The five-year-old Mada-9, powered by a Toyota Corolla engine, is said to be a significant symbol of nation.
On Sunday, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid shared a video showing a sports automobile navigating snow on Twitter.
The car’s technical specifications are unknown, and its creators say it is still in development.
Another video shows the Mada 9 performing a wheel spin on tarmac before driving away.
The Mada 9 is described as “Afghanistan’s very own supercar,” and has been dubbed “the country’s equivalent to the Bugatti” in the video’s caption.
The Mada 9’s designer, Riza Ahmadi, expressed hope for the car’s ability to improve perceptions of his nation to Tolo News.
Entop Auto Studio, the company that provided funding for the car, predicts that the Mada 9 will be on display at the Expo 2023 trade show in Doha, Qatar, later this year.
It was a surprise to see an automobile. Now, all they can speak about is Mada 9.
Last Monday, the Taliban revealed the prototype of Afghanistan’s first domestic supercar, which was constructed by Kabul-based Entop.
Mada 9 is from a war-torn, underdeveloped country whose ruling militia is well known for giving its members Toyota pick-up vehicles and SUVs to help them get around the difficult terrain there. Even last year, when the Taliban were retaking control of Afghanistan, their workhorses were Toyota automobiles rather than expensive, high-tech military equipment.
The Taliban have long been fans of Toyota. When they overran Kabul in 1996, killing the president and creating the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, its warriors usually drove Toyota Hilux pickup trucks.
What connection does Toyota have with the Taliban?
Talibans value the brand for a number of factors, including its hardness, longevity, and low maintenance requirements. The vehicles were “great platforms for intimidation and enforcement,” The New York Times reported in 2001, which is probably the most crucial fact.
According to Ghulam Haidar Shahamat, the director of Afghanistan Technical Vocational Institute (ATVI), the Corolla engine has been upgraded so that “if you increase the speed, it’s powerful enough to take it,” at the time of the debut. Mada 9 was created by Entop and ATVI in cooperation.