According to Mombasa, Kenya-based automaker Mobius Motors’ official website, the company “designs, manufactures and sells durable, affordable vehicles for Africa’s mass market.” Their aim is “reimagining the car” to fit the specific needs of African markets and not be phased by the poor road quality that is still widespread on the continent.
The company officially came into being in 2009 and has since created two vehicles dubbed the Mobius I and Mobius II. The latter is now going into very limited production (a batch of 50); they apparently already had people express interest, and they’ll use the money they make selling this first batch to develop and release another (better-sorted) vehicle in 2016.
Each example is slated to cost around $10,000 or €7,300.
The Mobius II is powered by a 1.6-liter petrol engine that puts out 86hp, all of which seems to be going to the front axle only(?); the official spec sheet oddly omits to mention this – it does say there’s a solid axle leaf spring setup at the back and a MacPherson Strut and coil spring combo up front. It even has one thing in common with Fiat’s Multipla: both can carry six passengers. In-keeping with this Spartan theme, the steering is not assisted either.
By Andrei Nedelea
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