TOP TWELVE CARS THAT REIGNED AND SOME STILL REIGNING IN NIGERIA
Hey Friends. Nigeria is a great Country with Great People. Though Nigerians are sometimes known to relocate abroad either for their studies or to seek greener pastures, no Nigerian would tell You that Nigeria is not rich in Culture, Tradition and remains a great country. Below is a list (with pictures) of 12 Cars that made a statement in Nigeria. Some are old or antiquated, some are new and still reigning while some are evergreen so Lets look at the Top-Twelve Cars that had a presence and where simply Loved and utilized by our beloved Country and its citizens
1. PEUGEOT 504- Having a Peugeot assembly plant here in Nigeria and situated in Kaduna, the Peugeot 504 was and still is a very popular car. Employed for use by mostly Government officials of Nigeria, there is no doubt that this car was a workhorse that served the country well. Nicknamed Best-line,2000 or PAN(Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria) this car had a certain austerity and presence for people who worked in the Civil service as it brought about a sense of pride for people who owned them. Ceased to be produced in Nigeria in 2006, it was sold brand new for N3million as at that time..Expensive but worth every penny.
2. PEUGEOT 505- Being the Successor or ''Junior Brother'' to the Aforementioned 504, this car was just as popular. Also called ''505 Evolution'', This Car was used more by Citizens as opposed to Government Officials. Having the same engine with the 504, it was also as rugged as the car it replaced but came with modernized features such as an automatic transmission. My Father Loved them so much He had three at different times.
3. MERCEDES BENZ 200E/230E(W123)- This was Nigeria's most Loved Benz back in the day when it first arrived the scene between 1975 and 1983. This car was so Loved by Nigerians that it rained well into the mid 90's. It was a status car used by mid-class citizens. My Father and his younger brother both owned one each in Yellow and Navy green respectively in the mid-90's. This Car was popularly used by A-list actors and celebrities of that time too such as Richard Mofe-Damijo and Charly Boy..This car was nicknamed the Regular Benz or Flat-boot
4. MERCEDES BENZ 200E/230E(W124 VBOOT)-Like the 505 is the Junior brother to the 504, this Benz, The 200E(W124), is also the Junior brother to the 230E(W123) above. Popularly known in Nigeria as the V-Boot due to the angular shape of its boot/trunk, This car was also a Status-car in its time. Coming with Various types of engines and options that were evolutional in its time, it featured amenities such as power windows, power door-locks, power seats and was one of the first cars of the time to feature electronic automatic transmissions which were actually very problematic and expensive to repair. Please Don't get me wrong though, this car was and still remains a very strong and reliable workhorse in models that come as either manual or with the regular Hydraulic automatic transmission and can still be seen gracing Nigerian roads. The naming structure changed as from 1994 and so the Suffix became the prefix e.g From 200E/230E to E200/E230..It was the First Benz to be called the E-Class.
5. MERCEDES BENZ S-CLASS(BEAST)- Yes, This is like the greatest Mercedes of all time. Known as the S-class, this was the first Mercedes Benz to carry that Moniker (S-Class) and was used only by ''Big men'' and Presidents in Nigeria such as the regimes of Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha and Olusegun Obasanjo. Brought into existence back in 1992, this car was so advanced for its time that Mercedes Benz incurred losses making it, partly due to the research work and gadgetry put into the production of it. Known in Nigeria as the Beast, This S-class, despite going out of production in 1998, is still employed in present times for use by Top Dignitaries across the Globe such as Japan. Its worthy of note that the underpinnings and driving dynamics is what was used in creating the now defunct Maybach 57 and 62. In My Younger days, I clocked 245km/h in one...It was a Sunday on a free expressway, I wore My seat-belt and I held the steering at 10 and 2. It wasn't mine though but still I look forward to owning one someday.
6. DAEWOO RACER-This car was popular in Nigeria in the mid to late '90's among middle-class Citizens due to the Bi-Lateral agreement between Nigeria and South-Korea where it was manufactured and to be imported in large numbers into the Nigerian shores as a way to patronize the manufacturers of it and boost sales and the economy of both countries due to its fairly affordable price. The Car flooded the market but was hated by the youth due to its bland styling, lack of features and lackluster engine. It was always snickered at to have a 0-100km/h sprint of between 2 days. It still made a statement though because it was affordable for the populace..As far as pricing is concerned, it was the KIA Rio of its time.
