We all dream of it, we all aspire to it, but only a select few actually become a part of it. We’re talking about the glitz, the glamour and the lifestyle of the rich and famous. SA Car Fan was one of a select few media to receive an invitation to experience a day full of supermodels, superstars and most importantly, supercars; all of which Justin Jacobs is particularly fond.
The 5th annual LIVEOUTLOUD Supercar Day took place on Saturday, 4th October at the internationally renowned Kyalami Race Track in Johannesburg. The day also incorporated a rather special celebration, as Aston Martin celebrated its 100th year anniversary.
To honour the British marque, a rather daring plan was set up to see how many Aston Martins could be gathered in one place and, thanks to the many enthusiastic owners, a total of 62 Astons made it onto the Kyalami circuit. In so doing, an African record was set for the most number of Aston Martins in one place at one time. A 1958 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkIII in original condition headed the convoy, as if a proud grandfather sitting among all of his grandchildren, and it was aural bliss as the convoy made its way around the race track.
Seeing though it was a celebration, however, it was only customary to have some ‘friends’ over to share in the festivities. Other top brands such as Bentley, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Porsche, Lamborghini and McLaren formed part of the 300 supercar attendance, and they definitely thrilled the crowds.
With entertainment and interaction galore, drone choppers circulated the track to feed live footage to the giant HD monitors throughout the day. In addition, anyone who owns a ‘Smart TV’ was able to view the event in real time via direct online access, from anywhere in the country, in what was another African first highlight of event.
The extravagant lifestyle theme was felt throughout the day as top luxury brands showed off their products. The VIP area was transformed into a comfortable exhibition and lounge, showcasing several luxury products and experiences including the International Bank Vaults, Celebrity Cruises, Pongracz, Old Bisquit Cognac, Visconti, Bakos Brothers, GSG, Onyx, Alice Art Gallaries, MIP and Espresso Veloce. Specialists of voice, data and content services, Smartcom, displayed a technical feast for the motoring and technologically astute.
A lawn deck was created, complete with astro-turf, shaded lounge pockets, bars and food stations on the roof of the pit area, all making for a comfortable vantage point from which eager spectators could witness the day’s festivities.
Just when I thought things couldn’t get better, some of the celebrities that were present on the day took part in a race around the track. The Celebrity Challenge saw popular South African icons Chiano Sky, Gugu Zulu, Jonathan Boynton-Lee, Tukwini Mandela and Mike Eilertsen tear across the Kyalami track in an assortment of supercars.
The winning vehicle, Tukwini’s Aston Martin, engaged in the highly-anticipated Ultimate Challenge, where an AS 350 B2 Eurocopter rivalled the Aston Martin V12 Vantage. This was a definite crowd pleaser. Everyone gathered along the pit wall waiting in anticipation to see who would come around the final corner. It was the Aston that appeared first and the crowd went wild, however, the final straight played to the helicopter’s advantage. The Eurocopter was the first to take the chequered flag, victorious by a mere three-metres.
Other celebrities who attended the Supercar Day included Francois Hougaard, DJ Euphonik, Stacey Holland, Conor Mccreedy, Tarina Patel and LIVEOUTLOUD guest writer, Tumisho Masha. However, it was the arrival of a rather special celebrity that got everyone talking.
When Jamiroquai front man, Jay Kay, heard that there were going to be supercars at Kyalami, he wanted in. So, as a bonus, the events team managed to get this car enthusiast superstar to Kyalami via helicopter and landed on the main straight. As Jay Kay got out of the chopper he was handed the keys to the sublime Aston Martin V12 Vantage. Keen to get in a couple of hot laps in around this famous race track Jay Kay wasn’t hesitant to smoke some rubber as he launched off the line.
I’ve mentioned the supercars, the superstars and now it’s onto the supermodels. The 2013 Young Designer Awards added some glamour to the day by hosting a fashion show of designs from last year’s overall winner Tanya Repsold, as well as the International Emerging Designers from the Las Vegas Fashion Week, Johan and Fritz Botha from F. Wilson Designs. The fashion showcase culminated in the announcement of the winner for 2013, Naazneen Kagee.
From record-breaking displays, celebrity challenges and impressive exhibitions of the world’s most loved and admired automobiles, crowds left the annual event with recollections of excitement and extravagance.
Images courtesy of Andrew Howes Photography and Peroni South Africa.
