Yesterday I got a package in the mail from a reader who goes by Dogapult, and inside was something genuinely unexpected: a T-shirt from Madagascar’s only carmaker, Karenjy, makers of the fantastic and plucky Mazana II, a car I wrote about last year, on the occasion of them producing their 74th car! What a kind gift! And, more excitingly, I think it’s very possible that at this moment I am the only American who has a Karenjy Mazana II shirt? That seems likely, right?
The shirt itself may look a bit familiar; that’s because Karenjy used that well-known all-new-cars-look-alike meme (that I debunked a while back) as the concept for the shirt, which highlights just how different the Mazana II looks. And, in this context, I think that concept works, and may be the only context where I think that meme should be shared and seen.
In case you forgot how strangely charming and cool the Mazana II is, let’s have a quick refresher:
Look at these guys! They’re rugged and cute and plucky and made of lots of easy-to-replace off-the-shelf parts, all the glass is flat and easy to replace, and all powered by Peugeot DV6CM 1.6-liter diesel. I’m really taken by these things, and the fact that they’re all built in Madagascar by a little upstart company hand-building these things just makes it all even better.
The shirt itself is also a product of Madagascar, possibly the first piece of provably-Madagascar-made clothing I’ve had. The shirt has a tag with a QR code on it, and when scanned, it takes you to this video:
I don’t speak French, partially because I think I was banned from the uttering the language after getting a D in my college French class, but I’m sure this is all a wonderful uplifting message that will make all of us want to give a big middle finger to the established, huge automakers of the world and instead buy some brightly-colored $16,000 Mazana IIs.
Also interesting: if you’re buying any T-shirts from Madagascar, you should know that a Madagascar large seems to be an American medium.
Anyway, thanks for the shirt! I’m happy to show off some Karenjy swag here in America!
Possibly the only car with a Hofmeister kink and a retsiemfoH kink?
Most obvious statement ever made lol
I have a shirt I bought in Indonesia which is marked “5XL” and fits me perfectly. In the US I am either medium or large, depending on the whims of the manufacturers.
I am incredibly jealous!! Of both your shirt and whoever who owns that yellow Mazana II with a topper, pusher bar, and snorkel. Its like a exploration fever dream come true.
On this topic, in your sparetime could you add some more merch options in the store? Was thinking of getting like a t-shirt or a decal but there’s just the Kei truck Texas one in there now.
I agree with Fuzzy, add some options to what is available in the store. A month or so back, I wanted to purchase an Autopian Tee shirt like the one I have, for my 5 year old grandson. He is really into cars and trucks, and loved the Lego depiction on my Autopian Tee shirt. Alas, I had to disappoint him as the shirt was not available.
I agree.
We need more ways to display Autopianism.
Maybe a caricature of a blown aorta?
Nothing keeps an Autopian down.
Nulla tenaci invia est via.
I was hoping for a nice Autopian decal to add to my rear truck window(just where the seat backs already are, not obstructing!) Already got a Radwood one. But whatever they can muster, some hats or t-shirts or what not.
Wow! That’s awesome. Having been to Madagascar, this warms my heart. It’s a beautiful country with some of the nicest people on earth. I’ve been following Karenjy’s progress since the relaunch of the company. It’s such a great story. Thanks for making this side of the globe aware of them. 74 cars might not sound like much, but for a country that has long struggled to build a sustainable independent economy, it’s a hell of an achievement.
Is it just me, or does it look like a mad scientist tried to teleport a Jeep Wrangler, but not before a VW Thing snuck its way into the teleporter pod?
Cronenberg’s “The Thingler”
Nice!
Not since the baobab trees, have I seen such a promising export.
https://theconversation.com/baobab-trees-all-come-from-madagascar-new-study-reveals-that-their-seeds-and-seedlings-floated-to-mainland-africa-and-all-the-way-to-australia-231031
I hear they use lemur labor to produce these at night.
Sometimes I feel like I’m working with a bunch of lemurs at night.
Lucky. I’m stuck with lemmings all day.
I get your complaint about the well-known all-new-cars-look-alike meme, but in this case they actually use the silhouette of the actual vehicles vs just a washed out blob.
Barring the fact that they are all white and have the same wheels.
I’m glad you like it. I figured a shirt from an obscure Malagasy automaker would go perfectly in the Torch clothing rotation.
Also, you’re one of two Americans with a Karenjy shirt…
COTD ^^^
Please get these into the Autopian Store, in various sizes. I get what Bleeder is saying, so size them properly for corpulent American subscribers, or plump subscribers elsewhere.
I’d love to shove a few bucks into the Malagasy economy.
“You roll up your sleeves and you sweat in silence”
They say that the Malgache (those of Madagascar) are good for nothing
That everything, including their mentality, is rotten, eroded, rusted
It is said that the Malgache can never make anything really great
So you see,
there’s nothing left that can be done for him
So stop dreaming. That’s what they pound into you
Because why bother…
…dreaming.
Huh. Hell yeah.
Let them say what they want to say
Let them come with their discouraging words
Leave them their sayings, with their never-ending criticisms
Those nay-sayers,
They pretend to change things…
…nah
Because the dreamers,
They rock the World, they deliver the Beautiful
And you, dreamer,
You think, you plan, you do,
You too are a doer,
You roll up your sleeves and you sweat in silence
So…
Starting now,
Dream!
Dream!
Act!
Because you’ve got this,
Malgache, modern, who dreams, who acts, who does
The era of the nay-sayers is at an end
Make way for the era of maker-dreamers
karenjy.mg
Madagascar is a former French colony, a period marked by the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of inhabitants by French military forces. The island has struggled to build up a working government and economy since declared independence in 1958. Since organizing a government in the 1970s Madagascar has struggled to improve its society, but corruption and poverty remain endemic.
Okay, best idea ever: Mazana II racing series.
Hold on a sec, need to get some popcorn.
You’ve probably got the time to fetch the popcorn from the store, pop it, make some refreshments, go for a walk and join them as they form up the grid.
I see it as a rallycross thing.
Love child of a Cybertruck and and a H2. Long may it rule.
I was going to say H2 and a mail truck, but yours works, too.
Get yourself a Mazana Torch! The Changli and Pao need a new friend with which to play.
Torch, the thing you need to do here now is so obvious that I can’t possibly be the first one to have thought of it.
Buy a Mazana II, and import it to the U.S.
Hard to get that legal, so slight tweak to the plan. Buy all the components of a Mazana II, have them shipped to the wrenching lair of SWG, and have an Autopian party to assemble it, then register it as a kit car!
Yes, This. Just let me know where and when and I’ll bring my tools, which consist of a 24″ Stillson wrench, a forceps (for wherever its needed), and a 24 pack of King Lupu’s Happy Juice IPA.
The 24 pack is a shop must have.
Nah, need the 30 pack!
https://untappd.com/b/melanie-brewing-company-beer-30-light/10313
Haha it would be the best Autopian meet up ever!
Considering the company has built about 74 cars so far, that’s probably not a big ask. Maybe they’d even knock a couple grand off the price since you’re just ordering the parts and not asking for assembly, which would quickly be offset by the shipping cost.
Yeah it would probably be very possible. And the publicity they’d get from it would be incredible
Show and Display loophole is tailor made for the Mazana.