet aims to delight occupants inside. To create a concert-like ambience, the Sonet is the only vehicle in its category to offer audio performance from BOSE, with a premium seven-speaker system with sub-woofer. Other mood enhancers include the LED Sound Mood Lighting, introducing a level of personalisation unique to this segment, as well as a wireless smartphone charger with cooling function, exclusive to the Sonet.

Additionally, to further promote the safety of drivers and their loved ones, the Sonet is equipped with Kia’s Smart Pure Air Purifier with virus protection. This feature sets the Sonet apart in its segment and once again sets a new benchmark in its category. The new Smart Pure Air Purifier in Sonet has a two-level purification system. The pollutant-cleansing HEPA filter incorporates N29 which uses fiber made from nano-ionic bonding technology of copper sulphide, to remove pollutants and bacteria from the cabin. The second level of filtration is achieved through UVC LED, scientifically proven to kill bacteria and viruses. The system not only effectively cleans out pollutants from the cabin, but also kills bacteria and viruses as it cleans the air.

Powertrain and performance

In keeping with Kia’s motto of ‘The Power to Surprise’, the Sonet offers a surprisingly wide range of powertrain choices in its class. With a choice of three engines and five transmissions, there is an engine-transmission combination for virtually every customer need in this segment. Two petrol engines – a versatile Smartstream 1.2-liter four-cylinder and powerful 1.0 T-GDi – and an efficient 1.5-liter CRDi diesel engine are offered.

The Sonet comes with five transmission options: five- and six-speed manuals, an intuitive seven-speed DCT, six-speed automatic, and Kia’s revolutionary new six-speed Smartstream intelligent manual transmission. Additionally, automatic variants of the Sonet offer Multi-Drive and Traction Modes for added convenience, driver-confidence and safety.

The 1.5-liter diesel engine is offered with a six-speed manual, and, uniquely in in its segment, with a six-speed automatic transmission, an unmet need in this segment to-date. Customers can enjoy the long-legged cruising ability of a diesel engine with the comfort and convenience of an automatic transmission.

Stallion Motors, Nigeria’s leading auto assembler and franchisee of nine global brands, including Hyundai, has hinted they would launch into the Nigerian market Hyundai – Kona, an Electric car.
As things stand, before the year 2020 runs out, Nigeria would officially join the rest of the world in embracing electric cars, the company said.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Anant Badjatya, recently hinted of their plan to officially launch the Electric car regarded by European motoring journalists as world’s number one.
“Well-meaning and concerned people globally are urgently making moves to save our dear planet,” explained Mr. Badjatya. “After operating successfully in Nigeria for over five decades, the least our company could give back to the country and by extension, the world is to be a leading pilot in steering the nation to the direction of clean energy use and reduction of emission.
“Not being dissuaded by the nation’s infrastructural challenges, one of our plans for this year is to introduce into the country Electric Vehicle (EV) and, in no distant future, embark on attitude change campaign for a clean environment in conjugation with Hyundai.”
Stallion Motors understands that climate change is for real. The changes in global temperature and weather patterns seen today are caused by human activity. They are happening much faster than the natural climate variations of the past.  World over industries have started recognising this and are making the switch towards sustainable means of doing business and adopting technology with less environmental impact.
Responding to the problem, therefore, auto users around the world are, speedily, replacing internal combustion engine-powered vehicles with Electric Vehicles (EVs), which generate no pollutant. Like dry season wild fire, the revolution is moving with speed.
Versatile and powerful, the Hyundai KONA Electric will be the first All-Electric SUV in Nigeria. Its power packed performance will provide a thrilling driving experience with high acceleration over long distances. Driving range for Kona Electric is 482 km with an acceleration of (0-100kms) in 9.7 secs. The ease of charging is unmatched, one can even plug it in at home or at work and charge it for 9.35 hrs for a full battery capacity. Hyundai Kona comes with a 5 years of battery warranty and 5 years of vehicle warranty. KONA Electric will change the way people think about going electric. It would make history as first EV to in Nigeria with local manufacturing.
“Is Nigeria Ready?
While putting finishing touches to the National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP) for passage into law, the federal government of Nigeria, February 2019, laid bare interest in EV technology by assigning University of Nigeria, Nnsuka (UNN), University of Lagos, Usman Dan Fodio University and Metrological Institute for design and production of a made-in-Nigeria electric car.
Less than a year after (July 2019), UNN announced completion of an EV put together with 80 per cent local content.
Representing the federal government at the unveiling ceremony of the car, the Director General of National Automotive Design and Development Council, Mr. Jelani Aliyu, did not only commend the institution for the achievement, but also expressed President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s resolve to support any company willing to invest in local manufacturing of electric vehicles.
Also in his keynote address at an annual event of the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association held recently in Lagos, Aliyu described the EV technology as good news for Nigeria.
“To tap from the trend,” Aliyu explained, “We have met and discussed with both electric vehicle and charging station manufacturers in China and Germany towards the pilot program.”
It would also be recalled that Nigerian government, not long ago, signed an MOU with Volkswagen, Europe’s largest auto manufacturer and leading investor electric vehicles, to produce vehicles in Nigeria.
Last Words
Apart from initial cost of purchase, EVs attract minimal running cost. For instance, Microsoft co-founder, Bill Gates, has reportedly acquired his very first electric car, which happens to be Porsche Taycan, the one that Stallion Group plans to launch in Nigeria soon after Hyundai Kona.
Currently, Nigerian electricity consumers resident in accommodation categorised under R1 are charged only N4 per kilowatt. That implies, when Hyundai Kona goes on sale in Nigeria, its owner would incur only N316 (N4x79kWat) to get a full charge, if he or she plugs the car onto public power supply.
When Stallion Group eventually fulfils its plan in the next two months, Hyundai Kona, which around the world, is already being rated above its counterparts, in terms of performance, would make history as first EV to officially go on sale in Nigeria with local manufacturing.
And without doubt, if the world trend is talk and love for fast, powerful and easier-to-maintain automobiles that are fit for a green planet, Nigerians are ready and itching to join. And courtesy of Stallion Group, year 2020 could be the beginning.