The Durban Motor Show is back after being on hiatus since 2008. The 2012 Durban Motor Show promises to be revamped and revitalised, with a festival atmosphere that will appeal to the young, the old, families and enthusiasts.
Event organiser Andy King says, “We’ve taken the time to re-think what an event like this means to the city. You only need to look around and you’ll see a revamped Ford Mustang Classic parked up alongside a Lamborghini Aventador with a bunch of kids on skateboards drooling over them. This city is creating a whole new sub-culture for motoring which is very exciting.”
This year’s agenda includes entertainment, music , car reveals and unique motoring experiences. Many of the major motoring brands will be represented, including: Aston Martin; Rolls-Royce; McLaren; BMW; Chevrolet; Toyota; Volkswagen; Ford; Mazda and GWM.
The recently launched Chevrolet Trailblazer will be on display, while the team from Toyota Advanced Driving SA will be showing off the capability of Toyota’s vehicles with their ‘Urban Trax’ demonstration.
In addition to new car displays, local car clubs will be in attendance, bringing with them everything from Ferraris and GT40s to a 1901 Clement Panhard, which will make the trip especially from Johannesburg.
An Outdoor Arena will play host to the first Durban-held national SupaDrift Series, endorsed by Motorsport SA, and made possible by the Durban City Council who are allowing the competition to take place on the Durban City Centrum Car Park. This will be the first time the race has taken place in a city CBD in South Africa.
The Outdoor Arena also includes a dedicated Suicide Ride track where visitors can experience the thrill of drifting. A modified Volkswagen Beetle will host an urban skateboarding competition inside the exhibition space. Spur will host a free Outdoor Experience for children, complete with a jumping castle and Playstation islands, and a full go-kart track will test the best of go-karting driver’s skills, with fast sweeping corners and tighter technical turns.
Other special events include a live supercar auction on Saturday, 3 November hosted by Aucor, as well as the launch of a new smartphone application by software company Light Stone. Light Stone’s new app allows users to instantly access the history of a car by simply scanning the barcode on the license disc.
The Durban Motor Show runs from the 2nd to 4th November 2012, at the Durban Exhibition Centre. Tickets are R80 per adult, R50 per pensioner and children under 12 enter for free. A three-day ticket is also available. Visit www.durbanmotorshow.co.za for more information.
