The Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit, powered by Wesbank, will be roaring with the Festival of Motoring (FoM event from 28 to30 August again, under the theme “Driven by Purpose, Defined by Legacy.”
In an increasingly digital world, FoM remains the essential physical touchpoint where automotive heritage and future technology meet. It’s a place where brands, consumers, and communities reconnect through real experiences
“We are meeting customers where buying decisions truly happen, inside the car and on the track,” says Michael Dehn, Managing Director of Messe Frankfurt SA.
Lebo Gaoaketse, WesBank Head of Marketing and Communication, adds that rising consumer confidence signals a strong year ahead: “The Festival shows how eager people are to reconnect with the industry.”
The 2026 event is built on scale, variety, and experiential depth. Visitors can look forwards to 10 000+ track drives with more than 20 major brands participating, 50 pit doors and main circuit action, self-handling track with over 40 vehicles available for personal testing of agility, stability, and a braking and the 4x4 Village. For the more adventurous, the new FoM Adventure Zone, offering drifting rides and karting challenges, is not to be missed.
High‑performance track thrills to look forward to is the Sunbet ZX10 Masters Cup, the Investchem Formula One‑Type Demonstrations, the Vilaca Racing Speed Challenge, the BMW M-Performance Parts Race Series and even a Simola Hillclimb Experience (a Johannesburg rendition of the iconic Knysna event, supported by driver academies from Volkswagen and Mercedes‑Benz).
Off-track, FoM embraces the lifestyle and community behind automotive passion by hosting Premier car clubs that will headline this year’s expanded Show & Shine culture. Retail hubs offer leading brands including Castrol, The Grand Prix Store, and Autostyle Motorsport.
There are also tailored hospitality packages available. Contact Judy Maharaj (Show Director) at judy.maharaj@za.messefrankfurt.com
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You can't buy happiness but you can buy cars and that's kind of the same thing.
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Pinewood.AI has added two new embedded modules to its Business Intelligence Solution, giving dealers and OEMs greater insight into financial performance and the customer journey, it says.
Margins are shrinking, customers are under financial strain, and competition is intensifying across South Africa’s motor retail sector. Against this backdrop, dealerships are being forced to rethink how they remain profitable while still building customer trust and long term sustainability.
Ford will launch seven new models in Europe by 2029, it announced recently, as it seeks to grow its flagging passenger car sales, fend off fierce competition from Chinese rivals and maintain an edge in the continent's commercial vehicle market.
