From Model T to Temerario – Santos Beach Auto Extremo brings a century of motoring to Mossel Bay
Supercars, classics, racing simulators and Portuguese flavours at Santos Beach
From 1911 Ford Model Ts to the latest Lamborghini Temerario, with two iconic Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadsters, Ferraris, Porsches, Jaguar E-Types, BMW M cars and modern Mercedes-AMG machinery in between, more than a century of motoring will come together on the shores of Mossel Bay for the 3rd Santos Beach Auto Extremo on Saturday, 5 September 2026.
Set against the spectacular Indian Ocean backdrop of De Bakke Santos, this year’s event will combine an exceptional display of classic, collectable and modern performance cars with the MUA Racing Simulator Challenge and a distinctly Portuguese culinary flavour.
And there is one important change for visitors to remember – this year Auto Extremo is on SATURDAY!
OVER A CENTURY OF MOTORING – FROM MODEL T TO TEMERARIO
One of the great attractions of Santos Beach Auto Extremo is the opportunity to see more than a century of motoring history displayed side by side, and the 2026 line-up promises to be particularly special.
At one end of the timeline will be several veteran Ford Model Ts dating from 1911 to 1921, representing the era in which the motor car first began to transform personal mobility around the world.
From there, visitors can move through the decades to some truly iconic European sports and grand touring cars.
BMW will be represented by an elegant E9 2800 CS Coupé, together with a selection of later BMW M models, demonstrating the evolution from classic coupé elegance to modern high-performance motoring.
The Italian contingent promises plenty of drama. Lamborghini will be represented by the Urus as well as the spectacular new Temerario, while a selection of Ferraris will include a special 599 GTB 60th Anniversary.
Porsche enthusiasts will also be well catered for, with cars ranging from the unusual Volkswagen-Porsche 914 of the 1970s to the formidable modern 718 Cayman GT4 RS – two very different interpretations of the mid-engined sports car separated by more than half a century.
British motoring heritage will be represented by an equally fascinating selection, including the beautifully styled and rare Triumph Italia, a Morgan Plus 8, Jensen Interceptor Mk III and a selection of legendary Jaguar E-Types.
And naturally, Mercedes-Benz will have a significant presence.
The marque’s sporting heritage will be represented by a selection of SL models spanning several generations, headed by no fewer than two iconic W198 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadsters.
Alongside these classics will be their modern performance descendants, including the dramatic Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing and SLS AMG Roadster, as well as examples of the later C190 Mercedes-AMG GT.
It means visitors will be able to walk across the lawns at Santos and travel through more than 100 years of motoring – from a 1911 Model T Ford to a 2026 Lamborghini Temerario, with some of the great sporting and performance cars of the intervening decades in between.
“This is exactly what we want Santos Beach Auto Extremo to represent,” says chief organiser Waldo Scribante. “It is not simply a classic-car show and it is not simply a supercar show. Where else can you stand beside a 1911 Model T, walk a few metres to two 300 SL Roadsters, admire an E-Type or Ferrari and then find yourself alongside the latest Lamborghini? It is the story of the motor car, old and new, brought together in one magnificent setting.”
For enthusiasts young and old, that contrast promises to be one of the highlights of this year’s Auto Extremo – motoring heritage meeting modern performance on the shores of Mossel Bay.
THINK YOU CAN DRIVE? PROVE IT!
Visitors will also have an opportunity to exchange spectating for racing when main sponsor MUA Insurance Acceptances brings its Racing Simulator Challenge to Santos.
Visitors can complete an entry form for a lucky draw to participate, with selected drivers getting the opportunity to record three to five laps on the racing simulators.
Lap times will be recorded throughout the day before the fastest competitors return for a Top 10 shootout later in the afternoon.
And there is plenty at stake.
The overall winner will receive a fantastic prize sponsored by PSG – two air tickets plus an AMG Advanced Driving course.
“Auto Extremo should be experienced, not simply viewed,” says Scribante. “The racing simulators will bring a wonderful interactive element to the day – and I suspect the competition for a place in that Top 10 shootout is going to become quite serious!”
A TASTE OF PORTUGAL AT SANTOS
The 2026 event will also celebrate Mossel Bay’s historic connection with Portugal and the Portuguese navigators who explored this coastline more than five centuries ago.
The Auto Extremo Food Court will take on a special Portuguese flavour, adding the tastes and aromas of Portuguese-inspired cuisine to the cars, ocean views and relaxed Santos atmosphere.
It is a fitting addition to an event whose appeal has always extended beyond the motor cars themselves – bringing together motoring, food, friendship and the unique seaside character of Mossel Bay.
Auto Extremo has grown from the Mercedes-Benz Club Southern Cape’s original Spring Snoek Braai, first held in 1996, into today’s multi-marque motoring event.
Thirty years later, good food, beautiful cars and friendship remain at its heart.
“Santos Beach Auto Extremo is about more than displaying cars. It is about creating a motoring experience – exceptional cars, great food, friendly competition and one of the most beautiful settings imaginable. Where better to spend a Saturday in spring than Santos Beach?” says Scribante.
STRONG SUPPORT FOR AUTO EXTREMO
The continued growth of Santos Beach Auto Extremo is made possible through the support of its sponsors and partners.
MUA Insurance Acceptances returns as the event’s main sponsor, continuing its association with South Africa’s specialist and collector motoring community.
Iconic Mossel Bay once again supports the event, while WESGRO joins as a co-sponsor for 2026, further strengthening Auto Extremo’s role in promoting Mossel Bay, the Garden Route and the Western Cape as a destination for motoring and lifestyle tourism.
PSG sponsors the Racing Simulator Challenge winner’s prize.
Their support helps position Santos Beach Auto Extremo not only as a motoring gathering, but as a destination event, encouraging enthusiasts and their families to spend the weekend exploring Mossel Bay and the Garden Route.
FROM A SNOEK BRAAI TO SANTOS BEACH AUTO EXTREMO
While this is only the third Santos Beach Auto Extremo, the heritage behind the event stretches back three decades.
It began in 1996 as the Southern Cape Region of the Mercedes-Benz Club of South Africa’s annual Spring Snoek Braai – a relaxed gathering of enthusiasts beside the sea at Santos.
Over the years the gathering became a much-loved tradition. In 2024, the concept evolved into the first Santos Beach Auto Extremo, opening the event to special-interest vehicles of all marques and generations.
The scale may have changed, and the cars may have become considerably more diverse, but the original ingredients remain: interesting motor cars, good food, friendship and one of South Africa’s most beautiful coastal settings.
“From a Spring Snoek Braai in 1996 to a celebration of more than a century of motoring in 2026, the event has grown enormously, but we have never wanted to lose its original spirit,” says Scribante. “It remains a gathering of people who simply love cars and enjoy sharing that passion with others.”
MAKE A DAY OF IT
The 3rd Santos Beach Auto Extremo takes place at De Bakke Santos, Mossel Bay, on Saturday, 5 September 2026.
The gates will be open to the public from 09:00 to 16:00.
Admission is R100 per adult, while school-going children accompanied by their parents enter FREE.
From veteran Model Ts to Ferrari and Lamborghini; from the 300 SL and E-Type to Porsche, Mercedes-AMG and BMW M; from racing simulators to Portuguese flavours – Santos Beach Auto Extremo offers something for motoring enthusiasts and the entire family.
Saturday, 5 September – all roads lead to Santos Beach, Mossel Bay.
