American sports fans will always encourage you to “go big or go home”, and the organisers of the 2017 Cape Town Motor Show seem to have taken that advice to heart, with their plans for the most ambitious automotive expo to be held in Cape Town since the glory days of the Argus Motor Show which was, ironically, held at the Goodwood Showgrounds, on the same site where now stands the GrandWest Casino, venue for this weekend’s blockbuster.
The convenors have rung every bell and ticked every box to attract Cape Town’s notoriously cliquey petrolheads to their event. It is, first and foremost, a motor show in the international sense of the word. The Grand Arena will display the latest models and concepts from major brands such as Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Ford, Infiniti, Jaguar, Kia, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Toyota, Volvo and Volkswagen, several of whom have promised new models not seen before in South Africa.
But among them, like adults at a playschool party, will be the giants of the road, long-haul trucks from Fuso, Iveco, MAN and Scania, vehicles we encounter on the road each day but rarely, if ever, get the chance to see ‘up close and personal’.
The Market Hall will showcase the latest in aftermarket accessories, advanced technologies and custom tuning, including spares, engine updates, custom rims, high-performance tyres, vehicle wrapping and even insurance; there will also be a number of driving simulators to educate and thrill, as well as promotional items on sale.
Seriously attitudinous machines
It sounds like an odd mix but motorcycle enthusiasts have much in common with classic car fans, which is why you’ll find iconic examples of key cars that have influenced automotive history - the Ford Mustang, Jaguar E-Type, Volkswagen Beetle and Willys Jeep, to name just a few – in the Sun Exhibit Hall alongside the latest, gizmo-packed sportsbikes, custom cruisers and seriously attitudinous naked machines from makers such as Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Indian, Kawasaki, KTM, Moto Guzzi, Norton, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph and Yamaha, a well as the battery-powered Zero – don’t knock it until you’ve ridden one.
And just outside will be the Intrepid Explorer area, dedicated to all things khaki, with the latest 4x4 off-roaders and SUV’s, trailers and caravans, together with accessories, modification and camping gear – not forgetting some of the finest outdoor cooking equipment on the planet; no longer does living in the wild have to mean roughing it.
The show will be open from 10am to 6pm, from Friday 27 January to Sunday 29 January, with live entertainment – including drifting – on all three days, and food and drinks on sale from a variety of outlets. Tickets are available from
at R100 per adult, R60 for pensioners and children from 12 to 17, and R250 for a family package covering two adults and two children over 12; in all cases children under 12 get in free.