Mikano Motors has unveiled its all-new flagship luxury Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) from its Geely Nigeria lineup, the Azkarra.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Lagos recently, Ralph Haidar, who is the General Manager of Mikano Motors, said the company offers the best value for car purchases currently obtainable in Nigeria.
Following a highly successful pre-sale period, the launch event was mapped out to demonstrate the beauty, luxury and surprising power of the Azkarra SUV.
These include the five year/150,000 km warranty, mobile workshop, VIP courtesy service, guaranteed resale value and the confidence from Mikano International’s legacy quality, after-sales prowess, assurance for peace of mind and, overall, “the best value for your auto investment.”
Haidar, who announced a launch offer, said it was to celebrate the pre-sale success, which led to the sale of over 100 units of Azkarra within a short period of 20 days.
Geely’s Head of Design, Shanghai-Guy Burgoyne, described the steps taken from conception to the production of Azkarra, which he described as being “sophisticated, practical, intuitive and technically precise”.
He disclosed that the Azkarra was designed with car owners in mind, identifying that ‘the consumers’ choice of cars is becoming their choice of lifestyle, rather than just a tool for transportation.”
He highlighted the accentuated headlamps, set deep into the body colour to give the Azkarra a mature look, which conveys great confidence while the exterior is designed to improve aerodynamic performance.
This refined, sleek attribute transitions to the interior with a self-assured fluidity, successfully merging sportiness and refinement. The cockpit is wrapped in lush Nappa leather, with translucent backlit wood patterns providing adjustable ambient lighting that emotively matches the driver and passenger’s mood.
The user interface as found in the Azkarra’s ‘humanized’ interior complements Geely’s innovative 48V EMS mild-hybrid system.
The performance of the Azkarra’s innovative 48V EMS (Electric Motor Synergy) was described in an explainer video. It details when in certain driving modes, the system improves acceleration dynamics of the car, due to additional torque (+50Nm) and also provides up to 15 per cent improved fuel economy.
Overall, the EMS of the luxury Geely Azkarra provides the car with a distinctly smooth ride, more power and a substantially improved fuel economy. The vehicle is in two models, the Azkarra Platinum Pro and Azkarra Titanium. The Azkarra has an immediate charismatic appeal from the first glance, with an elegant and sophisticated carriage.
Its grille features the signature “expanding cosmos” design, much like the Coolray, but somehow managing to look more mature on the Azkarra. The rear is simple, yet distinct and beautiful in its simplicity, while the interior is a stylish cocoon with Nappa leather seats, tactile controls and buttons, lending credence to the “humanised space” inference.
The vehicle allows drivers to monitor Azkarra’s performance via the 7-inch instrument cluster, while the piano-key air conditioning buttons add an extra flair. However, the focal point on the interior is the best in class, HD colour 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment panel with smart device mirroring capability.
This is also where the 360-degree panoramic camera is viewed with a 3D option. The skylight panoramic sunroof is also best in class, allowing much more light into the already spacious and highly comfortable cabin.
Guests were conveyed in an Azkarra motorcade to Mikano International’s Karameh Industrial City for the opportunity to experience the Azkarra “Gamechanger” SUV firsthand, signifying a high point of the event.
The drive along the highway was indescribably smooth while the isolation in the cabin combined with the premium sound system was first-class. This also provided an opportunity to enjoy the efficiency of the algorithm of the powertrain and transmission, which changes automatically and delivers an improved cross-country performance.
