Jalopnik: Africa

Welcome To Africa, Where Peugeots Never Die!

Murilee Martin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:00:00 EDT

This is Down On The Street Bonus Edition, where we check out interesting street-parked cars located in places other than the Island That Rust Forgot. Remember that '73 Porsche 911 Carrera RS in England that Battles shot for us a while back? No longer content with the cars parked down on the West Oxfordshire street, he's gone to North Africa- Tunisia, to be exact- and found some great survivor Peugeots (and one each bonus Renault and Skoda) for our enjoyment. Make the jump for the rest of the Down On The Tunis Street series of photos and Battles' descriptions.

(Peugeot 404) Spotted in a supermarket car park in downtown Tunis, it looked like it had drive across the Sahara just to get there.
It’s a Peugeot 404 Station Wagon, a 1.9 diesel (I tested the spillage from the fuel filler).
Apparently, it’s very difficult to date Peugeots in North Africa because they could be original French cars or African built cars. If this is a French built car, the bumper and grille mean it’s from the late 60s but if it’s an African car, it could be from as late as 1980 with the same bumper, though the grille would be different. The mirrors, if original, mean it’s an African car but it’s common to swap them onto older French cars because they’re better than the original items.
I met a couple of Ukranian car dealers who seemed to know how to tell the difference. Nice guys, obviously crooked though.

(Peugeot 104) Spotted in the quaint chop shop district of north Tunis.
A friend of mine at high school had one of these, I’m sure it was the same colour, though in much better condition than this example.
The chickens were sheltering under it, though not in it, when I saw it.
I was amazed that so much of the car was in such bad shape but, overall, it wasn’t bad and has a definite charm about it.

(Peugeot 504amino) Spotted in the chop-shop district of north Tunis, Tunisia.
It’s a Peugeot 504 pickup, a real workhorse. The guy working on it assured me that it was running the original diesel engine and transmission, though I saw it had a five speed ‘box which wasn’t available until the late 70s in the saloons and much later in commercials. He didn’t know the year it was built as it wasn’t his pickup but he has done work on it for over ten years and he showed me some of the modifications he’s made, like enlarging the pedals to accommodate work boots and making the pickup bed stronger.
I tried to buy one of these years ago and discovered that they were homologated for Group B rallying before it was abolished. They are still available, brand new, in Nigeria.

(Renault 21) Spotted in a residential area of Tunis adjacent to the motorway from the airport.
I saw it from the motorway and spent about an hour trying to get back to it. The owner was present but wary of me, though he was fine with me taking photos. He told me it had been in his family since new but that he didn’t like it much.
I’ve never seen a 12 in three door estate form before this, though I have seen three door vans and normal estate cars. This looks like a van with retro-fitted windows, probably at the same as the bad re-spray. The saloon and estate were common in the UK while I was growing up, I remember them usually being brown.
The interior was ultra basic, not really a pleasant place to be and the exterior looks like a deliberate attempt to make an ugly car.
I hate it but I somehow couldn’t drive past it without getting photos.

(Skoda) Spotted in various places around Tunis. It may look like it crashed half onto the paved area in front of the shops but I watched the owner park it carefully there before walking off.
It’s an early 70s Skoda, probably a 110. It’s the epitome of rear engined, rear drive, Czechoslovakian engineering from the 60s and 70s. This predates the awful reputation Skoda had in Europe before VW took them over in 1991. These cars had good rally success and Skoda continued that success into the 80s with the Estelle and Rapid, they won their class in the RAC rally for 17 years running.
This example is not rally champion material. I had to follow it at about 15 miles an hour for ages until it stopped and I got the photos. Pulling away from traffic lights, it was so slow that I thought about pushing gently from behind with my rented Renault to get it moving.

DOTS FAQ

South Africa: Land Of Beetles

Murilee Martin — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 11:00:00 EDT

The South African car-buying public apparently demands very high production values for its ads for German vehicles, judging from this lengthy Volkswagen ad and a similarly elaborate Opel ad. From its sale to a wholesome suburban couple in 1959 to a redemptive Sawzall convertible-izing in the post-apartheid era, we follow the heartwarming saga of a South African VW Type 1.

Want a Brand New Peugeot 504? Head To Nigeria!

Murilee Martin — Mon, 05 May 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Supposedly the last of the African 504s was built a few years ago... yet the Peugeot Nigeria website still offers the 504 Configurator. You don't have a lot of options (though you can get a wagon), but it's a genuine late-60s-technology 504 that we must assume is built way better than the citrus-flavored examples that were shipped to North America back in the day. And the price? About $25,000 if you're showing up with dollars. Thanks to Franzouse for the tip! [Peugeot Nigeria]

Dakar Rally to Proceed Through Mauritania Despite Al Qaeda Threat

Ray Wert — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 08:30:00 EST

It looks like organizers of the famed Dakar Rally will still race through the African state of Mauritania from January 11th-19th despite security fears prompted by recent attacks linked to Al-Qaeda. This decision's thanks to Mauritania's announcement it plans to mobilize 2,000 extra soldiers and 2,000 extra plainclothes police to monitor the rally as it passes through the African country. All of the focus on security comes after three soldiers were killed during an armed ambush in the northeast of the country.

