Jun 17, 2025 Castrol South Africa, GTX LOOOOOONG RIDE, Cape-to-Kenya road test, Castrol GTX’s 3X CLEAN, Jenny Heyes,
Castrol launches a Cape-to-Kenya road test
Castrol South Africa has officially launched one of its most ambitious road-test campaigns yet: the GTX LOOOOOONG RIDE, a 10,500-kilometre overland journey from Cape Town to Kenya that puts Castrol GTX engine oil to the ultimate test. Designed to prove the power of sludge protection and engine longevity under real-world African conditions, the campaign brings together storytelling, endurance and purpose like never before.
The GTX LOOOOOONG RIDE is inspired by the global Castrol GTX campaign that started in China and then moved to Central Asia to become a highly successful LOOOOOONG RIDE - a multi-thousand-kilometre road journey that captured the attention of audiences in several countries. Now, that same endurance spirit hits the African continent, with Castrol’s team navigating complex roads, varied climates, and diverse terrains - from the dry savannahs of Botswana to the Great Rift Valley in Kenya - using only Castrol GTX to protect and power the journey.
The 10,500 km route will span eight African countries, beginning in Cape Town, South Africa, and winding through Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Tanzania and ending in Nairobi, Kenya. Each leg of the journey is carefully curated to test the limits of engine endurance - with roads ranging from smooth highways to off-road gravel tracks, mountain passes, and tropical climates.
Key checkpoints include meeting an ex Miss Botswana to learn about traditional fashion and cuisine, racing around the dirt in Zambia with a Rally Driver, experiencing the 4x4 scene in Zimbabwe, boarding a houseboat on Lake Malawi, exploring Maasai tribes, getting a bird’s eye view of the Serengeti and delving into the music scene in Tanzania with a musician who loves cars as much as his guitar.
Every 2,000 km, the team will conduct an oil sampling extraction and send this back to Castrol Technology Centre for analysis— showcasing the real-world science of Castrol GTX’s 3X CLEAN formula.
At the heart of the campaign is Castrol GTX, the globally trusted engine oil known for its ability to fight sludge and keep engines running longer, cleaner, and stronger. Sludge is a thick, tar-like substance that forms in engines due to heat and oil degradation and can reduce performance and engine life if not prevented. The Castrol GTX’s 3X CLEAN formula actively cleans away existing sludge, prevents new sludge formation, protects engine components under high stress and performs in both high temperatures and long-haul conditions.
“Castrol GTX isn’t just oil - it’s protection you can feel and measure,” says Jenny Heyes, Marketing Director for Castrol Africa. “This road trip puts Castrol GTX under the same pressure your engine faces every day - but multiplied by thousands of kilometres. It’s a living lab with dust, heat, mountains, potholes and everything in between.”
The campaign is fronted by Castrol ambassador and award-winning off-road racer Lance Woolridge, alongside auto enthusiast, Castrol’s Brand Ambassador and content creator Thabiso Mkhize. The duo will co-drive the Castrol-branded Toyota Fortuner, giving daily updates, providing technical insights and sharing cultural encounters as they travel.
They’ll be joined along the way by a rotating cast of influencer guests and creators from across Africa, including:
• Donovan Goliath, South African comedian and car fanatic
• Liselle & Lisette So-oabes, Namibian twins who are fashion and travel enthusiasts
• Joy Kendi, a fashion, beauty and lifestyle creator from Kenya
For every kilometre driven, Castrol will donate R5 to the Black Mambas, South Africa’s pioneering all-woman anti-poaching unit. These women patrol the Balule Nature Reserve, using visibility, tracking and local intelligence to protect endangered wildlife from poachers. “Partnering with the Black Mambas is about backing everyday heroes,” says Heyes. “They protect what we can’t see and often forget — and just like Castrol, they keep going when the terrain gets tough.”
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