Eliud Kipchoge's 1:59:40: The record that inspired a special D-Max from Isuzu E. Africa

On October 12, 2019, Eliud Kipchoge did something no marathon runner had done before: he completed the distance in under two hours.

The clock stopped at 1:59:40.2 on Vienna's Prater Hauptallee during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge.

It was not recognised as an official world record because the event was specially organised, with rotating pacemakers, a pace car and other assistance that did not meet standard competition conditions.

It was nevertheless the first sub-two-hour marathon performance by a human being.

That number would eventually leave the running track.

Why the number 159?

Three years after the Vienna run, Isuzu East Africa unveiled a special D-Max built around Kipchoge's achievement.

The idea was remarkably literal: 159 vehicles for 1:59.

Isuzu announced in October 2022 that only 159 units would be produced, with the first vehicle intended for Kipchoge.

The limited-edition pickup was developed from the D-Max Double Cab and was eventually launched for sale in May 2023.

It was not just a numerical gimmick.

The vehicle was designed to carry Kipchoge's identity through its 1:59 branding, signature and Kenyan-inspired styling, turning a sporting achievement into something people could actually own.

Isuzu described the model as a tribute to Kipchoge's career and the values associated with his “No Human Is Limited” philosophy.

A Sh9 million piece of sporting history

When the pickup went on sale in 2023, its advertised price was about KSh9 million, placing it well above standard D-Max models at the time.

Each vehicle formed part of the exclusive Kipchoge 159 Club, with individual owners receiving specially identified vehicles.

The concept quickly developed a life beyond the original launch.

In February 2024, Isuzu handed over vehicle number 150 to Patrick Ng’ang’a Wangómbé, a vehicle sales executive at Ryce East Africa.

His pickup carried a personalised “WANG’OMBE 150” nameplate, illustrating how the limited run was being treated as an ownership community rather than simply 159 identical vehicles.

Other owners attached their own stories to the cars.

On Valentine's Day that year, for example, a Kipchoge Edition D-Max was presented to business owners Nelson and Wangari Ngure of Ng’ombe Feeds.

The car was more than a badge

Underneath the special graphics was a high-spec D-Max.

The Kipchoge Edition was offered with a 2.999-litre 4JJ3-TCX diesel engine, six-speed automatic transmission, 4x4 drivetrain and 450Nm of torque.

It also came with features including a 9-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning and a tyre-pressure monitoring system.

The design itself carried deliberate references to Kipchoge and Kenya, including the athlete's signature and the 1:59 identity.

And then there was number 159

This week, the story came full circle.

Kipchoge received the 159th and final D-Max from Isuzu East Africa, bringing the limited-production run to its symbolic conclusion.

The final vehicle belongs to the person whose Vienna performance supplied the number in the first place.

What began as 1:59:40.2 on a Vienna running track eventually became 159 numbered pickups on Kenyan roads.

A marathon time became a vehicle.

A vehicle became a club, turning a sporting milestone into a piece of Kenyan automotive history.