And of course, three days earlier, four French adventure tourists were shot dead and a fifth injured by three Mauritanians. This year's rally registrants include 245 motorbikes, 20 quads, 205 cars and 100 trucks - 60 more than this year - in the race which starts in Lisbon on January 5 and covers 9,273 kilometres before finishing in the Senegalese capital Dakar on January 20. [AFP]

Forget Schlitz In A Camaro- Gala In A 2CV!

Murilee Martin — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:15:00 EST

After we all had the chance to mull over the proper beer to purchase on the way home from the Chevy dealership with your new '77 Camaro yesterday, it seems only right that we should watch this Chadian ad for Gala Beer. Gala, the beer delivered to you in a 2CV while you lounge in a lawn chair on a hot African afternoon. And the Gala theme song is way catchier than the "Tonight's The Night" Löwenbräu tune!

Chinese Automakers Go After African Car Market

Ray Wert — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 09:45:00 EDT

So what do you do when you can't face the regulatory and marketing hurdles of the US market, but you still want to sell as many of your cheaply manufactured vehicles as possible? Why, you head right on over to Africa like Great Wall Motor Co and take over the European automakers dumping ground for used vehicles. Chinese automakers like Great Wall appear to be making a significant dent in the auto market in Africa — mostly because they're able to sell new vehicles at a lower price than you can buy a used vehicle for. And, as you can tell from the video of the Euro NCAP crash testing of the Chery Amulet above, you also get the added benefit of a car that collapses whenever you need to toss it into a recycling can. Or like, whenever you hit a wall at 30 mph. [via WSJ]

Top Gear in Botswana?

Davey G. Johnson — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 20:00:00 EDT

Apparently, some Botswani (Botswanian? Autobot?) people aren't entirely thrilled that Jezza, Captain Slow and the Hamster are headed to their African nation to trek out across the country's salt pan. While some citizens are upset about the environmental impact Clarkson & Co. will wreak upon the flats' fragile ecosystem, Guy Brina isn't particularly worried that the Beeb will screw things up. What concerns him is that Top Gear's massive popularity may encourage less-sensitive yahoos to head out on their own salt safaris once they witness the hilarity that'll no doubt ensue when the Three Amigos bicker their way across one of Africa's natural treasures.

Top Gear Stoke [AllAfrica]

Related:
Be a Fat Stig, American Pigs [Internal]

Jalopnik Flickr Finds: Motor Racing in Angola, Africa

Mike Bumbeck — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 17:00:00 EDT

Building a race track in Angola seemed like a smashing good idea back when dashing playboys and ne'er do wells cashed in on the benefits of colonialism by way of fancy motor cars. Racing around public Angola roads and the purpose built street circuit was a welcome sunny holiday from the usual drab weather euro-fare. Engine overheating was a minor annoyance compared to eventual decolonization. Ensuing civil war has prevented the return of motor racing to the sandy dunes, but the imagery from the past lives on thanks to a photoset from Nite Owl. – Mike Bumbeck

Car Racing in Angola from the '50s thorugh '70s [flickr.com]; African Motor Racing History [grandprix.com]

Related:
Oh, Group B, How We Miss You [Internal]

Incomprehensible Ad Watch: Renault Rapidité Rapidité Rapidité Rapidité!

Murilee Martin — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 10:09:51 EDT

Apparently the staff at Renault's ad agency in '66 was gobbling near-lethal quantities of Sandoz Delysid; there's no other sensible explanation for this brain-damaging Renault 4 ad for the French African market. The crypto-psychedelic go-go music... the jittery animated logo... the maddening echoing chorus: Une voiture de ville! Ville ville ville ville! Une voiture de brousse! Brousse brousse brousse brousse! Freinage de s curit ! S curit s curit s curit ! Translation: A car for the city! City city city city! A car for the bush! Bush bush bush bush! Safety brakes! Safety safety safety!
– Murilee Martin

Related:
Sur De Vous, Sur D'Elle: The Simca Vedette [internal]

The Classic Car Club of Kenya!

Davey G. Johnson — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 18:45:00 EST

We know that Homo habilis and Homo erectus hung out in Kenya back in the day, but we had no idea the country supported a collection of vintage car enthusiasts. We ran across this gallery from their 2000 Concours d'Elegance, and while the variety of the iron tends to be a little more econo than what one would see at Pebble Beach or Amelia Island, it's chock full of radness, including what may be the only RHD FAF ever built. Yay Kenya! Yay FAF! – Davey G. Johnson

Concours d'Elegance July 9 2000 [Vintage and Classic Car Club of Kenya]

Related:
Think Citroen for Your Special Day [Internal]

African Fiat Hoonage With Bob

Murilee Martin — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 10:19:26 EST

