Visitors to the Eastern Free State were treated to a unique sight this weekend as hundreds upon hundreds of Suzuki Jimnys descended on Clarens for the biggest Suzuki festival ever.

The compact 4x4s and their owners travelled from across Southern Africa to Langkranz Farm just outside Clarens to attend the first ever Suzuki Safari Town Festival and Jimny Gathering.

READ | Five doors make popular Suzuki Jimny even more epic!

The event was held exactly one year after Suzuki Auto South Africa announced its intention to welcome as many Jimny owners and friends of the brand as possible.

It consisted of the Jimny Gathering at Langkranz (from Friday 22 September to Sunday 24 September) and a rocking Suzuki Safari Town music, food, craft and kuier festival in the Clarens Town Square on Saturday 23 September.

New World Record

Suzuki Auto South Africa surprised the visitors with another unique activity: Setting a Guinness World Record.

On Sunday, all the attending Jimny owners joined together to set a new world record for the most vehicles to switch on their lights simultaneously. By aiming for, and breaking, this record, Suzuki was able to accommodate the many SJ, LJ and Samurai owners who also attended.

READ | Toyota is making bank in SA, but Suzuki is winning sales

“We had an official representative from the Guinness World Records on site, and he confirmed that we broke the record with 796 Suzuki vehicles that switched on their headlights at the same time,” says Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager of Suzuki Auto.

The record was timed to celebrate Suzuki Jimny heritage alongside our South African heritage on Heritage Day.

It was narrated by local funnyman Schalk Bezuidenhout, who drove to the Jimny Gathering in his own Suzuki Jimny. He entertained the crowds alongside Pedro Barbosa, Steve Umculo and Soul Man’s Rhythm and Blues Machine.

Room for more?

A third surprise to visitors of the Jimny Gathering was the cameo by the soon-to-be-released five-door Suzuki Jimny.

The new family-sized five-door Jimny made a quick stop on the 4×4 track of the recent Festival of Motoring at Kyalami, and this was the first time that many of the Jimny fans had a chance to see and experience the new model.

READ | Nothing Fronx with the price of this new Suzuki

“It is interesting to see how the new five-door Jimny has broadened the appeal of this true-blue off-roader in countries where it is already for sale,” says Carpenter.

“Instead of being sold to existing Jimny owners, the five-door has welcomed larger family units to the Suzuki family by retaining the three-door version’s offering of affordable go-anywhere off-road credentials with extra space to boot.”

The new Jimny, which is slated for South African release in the fourth quarter of this year, also popped in at the Suzuki Safari Town Festival in Clarens.

“It was quite a weekend! We left having set a new World Record, we met great Suzuki owners, we rocked the town with some great music and, perhaps most importantly, we showed the world what a lekker group of people Suzuki owners are!” says Carpenter.