The dust has now settled over the trendy small Free State of Clarens where more than 800 Suzuki Jimny owners gathered at the weekend and set a new Guinness Book of Records entry for the most number of vehicles to switch on their headlights at the same time.
The compact 4x4s and their owners travelled from across Southern Africa to Langkranz Farm just outside Clarens to attend the first Suzuki Safari Town Festival and Jimny Gathering.
The event was attended by Hisanori Matsushima, Manager of the Automobile Styling Department at Suzuki Motor Corporation. Matsushima-san has seen his Jimny design become a global best-seller and be named the Urban Car of the Year at the World Car of the Year Awards in 2019. He subsequently penned the new five-door Jimny, amongst others.
“We had an official representative from the Guinness World Records on site, and he confirmed we broke the record with 787 Suzuki vehicles that switched on their headlights at the same time,” says Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager of Suzuki Auto.
Visitors also got to see the soon-to-be-released five-door Suzuki Jimny.
“It is interesting to see how the new five-door Jimny has broadened the appeal of this true-blue off-roader in countries where it is already for sale,” says Carpenter. “Instead of being sold to existing Jimny owners, the five-door has welcomed larger family units to the Suzuki family by retaining the three-door version’s offering of affordable go-anywhere off-road credentials with extra space to boot.”
“It was quite a weekend! We left having set a new World Record, we met great Suzuki owners, we rocked the town with some great music and, perhaps most importantly, we showed the world what a lekker group of people Suzuki owners are!” says Carpenter.
Colin Windell – proudly CHANGECARS