Bob is on a mission- you can tell by the serious set of his Harry Callahan-esque shades, or from his eagerness to endanger the lives of schoolgirls, truck drivers, in fact entire towns with his batshit driving style. But mostly you can tell by looking at his car: the Fiat 131. This 1970s ad, targeted at French-speaking African countries, shows how good the 131 is at roaring sideways down dirt roads, narrowly missing pedestrians, jumping creeks, and even allowing Bob to nod off at the wheel at high speed with no ill effects (and damn if the 131 doesn't sound sweet doing said hoonage- I'm ready to start looking for one myself). As the voiceover says: 'Que veux-tu faire, Bob? Tu n'es pas devenu fou, non?' ('What are you going to do, Bob? You haven't gone crazy, have you?') Of course he has! And so can you, in a 131! – Murilee Martin

Fiat 131 [Wikipedia]

Related:
No Dickering! [internal]

Dakarvergnugen! VW Takes Stage 7 of African Rally

Davey G. Johnson — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 22:30:00 EST

Volkswagen's Giniel de Villiers blazed a path across Mauritania today on today's Zouerat-to-Atar stage, hijacking the lead from former WRC champeen Carlos Sainz, who finished third on the stage. Pope Benedict XVI's quotes on a glorious triumph of German precision were kept on the DL by the Vatican. – Davey G. Johnson

Volkswagen's Giniel de Villiers wins seventh stage of Dakar Rally [Autonet, CA]

Related:
Vatican Condemns Dakar Rally! [Internal]

Vatican Condemns Dakar Rally!

Davey G. Johnson — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 17:45:00 EST

This is somewhat tenuous at best, but isn't it rather fascinating that a theocratic government that holds sway over a large portion of religious people, whose head was once a member of a youth organization that pledged fealty to a regime that sent invasion forces to North Africa has now called the Dakar Rally "the bloody race of irresponsibility" in the wake of South African motorcycle racer Elmer Symons' death? An editorial in L'Osservatore Romano exhorts, "The Paris-Dakar, a race which many classify as a sporting event, in reality has very little to do with healthy competition." Dear Vatican: this is not the Crusades, nor is it the Spanish Inquisition. Nor is it an assault on women's rights or an attempt to squelch non-straight sexual orientation. What it is is one of the most grueling races in the world, undertaken by drivers who are willing to risk death for glory.

Given that the Catholic Church has, over its lengthy history, exiled people for things less dangerous than going fast over a vast expanse of desert, we find this to be rather silly. Especially since the Pope accepted a Ferrari steering wheel from Michael Schumacher. After all, Grand Prix racing has killed a number of men over the years as well. In closing, Dear Vatican, we encourage you to stop writing about motorsport and instead do more to spiritually uplift people instead of trying to legislate their behavior from a bully pulpit. Because crap like this is really a downer. Besides, wasn't Christianity's basic spirit established on the basis of one man who believed, pushed the odds and died for it? Just asking. – Davey G. Johnson

Vatican slams Dakar rally as irresponsible [Stuff, NZ]

African Supercar: The New Strada Project

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 14:32:20 EDT

A new Italian sports car inspired by African masks? Sure, I'm game. According to Car Body Design, the the African Automotive Design Association teamed up with an Italian engineering collective to create a new supercar model inspired by the 1969 Bizzarrini Strada GT 5300. Designer Jonathan Kasumba's sketches (see above and after the jump) took inspiration not only from the Strada, but also from the detail of African masks' facial features. It can't be any worse than flame surfacing, and may even appease the gods in time for a bountiful harvest.

"New Strada" supercar project [Car Body Design]

Minis to Run From Johannesburg to Oxford

Davey G. Johnson — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 23:00:15 EST

In celebration of the glorious history of the wee shot that launched the front-drive subcompact market 47 years ago, a group of three Minis is undertaking a 49-day journey from South Africa to England. The cars are by and large stock, with only a skid plate, jacked-up suspension, steel wheels and a gutted interior to differentiate them from showroom Cooper S models. The cars are designed to be largely self sufficient, carrying extra wheels, tools and puncture kits and riding on beefy tires. Badassness.

MINI Odyssey 2006: Three MINI Cooper S Cars, 10 Countries, One Giant Adventure [AutoWeb, Australia]

Related:
Call the Red Cross: The Mini Geneva Concept [Internal]

Rwandan Elephant Doesn't Like Cars

Davey G. Johnson — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 16:08:03 EST

Generally, 'round these parts, when we think of elephants and cars, it revolves around our fantasies of stuffing a 426 Hemi in a 2CV. But in the wilds of Africa, the reality's a little different. Mutware, a 37-year-old bull elephant has developed a taste for vehicular demoltion in Rwanda. In fact, his rampant acts of elephantine hooliganism have gotten so worrisome that the US Embassy in Kigali has issued a security alert. Man, if it's not the Hutus, it's the Tutsis. If it's not the Tutsis, it's the pachyderms. We think we'll steer clear of Rwanda for a while.

Elephant takes his frustration out on cars [Times, UK]

Related:
Seeing Red: Raging Bull Attacks Vehicles [Internal]