Kipchoge pick-ups earn Isuzu Sh1.5bn sales

Isuzu East Africa booked revenues of Sh1.49 billion from the sale of 159 units of the Kipchoge Limited Edition D-Max pick-up whose production has ended after 40 months.

It marks the most successful and quantifiable product marketing built on a celebrity endorsement in the Kenyan market.

Sales of the pick-ups started in May 2023, with the units priced at a premium of Sh9.4 million though they pack more safety and luxury features than the standard D-Max models.

The models with specifications comparable to the Kipchoge Limited Edition are retailing at Sh8.9 million.

Isuzu said the special pick-ups were produced to honour its brand ambassador Eliud Kipchoge who has inspired millions through his marathon feats.

Besides the marathons he has won in his career, Mr Kipchoge became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours in October 2019 in Vienna in what was a non-official record.

He finished the marathon in one hour, 59 minutes and 40.2 seconds, inspiring the production limit of 159 units of the pick-ups bearing his signature.

“We thought this is the best way to honour Eliud Kipchoge and we are grateful to our shareholders for supporting us in this project,” Isuzu’s chief executive Rita Kavashe said when the pick-ups were launched.

The company last week brought together buyers of the pick-ups after hitting the target of 159 units, with data from the Kenya Motor Industry Association (KMI) showing that 13 units were sold in the seven months to July as the project came to a close.

The limited edition pick-ups are expected to increase Isuzu’s brand visibility in the core commercial vehicle segment, which it also serves through sale of buses and trucks.

The company’s major clients include the government, manufacturers, traders, schools, construction firms and public transport operators. The company is also keen on attracting individual buyers to the Isuzu mu-X, a sport utility vehicle (SUV).

The Kipchoge-branded pick-ups were assembled at the dealer’s plant in Nairobi. This is the first time a custom-built edition model of a vehicle has been produced by a Kenyan dealer.

Global automakers occasionally produce limited editions of their models for various reasons, including to mark anniversaries or events of a famous person associated with the brand.

Limited edition models are typically priced higher than the standard ones.

Manufacturers of ultra-luxury and high-performance cars, which target a relatively smaller group of wealthy buyers, are the most frequent producers of limited edition models.

Audi AG and Toyota Motor Corporation are among the automakers that have announced limited edition models for 2026. Buyers seeking to own distinct models are the main targets of the one-off production vehicles, with some becoming collectors of the rare units.