There are long-distance road trips, and then there is driving from the southern tip of Africa to the northern edge of Europe before turning south for a celebratory pint in London.
Kenyan adventurer Becky Kim recently completed a 28,254-mile journey through more than 60 countries behind the wheel of her INEOS Grenadier Trialmaster. Accompanied by co-driver and navigator Bonnie Koko, Kim departed Nairobi on February 13 and reached London 122 days later, on June 12. Each country visited on the expedition was marked with a flag on the rear glass. The final ensemble is an awesome record of the trip.
The route first carried the pair south to Cape Agulhas, South Africa, the southernmost point on the African continent. From there, they turned north and followed Africa’s western coast before continuing through Europe to Nordkapp, Norway. The Arctic destination represents the northernmost point in Europe accessible by road, completing the famed Cape-to-Cape route.
“I can truly testify that INEOS have built the Grenadier to last a lifetime of adventure. I like to call it ‘The Wagon of Wonder’. From the BFGoodrich tyres to its overall capability, it copes tremendously. The car draws interest wherever it goes and I’m very grateful for the support from Jack at Wootton Automotive in Kenya (the supplying dealer) and Gilles (INEOS Automotive’s Business Manager in Africa).”
Becky Kim
Kim is believed to be the first Kenyan woman to drive the route from Cape Agulhas to Nordkapp. After reaching the Arctic Circle, the travelers pointed the Grenadier south once more, eventually finishing outside The Grenadier pub in London. The expedition crossed environments ranging from the Kalahari, Namib, and Sahara deserts to the cold conditions of northern Scandinavia. Rather than relying on an extensive support crew or heavily modified vehicle, Kim and Koko navigated using traditional maps and completed the drive without expert intervention.
Their Grenadier Trialmaster was also largely the same vehicle customers can purchase from a dealership. The unmodified four-wheel-drive relied on its factory center, front, and rear locking differentials, raised air intake, BMW B57 diesel engine, and BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires. This is a huge testament to the capability of the Grenadier. Obviously, it’s purpose-built for overland travel, and INEOS models have exploded in terms of popularity in the overland community since their debut, but this expedition in a stock vehicle is still incredibly impressive. If anyone has contact info for Becky Kim or Bonnie Koko please let us know! We’d love to invite them to Overland Expo to share their incredible story.
