Thule partners with South Africa’s top selling vehicle brand
Thule, the Swedish manufacturer of vehicle accessories, is well known for their range of vehicle related products that are specially designed for the transportation of precious leisure equipment. In a new partnership buyers and owners of Toyota’s extensive range of vehicles can have their vehicles kitted out with Thule’s wide range of high quality vehicle accessories at their local Toyota dealer.
Toyota South Africa Motors recently launched a new Associated Accessory Products Programme and Thule’s range of cargo carrying solutions forms part of this programme. This means that Toyota owners can have selected Thule accessories fitted to their vehicle at their local Toyota dealership before taking delivery of their new vehicle. These accessories can be financed along with the purchase price of the vehicle. Alternatively these accessories can be fitted by Toyota’s highly trained technicians in the Toyota workshop at any point in the vehicle’s life.
Toyota is the market leader in South Africa and many of their vehicles including models such as the top selling Hilux, Fortuner, Land Cruiser and Corolla Cross appeal to motorists who enjoy a wide variety of leisure activities in their spare time.
“Partnering with SA’s top selling vehicle brand allows Toyota customers to easily customise their vehicles to their exact needs with Thule’s range of vehicle accessories,” says Stuart Downey, General Manager, SA Sport & Cargo.
“Furthermore, this partnership allows Thule to expand their local footprint in conjunction with Toyota’s extensive dealer network, ensuring that Thule products are now available for Toyota owners in every town and dorpie in South Africa,” adds Downey.
To kick off this partnership and show consumers what can be done, Thule have kitted out two brand new Toyota Prado’s ahead of their first public showing at Nampo Harvest day, taking place in Bothaville, this month.
“Nampo Harvest day is one of the biggest agricultural shows in the southern hemisphere and gives us the opportunity to showcase our products to a different sector of the market on a vehicle that is highly anticipated by the South African public,” says Downey.
Thule’s extensive offering includes a wide variety, roof bars, rooftop cargo carriers, bicycle carrying solutions as well as options for aquatic gear such as kayaks and surfboards.
The two Toyota Prado’s on display at Nampo Harvest day will be fitted with an assortment of Thule products, including the new Thule CapRock, Thule Epos and Thule Approach roof top tent. The second vehicle will showcase Thule Evo Roof Racks, a Thule ProRide 598 Black and Thule Force XT Large roof box.
Thule has roof bars and foot packs on which products like their rooftop cargo carrier rest, available for all the vehicles in the Toyota range. These roof bars can accommodate a variety of accessories, ensuring safe transportation of leisure equipment.
Thule’s range of rooftop cargo carriers can add up to 610 litres of additional packing space, more than doubling the cargo volume of large vehicles like the Toyota Fortuner or new Land Cruiser Prado.
Rooftop cargo carriers are ideal for bulkier items such as golf clubs strollers, cooler boxes and beach equipment, which are not necessarily heavy, but which take up a lot of space.
Rooftop cargo carriers offer a number of advantages including the fact that they require no licensing or tow bar. In addition a rooftop cargo carrier frees up the tow bar for other duties such as the fitment of a Thule bicycle rack or even a camping trailer or caravan.
Thule’s range of bicycle carriers include rooftop and towbar mounting options. These solutions are designed to carry bicycles of all shapes and sizes safely and securely.
Thule’s entire vehicle accessory range is completely secure, with well-developed latches locking the carrier as well as securing the accessories to the vehicle with a single key system.
Thule’s range of products are well known for their excellent, high-quality, design and Thule’s designers work hand in hand with vehicle manufacturers such as Toyota to ensure that the accessories and roof bars mount seamlessly onto the vehicle, with no permanent modifications needed.
Toyota’s Associated Accessory Products programme was borne out of the need to offer Toyota Customers a one-stop shop for a range of accessories that allow them to customise their vehicles while also enhancing their lifestyles. The products that form part of this offering were stringently evaluated to ensure that they conform to Toyota’s high standards in terms of quality and durability. Thule products available through Toyota’s AAP programme include roof bars, roof boxes, and bicycle carriers.