7. HONDA ACCORD (HONDA HALLA)- Known Popularly in Nigeria as the Honda Halla, Production of this car commenced in 1989 and ceased in 1993. Not a personal favorite of mine, this car was Loved in Nigeria due to its reliability, Quirky and fast engine and a soft feeling steering, drivetain and suspension that was a Wow factor in the 80's and 90's. During its reign, this car had many features of electronic repute as it was made at a time when electronics in cars started to reign. It came as standard with features such as electronic windows, automatic transmission, air-conditioning, electronic mirrors and a first for cars, clear-lens headlights that were plastic as opposed to the regular glass framed headlights that were used on cars of that era. It was replaced by a more angular successor nicknamed the Accord Bulldog but this was not as popular, nevertheless , it got out of style in the early 2000's due to more dynamically-styled cars such as its penultimate successor, The Accord Baby-boy. I had a male friend back in the day that owned one in Red up until the mid-2000's and out of style or not though, he was still able to fill the passengers side with the opposite sex.
8. TOYOTA COROLLA- This Vehicle has been and still is very popular here in Nigeria. Used Ultimately by Officials of White-Collar Firms and the Civil Service, it is Loved for its Efficiency, Economy, Simplicity and Reliability. There's not much to say about this car but for the fact that it earned the nickname ''Bank-Corolla'' because it was patronized for use mostly by New Generation Bank staffs. It's simple inside and out but the price to acquire one is not so modest for a car of its class due to its great build quality, Reliability and ease of repairing. The Parts are not cheap because they are hardly ever needed. The thing just wont break.
9.LAND-ROVER RANGE-ROVER (SPORT)- Before I continue, lets get something straight, Land Rover is the name of the manufacturer and Range-Rover(Sport) is the model. I know a few people who get it mixed up. Now, Personally, I'm not a fan of this car, particularly this model in review pictured below and produced between 2004 and 2013, To be honest, if I stare at it long enough, I'll get nauseated and may just URL and I'm not talking web addresses nevertheless Nigerians by and large won't seem to get enough of it and so because of it's acceptance by the majority of car owners in Nigeria, it makes this list. I happen to prefer the much more Mature looking Big-Brother, The Range-Rover Vogue and I have Popular Automotive Critic Jeremy Clarkson behind Me on that one..When is Her Majesty, The Queen going to Knight Him by the way.
10.TOYOTA PRADO- This is another Work-horse by Toyota. Reliable in nature, it is mostly used by Middle-Class White-Collar Staff or as back-up vehicles of Senior Officials in the Nigerian Federal Government and it's parastatals. Usually seen on the streets in Metallic Black, It's Loved by Nigerians for it's Go-Anywhere stance and For-Any-Occasion presence.
11. TOYOTA LANDCRUISER- This is a great Car. It has Good-looks, Reliability, Presence, Comfort, Gadgetry and is able to rival Mercedes Benz at a cheaper price. Used mainly by White-Collar Executives, It has rained in Nigeria since the mid-90's. The Lexus LX-Series in which it shares underpinnings with is used by a much more casual audience such as entrepreneurs but nevertheless the Toyota Land-Cruiser is still looked at as the ultimate Big-Mans Car. It has gained world-wide fame for it's sheer off-road capabilities that can still be transformed into an on-road every-day car. The Land-Cruiser has a "YES"from everybody but it should be noted that though less-pricier than its German Rivals, It's still a very Expensive Car to acquire.
12. MERCEDES BENZ G-CLASS(G-WAGON)- Anyone that says they've not heard about the G-Wagon even in somewhere as remote and undeveloped as Somalia is probably Mentally-Challenged. The G-Wagon which has been in production since 1979 and up until present day, has the widest variety of audience for any car. This Handsome-Looking Vehicle has been and is still widely used by Teen-Superstars abroad and at home, Government officials and Governors in Nigeria, Successful white-collar Job holders, Wealthy Entrepreneurs, Saudi Kings and Princes, Retired Army Generals and anyone able to afford it's hefty price-tag. Loved for its Rugged Looking shape, Big Wheels and intimidating presence, a Black or Silver Painted G-wag is the car to own. Popular only in the USA and the Middle-East, There's a 6x6 version with 6 wheels(pictured below) that's rumored to be almost triple the price of a Rolls-Royce Phantom. Only about 100 of these were made. The more popular G500, G63 AMG and G65 AMG which come as standard with V8's and a V12 engine respectively are the ones seen around here and there. An average G-Wagon in todays prices starts from N40 million and there are Bullet-Proof Versions known as 'The Guard'. The Guard starts at around a N100 Million a Piece. It should be noted that though I'm a Mercedes Enthusiast, i'm not boisterous enough to own one.
