YOU can be small and still have it all, especially if you drive a Suzuki Eeco.
Suzuki Auto South Africa has set out to prove this by delivering an Eeco delivery vehicle to a number of pre-selected small businesses. It picked these small organisations with the help of friends of the brand who each shared the name of an entrepreneur that could do with some help.
Each of these entrepreneurs and small businesses have access to the Eeco – rent free – for three months.
“As with many of our other vehicles, the proof of the pudding is in the eating thereof. We want entrepreneurs to drive the Eeco, see how much they can load and lock up in the loading bay and test for themselves how frugal the 1.2 litre four-cylinder petrol engine really is,” says Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager of Suzuki Auto South Africa.
Suzuki launched the Eeco just over 12 months ago with a value proposition that was unmatched in the market. This remains the same today, with the Eeco offering a loading bay that measures 1 620 mm in length and 1 300 mm in width, perfect for a standard pallet. And all of this at the price of R212 900.
The Eeco also has a load-carrying capacity of 615 kg, so you can safely and legally load a large amount of cargo.
Under the skin, the Suzuki Eeco is fitted with the group’s tried-and-trusted 1.2 litre K12N petrol engine that delivers 59 kW and 104 Nm to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission. A version of this engine also does duty in the Suzuki Super Carry pickup, which has proven itself over many years in the local market.
One could be forgiven for thinking that the low sales price comes at the expense of specifications, but that would be very uncharacteristic for Suzuki. In true Suzuki fashion, the Eeco is fitted with air conditioning, dual front airbags, anti-locking brakes (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), electric stability control (ESP) with traction control (TC) and even ready-to-install wiring for the fitment of a single-DIN radio.
Also included are the dual sliding side doors and a large rear door that can open wide for easier loading and offloading.
To prove the value and versatility of the Eeco, Suzuki recently embarked on a concept it called #VanLife. With this campaign, the company challenged creative spirits and leisure equipment designers to create a ready-to-live camper van inside the Suzuki Eeco.
This campaign saw the effective transformation of a Suzuki Eeco where the designers, with the help of a third party technical supplier, included as many homely comforts as possible. This includes seats, a smart bed that can convert into either a bench, or a single or three-quarter bed, plenty of storage space with large below-floor drawers and even a basin with washing facilities. The two front seats were left untouched.
The #VanLife Suzuki Eeco also has a large, collapsible veranda that opens to create shade and shelter across the rear and side of the Eeco, allowing for quick deployment and easy set-up.
“For the #VanLife campaign, we were inspired by the social media trend where young and the young-at-heart were converting large panel vans into mobile homes.
“Their novel use of space and unique ways of converting a stark panel van into a homely living space drove us to try the same, but with a panel van that is compact and affordable,” says Carpenter.
While the concept of living a #VanLife was the main inspiration, Suzuki Auto South Africa also found inspiration from the van conversion sub-culture in countries such as India and Japan.
In these countries, budget-conscious car-enthusiasts will use a small Suzuki van and convert it into anything from a mobile disco to a pitch black Batmobile or an off-road ready overlander on a Jimny platform. All of this is possible thanks to the affordable initial cost of the Suzuki van.
“In the end, the Eeco #VanLife concept showed that you did not need a seven-figure budget and a heavy-vehicle driver’s licence to enjoy the life of a nomad.
“In much the same way, the Suzuki Swift Sport showed that you didn’t need 1 000 horsepower and an unlimited budget to have fun at the Simola Hillclimb, and the Suzuki Jimny showed that you could conquer Africa and the worst roads it can throw at you, without breaking the bank.
“Suzuki started in South Africa as a small brand with big aspirations, just like the many entrepreneurs out there who are braving the tough economic environment to realise their dreams. We want to help them get ahead and celebrate their inspiring approach to life and business,” says Carpenter.
While the Suzuki Eeco #Vanlife concept travels the country, Suzuki will also showcase its Eeco and Super Carry at Cashbuild stores across the country.
Like Suzuki, Cashbuild has established itself on a solid foundation of offering the best value-for-money building and hardware products for cash-conscious customers and small businesses. Today, Cashbuild is recognised as the largest retailer of building materials and associated products in South Africa.
“We have already started to showcase the Eeco and Super Carry at as many of the 318 Cashbuild stores as possible,” says Carpenter.
“We are partnering with our local dealer in each area to invite Cashbuild customers to test our two workhorses and see how it can easily fit into their lives and businesses.”
Image (The latest Suzuki Eeco Van and Super Carry will be seen across Cashbuild stores, nationwide).
