Festival of Motoring 2024: Speed meets spectacle

Festival of Motoring 2024: Speed meets spectacle

The Festival of Motoring is the largest gathering of like-minded enthusiasts in South Africa. It displays the latest from the motoring world while offering a unique experience on and off the track. Here's your guide to prepare for FoM 2024, which promises to be an exciting event.

The festival will be divided into four sections this year, each providing a unique motoring-related experience. During your day at Kyalami, these zones—the Green Zone, Yellow Zone, Blue Zone, and Red Zone—are colour-coordinated to make sure you don't miss a thing.

Green Zone: The hub

The Green Zone is the festival's most exciting area. The latest cars will be on display here, and various brands will offer track experiences. The Green Zone is typically the most popular section at the festival, and it is here that you can view all of South Africa's latest motoring products and book on-track passenger rides in select vehicles. Unfortunately, these spots do fill up quickly, so be sure to pop into the pits when you first arrive.

Blue Zone: 4x4 track

The Blue Zone is a commonly missed section at the FoM but is one that we highly recommend experiencing. It's located near the top of the circuit and offers off-road experiences in the latest 4x4 SUVs and bakkies. To reach the Blue Zone, you will need to head to the shuttle pick-up point, which is found on the east side of the track. This display is geared towards thrill seekers and offers the opportunity to witness the capability of various new off-road vehicles.

Yellow Zone: Handling tracks and platforms

The Yellow Zone is the more hands-on display at FoM. Under the supervision of an instructor, you can get behind the wheel of the vehicle of your choice on a short-handling track. There will also be drifting displays and experiences to fuel your adrenaline, as well as more track activities in the upper pits. This is also the location to see various racing cars prepare for their track sessions, which will be taking place periodically over the weekend.

Red Zone: The food court

If you find yourself longing for a burger or something to quench your thirst from standing in the sun, the Red Zone is the spot for you. This is where all of the beverages and food can be found to get you through the day.

Machines to keep an eye on

The Festival of Motoring not only promises an exciting day out for enthusiasts but also a spotlight for car manufacturers to display their latest and greatest. This year, the Lamborghini Revuelto will be showcased in all of its V12 glory. Bentley is set to display its lineup of luxury vehicles, from the Flying Spur to the Bentayga.

Chery is set to unveil its latest crossover, which we assume will fall under the name the Tiggo 4 Pro, and Chery's sister brand, Jaecoo, is also anticipated to display its new J6 and add a smaller full-electric SUV to its lineup. Finally, Porsche is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 911 Turbo and will most likely have a diverse collection of old and new models on display. These reveals accumulate at the top of the FoM iceberg, and there will likely be more reveals and exciting products to spend time with over the weekend.

Racing

Aside from the large selection of production vehicles on display, there will be a diverse range of race cars and bikes showcased throughout the duration of the event. The Sunbet ZX10 Masters Cup series will be racing, while classic Ford fans will get a taste of their favourite sights and sounds as the Shelby Speed Challenge takes place over the weekend. There will also be a Formula 1 demo where F1-type vehicles will take to the track and show just how fast they really are.

Tickets and times

The annual Festival of Motoring will take place this coming weekend, from Friday the 30th of August to Sunday the 1st of September. Tickets are available on the Howler website priced at R275 for adults, R230 for pensioners, and R75 for children aged four to twelve, with children under four entering for free. If one day isn’t enough for you, then weekend passes are available at R660. There is a selection of VIP options too for those looking to make the most out of FoM.

The Festival of Motoring is a must-see for any enthusiast. There is a little bit for everybody, so get ready for high adrenaline and an awesome weekend out with friends and family.

‍