Five cars made in Africa, Rs 16.48 crore Laraki Sahara supercar and more

Among car enthusiasts and people indifferent to vehicles, there is one thing in common, we all recognise big American, European and Japanese car brands. On the home front, India is now the third largest car market and domestic carmakers such as Maruti Suzuki and Mahindra have been expanding their export footprint consistently. However, have you ever heard of a car made in Africa? If not, then you may be surprised to know that there are multiple automakers that produce cars in Africa and this list includes a USD 2 million (Rs 16.48 crore) supercar as well.

1.Wallys Iris (Tunisia):
The Wallys Car Iris is a mid-sized SUV produced in Tunisia. It gets a small 3-cylinder, 1.2-litre petrol engine that produces 82 hp and has a top-speed of 158 kmph. It gets fibre-glass bodywork and a convertible roof. The starting price for the Iris SUV is USD 14,000 or Rs 11.65 lakh.

2. Mobius III (Kenya):
The Mobius III is on 4WD SUV that looks like Kenya’s response to the Jeep Wrangler. It gets a 4-cylinder, 2.0-litre, turbocharged petrol engine that produces 214 hp and 320 Nm of torque. It also gets a modern interior with a digital MID and a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen. Prices for this SUV start from USD 34,000 or Rs 28.30 lakh.

3. Innoson IVM G80 (Nigeria):
Innoson is a homegrown African automaker that build the IVM G80 4x4, however, its boxy design and headlamp shape make it look like a knock-off of the Mercedes-Benz G-wagon. It gets a 2.4-litre, turbocharged, petrol engine that produces 246 hp and has a ground clearance of 215 mm. Prices for this SUV start from USD 60,898 or Rs 50.70 lakh.

4. Laraki Fulgura (Morocco):
It’s not just SUVs and economy models that are made in Africa. Moroccan manufacturer Laraki, is the country’s very own supercar builder. The Laraki Fulcra is their first attempt at a supercar and was originally unveiled as a concept back in 2002. The Fulcra was based on the Lamborghini Diablo and featured a Mercedes-Benz 6.0-litre V12 engine, that was further slapped with four turbochargers to produce 920 hp of peak power. The cost for building the supercar was USD 555,750 or Rs 4.62 crore. However, it never made its way into mass production.

5. Laraki Sahara (Morocco):
While the Fulgura may have remained a concept car, Laraki in 2019 launched the Sahara supercar. It is built on a C7 Corvette chassis and produces 1,750 hp and 1,355 Nm torque from a Chevrolet Z06 engine that is fitted with twin-turbo chargers. It is truly an extreme supercar and competes against halo cars such as the Bugatti Chiron Supersport and the Rimac Nevera. Prices for this supercar start from USD 2 million or Rs 16.48 crore.