1. PEUGEOT 504- Having a Peugeot assembly plant here in Nigeria and situated in Kaduna, the Peugeot 504 was and still is a very popular car. Employed for use by mostly Government officials of Nigeria, there is no doubt that this car was a workhorse that served the country well. Nicknamed Best-line,2000 or PAN(Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria) this car had a certain austerity and presence for people who worked in the Civil service as it brought about a sense of pride for people who owned them. Ceased to be produced in Nigeria in 2006, it was sold brand new for N3million as at that time..Expensive but worth every penny.
2. PEUGEOT 505- Being the Successor or ''Junior Brother'' to the Aforementioned 504, this car was just as popular. Also called ''505 Evolution'', This Car was used more by Citizens as opposed to Government Officials. Having the same engine with the 504, it was also as rugged as the car it replaced but came with modernized features such as an automatic transmission. My Father Loved them so much He had three at different times.
3. MERCEDES BENZ 200E/230E(W123)- This was Nigeria's most Loved Benz back in the day when it first arrived the scene between 1975 and 1983. This car was so Loved by Nigerians that it rained well into the mid 90's. It was a status car used by mid-class citizens. My Father and his younger brother both owned one each in Yellow and Navy green respectively in the mid-90's. This Car was popularly used by A-list actors and celebrities of that time too such as Richard Mofe-Damijo and Charly Boy..This car was nicknamed the Regular Benz or Flat-boot
4. MERCEDES BENZ 200E/230E(W124 VBOOT)-Like the 505 is the Junior brother to the 504, this Benz, The 200E(W124), is also the Junior brother to the 230E(W123) above. Popularly known in Nigeria as the V-Boot due to the angular shape of its boot/trunk, This car was also a Status-car in its time. Coming with Various types of engines and options that were evolutional in its time, it featured amenities such as power windows, power door-locks, power seats and was one of the first cars of the time to feature electronic automatic transmissions which were actually very problematic and expensive to repair. Please Don't get me wrong though, this car was and still remains a very strong and reliable workhorse in models that come as either manual or with the regular Hydraulic automatic transmission and can still be seen gracing Nigerian roads. The naming structure changed as from 1994 and so the Suffix became the prefix e.g From 200E/230E to E200/E230..It was the First Benz to be called the E-Class.
5. MERCEDES BENZ S-CLASS(BEAST)- Yes, This is like the greatest Mercedes of all time. Known as the S-class, this was the first Mercedes Benz to carry that Moniker (S-Class) and was used only by ''Big men'' and Presidents in Nigeria such as the regimes of Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha and Olusegun Obasanjo. Brought into existence back in 1992, this car was so advanced for its time that Mercedes Benz incurred losses making it, partly due to the research work and gadgetry put into the production of it. Known in Nigeria as the Beast, This S-class, despite going out of production in 1998, is still employed in present times for use by Top Dignitaries across the Globe such as Japan. Its worthy of note that the underpinnings and driving dynamics is what was used in creating the now defunct Maybach 57 and 62. In My Younger days, I clocked 245km/h in one...It was a Sunday on a free expressway, I wore My seat-belt and I held the steering at 10 and 2. It wasn't mine though but still I look forward to owning one someday.
6. DAEWOO RACER-This car was popular in Nigeria in the mid to late '90's among middle-class Citizens due to the Bi-Lateral agreement between Nigeria and South-Korea where it was manufactured and to be imported in large numbers into the Nigerian shores as a way to patronize the manufacturers of it and boost sales and the economy of both countries due to its fairly affordable price. The Car flooded the market but was hated by the youth due to its bland styling, lack of features and lackluster engine. It was always snickered at to have a 0-100km/h sprint of between 2 days. It still made a statement though because it was affordable for the populace..As far as pricing is concerned, it was the KIA Rio of its time.
