The Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS) is finally here and the covers will be coming off some of the best automotive machinery in the world, much of which will be heading to South African showrooms soon. The stands are ready and executives from around the world are in town. Such is the importance of the show that top delegations from companies such as Ford, Mazda, Land Rover and Infiniti will be attending as well as some of the world’s great motorsport stars. The main stars will the cars though and there will be plenty of new models for today, tomorrow, and perhaps one day in the future. Volkswagen has announced that it will have a high tech concept car on its stand which it says will show the future direction of the brand. It will be joined by the new Golf BlueMotion and the Scirocco GTS. Another must see will be the iBeetle, a Volkswagen Beetle that allows full integration of the Apple iPhone using a special docking station and an app called ‘Volkswagen Car-Net The Beetle.’ VW will also be displaying what it calls a “super cool concept” in its commercial vehicles area where visitors will get to see the new Amarok Edition with its rugged lifestyle appeal. Infiniti is now in its second year in South Africa and the luxury marque will be previewing a brand new model on its stand. Reflecting its involvement with the Infiniti Red Bull Racing Formula One team, the stunning Infiniti FX Vettel Edition will also be on display along with the rest of the range. BMW will be showcasing its latest models including the stunning new 4 Series coupe which be launched in South Africa next month. Those who think that hybrid and electric cars are not sexy will have to think again though when they see the stunning i8. This hybrid sports car is set to launch in South Africa next year along with its smaller i3 urban sibling. If you have a passion for automotive design and want to see how exciting the future really can be, then you do not want to miss the i8.
The Chinese automotive industry has come a long way in recent years and its vehicles are now rivalling many of the established brands. There will be many exciting products at the show, one of which will be the new FAW V2, which is set to be South Africa’s cheapest 1.3 litre vehicle when it launches with a price tag of just R99,995. GWM has announced that it will be expanding its range in the coming months and entering a number of new segments and this is reflected in the fact that there will be no less than 13 models on its stand. The updated GWM H5 SUV will be on display along with the larger H6. The big news though will be the debut of the C30 and C50 sedans as well as the new M4 crossover. The M4 is a young and trendy model while the C30 offers plenty of small sedan practicality. The C50 will be the company’s first entry into the larger luxury sedan segment and is promising more equipment, more space and a brand new turbocharged engine.
The big news on the MG stand will be the arrival of the new MG3 supermini. The MG3 is due to be launched in South Africa shortly and boasts compact styling, LED daytime running lights and four models all of which have sporty looks and a 1.5 litre engine. While all the manufacturers present at the Johannesburg International Motor Show will have plenty of exciting future and existing models on display, there will also be lots of other reasons to explore the many packed halls. Motorsport fans will be catered for with a number of race vehicles from local rally cars to international stars and their cars including the Toyota TS030 HYBRID Le Mans car. The star for many though will be found on the Engen South Africa stand where a genuine Mercedes-Benz AMG Petronas Formula One car has been flown in from the team headquarters in the UK. F1 fans will not want to miss this one. Whether you want to see the best in F1 technology, the future of the electric car or simply want to browse the halls to see the latest new models, the Johannesburg International Motor Show at the Expo Centre, Nasrec will have something for everyone. Doors open to the public on Friday 18 October and the show runs until Sunday 27 October.
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