There is already strong support from the local motor industry for the first South African Festival of Motoring which takes place at the Kyalami Grand Prix circuit, Midrand, from August 31-September 4.
Among the major companies already confirmed as participants are: Toyota, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Porsche. Several other, major companies have indicated strong interest in the Festival and more firm commitments to participate are expected to be confirmed shortly.
Importantly, the country’s largest automotive finance house, Wesbank, has been confirmed as the headline sponsor for the Festival, after previously being a major sponsor of the Johannesburg International Motor Show in the past.
“We know that the South African economy is in a downturn, but we believe that the companies that market aggressively in these negative cycles benefit when the economic climate improves,” said Konstantin von Vieregge, the recently-appointed CEO of SA Shows Messe Frankfurt, the organiser of this re-imagined motor show. “The smart guys invest in the hard times and reap the benefits in the good times.”
“Messe Frankfurt, one of the largest organisers of exhibitions and trade shows in the world, has made a significant investment in establishing its local subsidiary, SA Shows Messe Frankfurt, and will invest substantially in the Festival of Motoring itself to ensure it is a success. Messe Frankfurt is of the opinion that South Africa, as the leading automotive market on the African continent deserves, a prestigious annual motoring event. We aim to provide that opportunity, starting this year and going forward. ”
The objective of the SA Festival of Motoring is for it to be a “must attend” lifestyle event for South African consumers in the same vein as the J&B Met and SA Fashion Week. It is aimed at so called petrolheads and motor sport enthusiasts, as well as at motorists in general.
The Festival will involve both static displays and activations linked to automotive products and services as well as being a source of a wide range of ongoing entertainment both on and off the race track.
The organisers have reviewed several benchmark events worldwide and will be borrowing the best ideas from the most successful shows. This includes the Goodwood Festival of Speed staged annually in the United Kingdom and which is an excellent combination of passive and active elements in a very popular mix.
Entertainment will range from German touring cars roaring around the race circuit to a fashion show and plenty more, including children’s entertainment and a special play area.
What will be particularly appealing to visitors with an eye to buying new wheels will be the opportunity to take a test drive either on the race track or on the special 4×4 track depending on the lifestyle needs of the consumer. The track will feature super car drives with professional drivers as well as the self-drive opportunity to test a budget saloon.
Car enthusiasts will be well catered for too, with the Galleria area above the pits hosting a display consisting of an array of mouth-watering prestige cars and motorcycles alongside a range of artworks, which will include an art completion for schoolchildren.
We have all the pegs in the ground now and the next step is to develop our plans to reality so that the 2016 SA Festival of Motoring is the big success we are confident of delivering,” concluded SA Show Messe Frankfurt CEO Konstantin von Vieregge