7. HONDA ACCORD (HONDA HALLA)- Known Popularly in Nigeria as the Honda Halla, Production of this car commenced in 1989 and ceased in 1993. Not a personal favorite of mine, this car was Loved in Nigeria due to its reliability, Quirky and fast engine and a soft feeling steering, drivetain and suspension that was a Wow factor in the 80's and 90's. During its reign, this car had many features of electronic repute as it was made at a time when electronics in cars started to reign. It came as standard with features such as electronic windows, automatic transmission, air-conditioning, electronic mirrors and a first for cars, clear-lens headlights that were plastic as opposed to the regular glass framed headlights that were used on cars of that era. It was replaced by a more angular successor nicknamed the Accord Bulldog but this was not as popular, nevertheless , it got out of style in the early 2000's due to more dynamically-styled cars such as its penultimate successor, The Accord Baby-boy. I had a male friend back in the day that owned one in Red up until the mid-2000's and out of style or not though, he was still able to fill the passengers side with the opposite sex.
8. TOYOTA COROLLA- This Vehicle has been and still is very popular here in Nigeria. Used Ultimately by Officials of White-Collar Firms and the Civil Service, it is Loved for its Efficiency, Economy, Simplicity and Reliability. There's not much to say about this car but for the fact that it earned the nickname ''Bank-Corolla'' because it was patronized for use mostly by New Generation Bank staffs. It's simple inside and out but the price to acquire one is not so modest for a car of its class due to its great build quality, Reliability and ease of repairing. The Parts are not cheap because they are hardly ever needed. The thing just wont break.
9.LAND-ROVER RANGE-ROVER (SPORT)- Before I continue, lets get something straight, Land Rover is the name of the manufacturer and Range-Rover(Sport) is the model. I know a few people who get it mixed up. Now, Personally, I'm not a fan of this car, particularly this model in review pictured below and produced between 2004 and 2013, To be honest, if I stare at it long enough, I'll get nauseated and may just URL and I'm not talking web addresses nevertheless Nigerians by and large won't seem to get enough of it and so because of it's acceptance by the majority of car owners in Nigeria, it makes this list. I happen to prefer the much more Mature looking Big-Brother, The Range-Rover Vogue and I have Popular Automotive Critic Jeremy Clarkson behind Me on that one..When is Her Majesty, The Queen going to Knight Him by the way.
10.TOYOTA PRADO- This is another Work-horse by Toyota. Reliable in nature, it is mostly used by Middle-Class White-Collar Staff or as back-up vehicles of Senior Officials in the Nigerian Federal Government and it's parastatals. Usually seen on the streets in Metallic Black, It's Loved by Nigerians for it's Go-Anywhere stance and For-Any-Occasion presence.
11. TOYOTA LANDCRUISER- This is a great Car. It has Good-looks, Reliability, Presence, Comfort, Gadgetry and is able to rival Mercedes Benz at a cheaper price. Used mainly by White-Collar Executives, It has rained in Nigeria since the mid-90's. The Lexus LX-Series in which it shares underpinnings with is used by a much more casual audience such as entrepreneurs but nevertheless the Toyota Land-Cruiser is still looked at as the ultimate Big-Mans Car. It has gained world-wide fame for it's sheer off-road capabilities that can still be transformed into an on-road every-day car. The Land-Cruiser has a "YES"from everybody but it should be noted that though less-pricier than its German Rivals, It's still a very Expensive Car to acquire.
12. MERCEDES BENZ G-CLASS(G-WAGON)- Anyone that says they've not heard about the G-Wagon even in somewhere as remote and undeveloped as Somalia is probably Mentally-Challenged. The G-Wagon which has been in production since 1979 and up until present day, has the widest variety of audience for any car. This Handsome-Looking Vehicle has been and is still widely used by Teen-Superstars abroad and at home, Government officials and Governors in Nigeria, Successful white-collar Job holders, Wealthy Entrepreneurs, Saudi Kings and Princes, Retired Army Generals and anyone able to afford it's hefty price-tag. Loved for its Rugged Looking shape, Big Wheels and intimidating presence, a Black or Silver Painted G-wag is the car to own. Popular only in the USA and the Middle-East, There's a 6x6 version with 6 wheels(pictured below) that's rumored to be almost triple the price of a Rolls-Royce Phantom. Only about 100 of these were made. The more popular G500, G63 AMG and G65 AMG which come as standard with V8's and a V12 engine respectively are the ones seen around here and there. An average G-Wagon in todays prices starts from N40 million and there are Bullet-Proof Versions known as 'The Guard'. The Guard starts at around a N100 Million a Piece. It should be noted that though I'm a Mercedes Enthusiast, i'm not boisterous enough to own one.
END
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