Ismail Suder, through his Instagram channel, “sells” the dream of adventure in Stallion, his trusty four-wheel partner.
When Suzuki South Africa announced in 2018 that it was launching the Gen 4 Suzuki Jimny, Ismail Suder knew instantly that he had to have one. Early in 2019, when he put down the deposit, he was warned that the wait for delivery of the Jimny was going to be long, perhaps two years or more. He had no choice but to endure the agonising wait. “Every day after that, the adventures I would go on across southern Africa and beyond occupied my mind,” says Ismail.
Then in 2021, at the height of Covid-19, the Suzuki dealer in Johannesburg called, informing him that his Jimny had arrived. It was a bittersweet moment as it was around that time that he was losing many relatives and friends to the pandemic. “I was apprehensive about taking a flight from Durban to Johannesburg due to the high threat of contamination, but there was no other choice. My heart melted when I saw the black-pearl Jimny on the showroom floor. Apparently, my Jimny was part of the last batch to roll off the production line in Japan before production for South African models moved to the Gurgaon plant in India.”
Often asked why he loves his Jimny so much, Ismail says the answer is simple. “It’s the only small 4×4 on the market that can take me to some of the most picturesque locations in South Africa. Furthermore, this nifty little 4×4 can get me there at a fraction of the cost of those bigger, pricey rigs. The Jimny puts an adventurous lifestyle within reach of the average Joe.”
Ismail highlights a recent trip up the torturous, yet magnificent Sani Pass in Lesotho as a must-do adventure. “Stallion cruised up the pass effortlessly, like an unstoppable mountain goat. Because it is such a lightweight vehicle, it can take on much bigger rigs on the most challenging terrain. Throw anything at the little Jimny, and it will take on the challenge with jaw-dropping chutzpah.”
His love of nature started very early in life. “In my early thirties, I was lucky enough to go on a threemonth solo adventure across Brazil. And when I reached the jungle town of Manaus, I was offered an opportunity to travel deep into the mighty Amazon jungle and live with members of the Aymara tribe. It was there, in the rawness of the jungle, that my love for nature was further ingrained into my soul. “Of all the 60-odd nations that I have been privileged to travel to, I have to say that South Africa ranks amongst the most beautiful countries on earth, and I’m truly grateful to have my beloved Jimny to explore every inch of it.”
Modification to date:
• Frontrunner roof rack and ladder
• Gobi-X rock sliders
• Wind deflector
• Suzuki Jimny replacement grille
• Suzuki mud flaps
• 35% window tint
*Follow the antics and adventures of Ismail and Stallion on social media: @jimny_go_afrika
