JOHANNESBURG – Mitsubishi Motors South Africa have bolstered their partnership with the Basadi Automotive Group through the sponsorship of a Mitsubishi Xpander.
The keys to the branded Mitsubishi Xpander were handed over to Basadi Automotive Group founder Josephine Malakoane at Mitsubishi Bedfordview.
Basadi Automotive Group was established by Josephine Malakoane in 2018 and is 100 percent black female owned. The company specialises in vehicle transfers, vehicle carrier movements, de-fleet inspections and collections as well as new vehicle deliveries nationwide.
“Mitsubishi Motors SA has an existing partnership with Basadi Automotive Group through the Motus Enterprise and Supplier Development programme and we are delighted to help them take their business to the next level with the sponsorship of a Mitsubishi Xpander,” says Jeffrey Allison, General Manager: Marketing at Mitsubishi Motors South Africa (MMSA).
The Mitsubishi Xpander’s combination of the versatility and practicality of a multipurpose vehicle thanks to its seven-seater capability combined with the rugged and sporty looks of an SUV make it perfectly suited to the needs of the Basadi group who will use the vehicle to transport drivers between vehicle collection points as part of Basadi Automotive Groups vehicle ferrying service.
“We previously relied on e-hailing services to move our drivers between vehicle drop off and collection points so the Mitsubishi Xpander is going to make a massive difference in our business operationally as it will allow us to be independent and more efficient in our daily operations,” explains Malakoane.
“The Xpander is perfect for our needs, it is spacious and comfortably accommodates seven adults, while it is also fuel efficient which is always a consideration in a business that does a lot of travelling. In addition the SUV styling of the Xpander means that we can travel in style without being mistaken for a minibus taxi,” adds Malakoane.
The Mitsubishi Xpander will be branded in Basadi Automotive livery which will also allow the vehicle to act as a moving billboard as it travels to dealerships and stock yards around the country.
“Mitsubishi Motors pride ourselves in developing long standing relationships, both with our customers, many of whom are loyal to the brand thanks to our reputation for reliability and durability as well as with our suppliers and partners. We are honoured to assist Basadi Automotive Group with the sponsorship of a vehicle and hope that it will allow them to serve our needs better, grow their business and be the start of a long and fruitful relationship,” says Allison.
The Mitsubishi Xpander is one of the top selling models in the Mitsubishi range thanks to its unique combination of practicality, SUV styling and a powerful yet fuel efficient engine.
The flexible seating of the Mitsubishi Xpander can be configured to suit a variety of needs. The second and third rows feature a 60/40 split, while the seats of the third row can be folded completely flat and stowed to create additional space in the cargo area.
Occupant comfort is guaranteed thanks to air-conditioning with a manual rear overhead cooler, electric windows all round, a USB port in the front, 120W power sockets to supply each row of seating and clever storage compartments under the seats to keep personal items out of the way but within reach.
Driver comfort is ensured thanks to a tilt and telescopic multifunction steering wheel that features Bluetooth and hands-free communication as well as a multimedia system that features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality and a rear-view camera.
Powering the Xpander is a 1.5-litre DOHC 16-valve engine that features Mitsubishi’s Intelligent Innovative Valve Timing Lift Control (MIVEC) system and Electronically Controlled multipoint fuel injection, resulting in a peak output of 77kW at 6 000r/min and 141Nm at 4 000r/min.
Despite its formidable performance the Xpander will use just 6,7 litres/100km in manual guise and 7,0 litres/100km when paired with an automatic transmission.
Bolstering its people carrying status is the fitment of a variety of safety features as standard. The Xpander is built around an advanced all-direction collision reinforced impact safety evolution (RISE) body construction which incorporates side impact bars and an impact-absorbing structure at the front of the vehicle. Airbags for the driver and front passenger, seatbelt pre-tensioners with force limiters, ABS with EBD and Isofix child seat mounting points are in place to keep all occupants safe.
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Vusi Thembekwayo – CEO of Motiv8, and Founder of The Inspiration Project, My Growth Fund and Iconoclast: At 25, Vusi Thembekwayo served on the operations board of Metcash Africa. He was tasked with launching a new division, which he built into a R461 million turnover business. He then left to launch his own business in 2013, Motiv8 his own consulting business, which he bootstrapped with speaking engagements. \”In my experience, the only way to succeed is to invest time in your own development and have \”skin in the game.\’ Time enables you to build technical ability and establishes your credibility in the market,\” says Thembekwayo. He went on to become one of the \”dragons\’ on the South African edition of Dragons\’ Den, where he was responsible for allocation over R10 million worth of investment, as well as one of the \”sharks\’ on M-Net\’s Shark Tank. In 2011, he co-founded Watermark Capital Partners, a private equity firm. In 2013, he was appointed non-executive director at RBA Holdings Ltd. In 2014, he founded The Inspiration Project, a tech enabled narrative lab reshaping the story of Africa, qualified to join the National Speakers Association of New York, and founded My Growth Fund, a fund to support business people as they start, build and grow their businesses. In 2015, he founded Iconoclast, a boutique specialist public speaker representation management agency.