Expo Centre, Nasrec
Nasrec to present the International Motor Show
The Frankfurt Motor Show has been put back in the car park for another two years and now the focus turns to Johannesburg, which will host the 2013 Johannesburg International Motor Show from Friday, 18 October to Sunday, 27 October at the Expo Centre, Nasrec.
The show is set to feature some of the most exciting current and future models as the automotive manufacturers bring their latest vehicles and many of their concepts to South Africa for the first time.
The latest news is from Ford Motor Company SA, which has announced that it will be bringing its Evos Concept. Like most concept vehicles, the Evos is never likely to be a final production vehicle, instead showcasing the future design thinking taking place under the One Ford global programme.
The Evos Concept sees the return of the fastback style of car design, but it also boasts another concept car favourite in the form of gullwing doors. Inside there is space for four occupants to sit surrounded by allergy free materials while staying in touch through Ford’s SYNC system and remaining connected to the world courtesy of wireless links into the cloud.
French automaker Peugeot has confirmed that it will debut its new 2008 crossover as well as the 199kW RC-Z R sports coupe. The duo are set to be stars on the stand with the RCZ-R being the most powerful production of Peugeot.
The 2008 will take the 208 range to a whole new level as it offers a genuine lifestyle option in the smaller vehicle segment. Gone are the days of run of the mill affordable hatches, instead automakers like Peugeot are bringing adventurous and funky vehicles that are trendy in the city but explorers when they leave the city lights behind.
Kia is a company that continues to be on the move and it has announced some exciting debuts for the Johannesburg show. First will be the Kia Cerato hatch, which takes the beautiful styling of the sedan launched earlier in 2013 and turns it into an evocative and sporty hatchback.
The star of the Kia stand will also come from the Cerato range in the form of the highly anticipated new Cerato Koup. The new two-door boasts true sports coupe styling along with the latest inspiration from the head of Kia design, Peter Schreyer.
The Cerato Koup will also feature a new 1.6-litre GDI turbocharged four-cylinder engine which produces 152kW at 6 000r/min and 264Nm of torque between 1 750 and 4 500r/min.
The new engine will allow the next generation Cerato Koup to play in the real hot hatch league where previously it was more about style than performance. If styling alone is anything to go by, then Kia looks to have yet another winner on their hands.
Mercedes-Benz South Africa always puts on a vast display at the show which reflects its status not just as a key player in the local economy, but equally as the star which so many aspire too. The 2013 Johannesburg International Motor Show will be no exception with Mercedes showcasing more than 20 models including what the company refers to as its 'Dream Cars'.
One of these will be its showstopper in the form of the new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG black series, which brings real race track performance to this road car. Inspired by the SLS AMG GT3 race car it will be a must see vehicle and will doubtless find itself the poster on many a teenager’s wall.
The other major debut for Mercedes will be its new luxury and technology tour de force, the brand new S-Class. Marketed as “the best car in the world”, the new luxury flagship boasts an almost endless list of technology and safety features combined with one of the most luxurious interiors in the automotive industry.
News from Nissan is that one of the main attractions on its stand will be the Nissan Leaf electric vehicle, which is due to go on sale in South Africa imminently. The Leaf has been on trial with Eskom, the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Technology Innovation Agency and will be South Africa’s first official electric vehicle to go to market.
The Leaf is already the biggest selling electric car in the world and now the combination of zero emissions, almost silent motoring and claims of lower running costs is set to change the South African automotive landscape.
For more information on the Nissan Leaf then join the Johannesburg International Motor Show. Tickets are available at Computicket.
