CFAO Motors Kenya has announced a partnership with Metal Equipment Co. Ltd, which will be the authorised conversion partner for the new improved Safari Landcruiser 79. This marks the first collaboration in East and Central Africa between Toyota Motors Corporation and a local supplier for vehicle conversion.
Metal Equipment Co. Ltd has met the global standards for conversion, and as a result, a locally converted Safari Landcruiser 79 will be offered with a warranty from the original vehicle manufacturer. This is due to the lighter design of the body with no alteration to the base of the vehicle.
“We are excited to partner with Metal Equipment Co. Ltd to offer high-quality converted vehicles to the safari market segment,” said Joshua Anya, Deputy Managing Director of CFAO Motors. “This partnership is in line with our commitment to improving the quality and reducing the cost of ownership of our vehicles to our customers.”
The engineers from CFAO Motors and Metal Equipment Co. Ltd managed to fabricate the body cage and fitted it with fibreglass thus reducing the gross weight by about 800kgs. Tests have shown improved fuel savings by up to 47 per cent compared to conventional Safari Landcruiser 79 in the market today. Further, a huge reduction in wear and tear on brake pads and suspension.
“We are honoured to be the authorized conversion partner for CFAO Motors and Toyota Motors Corporation,” said Dhanraj Matharu, Director of Metal Equipment Co. Ltd. “We share the same values of quality, safety, and reliability with CFAO Motors and look forward to maintaining this trend throughout the partnership.”
The new improved Safari Landcruiser 79 has a lower total cost of ownership, better payload, and a roomy interior. Safari and Tour companies in Kenya will benefit from this development.
“This is a great achievement for us and an opportunity to showcase our capabilities,” added Matharu. “This global certification serves as evidence that when local companies and the Juakali sector prioritise quality and continuous improvement, we are capable of producing products that are recognised globally.”