If you are searching for a reliable or special vehicle to keep you rolling, make sure you go down the Leopard Hill road in Lusaka to visit the showroom at the well-known Pilatus dealership.

Pilatus has been around since 1981, starting off as a workshop with no specific brands. In 1983 Pilatus became a dealer for BMW, and it is still the place to go to if you want the latest model in Zambia. You can also order your BMW to your taste with all the factory fitted extras you can dream of.

Farmers can also stop at Pilatus for reliable pick-ups for the farm, as they became agents for Mazda pick-ups in 1996. Recently at Agritech, Pilatus also showcased some of their Mazda models.

Not your average car dealer

At Pilatus you can also expect to see some special and unique vehicles, such as Saurer trucks. Joe says: “We import ex-army Saurer trucks from Switzerland. This is a 4×4 or 6×6 all-rounder, all-terrain, carrying up to 6 tonnes and 15 tonnes respectively. You get them as a truck or a crane version. It can go anywhere, lift anything, and you can even plough with it if you want to!”

He says if a Saurer truck breaks, which rarely happens, a farmer can get all the parts he needs from Pilatus, or bring it to the well equipped workshop. Another interesting set of wheels on the Pilatus floor is the Geländewagen, which is also ex-Swiss army stock.

“Geländewagen is actually a Mercedes, but in Switzerland they put the Puchlabel on it. There it is a joint venture between Steyr-Daimler-Puch and Mercedes,” explains Joe.

In Zambia it is sold as a Mercedes and it is also the type of vehicle that can take you anywhere. Joe says: “We have a big showroom on Leopard Hill Road, with an excellent workshop, because things break, especially in Africa. Pilatus Zambia Limited does not forget about you once you buy a car from us. We provide reliable and professional after sales service, repairs and supply of accessories for your car.”

Please contact Joe Huwiler, owner of Pilatus, at +260-977-616-115, or e-mail: joeh@pilatus.co.zm. Visit them in Leopard Hill road or their website www.pilatus-engineering.com.

Rachel Mweeme and Matildah Tonga were the promo-girls in front of a BMW X-series.

The Saurer crane trucks can do almost any job on the farm. It can easily lift 20 tonnes.