New and old go on show at Kyalami
EVENT NEWS The South African Motoring Experience promises excitement for automotive enthusiasts this weekend
It is almost that time of the year when throngs of automotive enthusiasts descend on Kyalami racetrack for the South African Motoring Experience, a slightly smaller version of the SA Festival of Motoring that took place in 2016.
The event will run from September 1 to 3 and will include a display of seven of the latest supercars such as the Lamborghini Aventador S, McLaren 570S, Aston Martin DB11, Mercedes-Benz AMG GTC, Audi R8, Porsche 918 hybrid and the Bentley Continental Supersports.
Besides being on static display and having their engines started now and again, some of these cars will take to the track during the three days of the show and patrons can ride shotgun around the track in some performance cars steered by professional drivers.
For fans of veteran, vintage and classic cars more than 140 vehicles will be on put on show in the car club area by members of 15 clubs.
INTERACTION
Show visitors will be able to move among the cars and engage with their owners or club members.
Among the special models on display will be a 1989 Lancia Delta HF Integrale, a rare righthand-drive Alpine Renault A310 and a DKW Junior, which is like the car driven by Sarel van der Merwe in his first motor race at Kyalami. An immaculate 1959 two-door Chevrolet Impala is sure to wow fans of American cars from the fintail era.
Car clubs represented at the event will include the Vintage and Veteran Club, Volvo Owners’ Club, Ford Cortina Fun Club, DKW Club, Pretoria Street Rod Club, Swiftspeed Club, RS Club, Renault Club ZA, Mini Owners’ Club of SA, Cobra Club, Porsche Club, Renault Duster Club and Concours SA, which recently held its annual competition at Sun City.
Several original or re-creations of famous racing cars will also be on display in this area, including Genie Racing’s Lola T70 and a Porsche 917 licensed to be driven on the road, as well as classic racing cars belonging to the Scribante team.
Mercedes-AMG will have a parade with an array of new and old AMG models roaring on the track, which will be a fitting commemoration of the 50th anniversary of AMG.
Other motor manufacturers will use the event to showcase their models, including Jaguar Land Rover with its roaring F-Type SVRm and the Range Rover Autobiography.
There is a possibility that the Range Rover Velar could make its South African debut.
PIT LANE
Adventure awaits at the Volkswagen Pit Lane with either self or professional drives in the new Golf range (Golf R, Golf GTI and Golf GTD), as well as the Passat.
The company will give members of the public an opportunity to feature in the third season of Speed Stars which will be broadcast on Ignition TV.
At the Volkswagen Skid Pan area on September 2 and 3 contestants will be given three attempts at driving a Volkswagen Up through a technical slalom course, with two of the fastest times per day going through to the next round.
There will be a Tiguan “Boot Packing” competition, a “Car Pool Karaoke” competition, as well as a dance class with a robot choreographer.
“Because Volkswagen is more than just a car company and we want to show our human side, we will have a Blue Bike Cycling station, where we invite visitors to cycle as fast and far as they can on our Blue Bike. Every 200km cycled will result in Volkswagen donating a bicycle to disadvantaged rural children through the Volkswagen for Good initiative,” says Matt Gennrich, GM group communications at Volkswagen SA.
KIDS’ ACTIVITIES
Nissan will have on display its updated 370Z (which you can read about on page 7 after we had a preview drive).
Children will be treated to number of activities, including snowboarding, at the manufacturers’ marquees.
The show organisers say the 2017 event will take things up a few notches and they are expecting it to attract an even wider audience.
ORGANISERS SAY THE EVENT WILL TAKE THINGS UP A FEW NOTCHES AND EXPECT IT TO ATTRACT A WIDER AUDIENCE