Major Leiyan Saningo and his family pose for a photo with their 1980 Mitsubishi Gallant during the 52nd edition of the Concours d’Elegance motor show held on September 29th 2024 at the Nairobi Racecourse.
When he is not out on national duty, you will most likely find Leiyan Saningo, a military officer with the Kenya Defence Forces, in his turquoise-green 1980 Mitsubishi Gallant. The love for classics is in his bloodline.
His passion for classic cars is evident in his lifestyle. “My grandfather showcased his classics in the 90s at the Concours d'Elegance, and I admired them growing up. He was one of the first Africans to compete in the event, and his resilience inspired me,” he says.
Mr Leiyan has since chosen to follow in his grandfather's footsteps, opting for rare classic cars.
“I am a young man with an old soul. I understand that the value of cars is not measured by how new they are. Classics have a heart; they speak, they live. A new car can't offer the same experience,” the 34-year-old says.
The value of his 44-year-old Mitsubishi Gallant? Priceless, according to Mr Leiyan. “I don't put a price on classics. The previous owner handed me a blank cheque and told me to name my price. Many assume the car belongs to an older person, leading to frequent offers to purchase it. They say, 'Tell the old man I'd like to buy his car,' not knowing it's mine,” Mr Leiyan remarks.
While many classic car drivers struggle to drive their cars on bumpy Kenyan roads, he says that he does not struggle as his Mitsubishi Gallant operates pretty much the same as modern cars.
Major Leiyan Saningo and his family driving a 1980 Mitsubishi Gallant during the 52nd edition of the Concours d’Elegance motor show held on September 29, 2024 at the Nairobi Racecourse.
"I can even travel to Nakuru and back with it. It operates as normal as the newer cars. The only difference is that it has less mileage than the more modern cars," he says.
“While many participants park their cars until the next Concours, I drive mine everywhere,” he adds. “I use it for church and even go on road trips in it.”
Best Costume Award
At this year’s edition of the Concours d'Elegance, which had 75 cars competing, Mr Leiyan, won the coveted Best Costume Award. Behind the wheel of his Mitsubishi, he attended the event dressed in traditional Maasai attire. “It's the only Mitsubishi entered this year,” he says, adding, “Mitsubishi is a common car in Kenya, but this model is special.”
Mr Leiyan attended the event with his family, all dressed in traditional Maasai attire. His Maasai shuka, ngerena, sandals, beads, bracelets, and rungu completed his regal look. His daughters and mother also wore ceremonial Maasai dresses, complementing the shukas draped across their bodies.
“To be honest, it is my mother who was the brain behind fashion. We are Maasai, and we are marginalised. Our culture is slowly being eroded, and we are not ashamed of our culture. So when we get a chance to demonstrate our culture, we jump on it. The car being 44 years old also shows how classic it is, and wearing our Maasai attire shows just how culture remains relevant throughout the times.
Last year, Mr Leiyan came in third in the costume category.
So, what did they do differently?
He says, “This year, we had enough time to prepare and include the Maasai attire as part of our car presentation as well. So we put Maasai shukas on the car cushions, decorated the car boot and ensured that the inner mirror and the side mirrors showed Maasai decoration.”
Comprehensive insurance cover
His only lamentation is that securing comprehensive insurance cover for classic cars is difficult.
“I was surprised when I went to get insurance for my Mitsubishi and I was told that I can only get third-party insurance because the useful age of the car has been surpassed. Meaning that it is so old that I cannot get comprehensive insurance. So currently I only have third-party insurance for it, yet it is the most valuable car that I have in my yard,” he says.
His other challenge is finding mechanics who share his enthusiasm for classics.
“It's hard to find skilled and passionate people. They often treat the car like any other old vehicle. So I can take my car to a mechanic to help with the brakes or to get it painted, but you find that it is not done well. The rising cost of living has also meant that the cost of spare parts has skyrocketed, proving to be a challenge,” he says.
Globally, luxury collectables are on a pause, according to Knight Frank's latest report. The performance of classic cars dropped by six percent.
