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Preparations for the 2017 WesBank SA Motoring Experience are already gathering momentum as organisers rev up the content for the event scheduled to hold at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit from September 1-3.
The SA Festival of Motoring is hosting this event, which is the only industry-endorsed motor show on the local calendar for 2017, and it will come around the same period with the Johannesburg Boat and Water Show being co-hosted at Kyalami.
Konstantin von Vieregge, the CEO of Johannesburg-based SA Shows Messe Frankfurt, organisers of the show is already optimistic of putting up another good show this year.
“We learned many valuable lessons through feedback from visitors and exhibitors when we staged the first South African Festival of Motoring at Kyalami last year.
”Messe Frankfurt has formalised its global partnership with the organisers of the Goodwood Festival of Speed to assist in sourcing attractive content for our show. We believe the combination of Messe Frankfurt’s show expertise and the flair of the Goodwood team will ensure a most memorable experience at the country’s prime motoring venue.
“The experiential and hands-on elements worked particularly well for the visitors according to our research during last year’s Festival, so there will be greater focus on these types of activity this year.
“Several leading vehicle manufacturers and distributors are arranging some innovative, first-hand activations of their own. In addition, while our team from SA Shows Messe Frankfurt will be responsible many aspects of the show, including test-drives around the famous race track, off-road driving experiences at the improved 4×4 course. This year the off-road activity area will have its own, dedicated catering, as well as display, stands for those companies involved in eh ride-and-drive, “ Von Vieregge stated.
The organisers say the handling track will not be confined to one manufacturer this year to give more variety to visitors to this facility, adding that supercar experiences on the track will again be a high priority item, as well as controlled access to the action-packed pit area.
“The response from the motor industry to the WesBank Motoring Experience 2017 has been most encouraging. Already more than 20 brands are committed to participating, including several which did not have a presence at the 2016 Festival. A plus is that these brands will be represented by the manufacturers and distributors themselves and not by dealers,” Von Vieregge explained.
A major attraction this year will be a competition for elite classic cars where the owners are invited by the show organisers to enter specific cars. The competition will include not only rare cars but South African motorsport legends and cars which have a unique place in local motoring history. This event will be organised by Will Kinsmen, the Head of Content at the legendary Goodwood Festival of Speed in the United Kingdom.
